05 January 2006
DAIMLERCHRYSLER AND VOLKSWAGEN TO BUILD A MINIVAN FOR THE US-MARKET
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. / WOLFSBURG, Germany - DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group and Volkswagen will develop and produce a new van for the North American market. The vehicle is to be marketed under the Volkswagen brand. A corresponding agreement will be signed at the Detroit Motor Show.
Production of the Volkswagen minivan, which will be based on the next generation Chrysler and Dodge minivan will begin in 2008.
“This an important and groundbreaking decision for the Volkswagen brand in the USA”, said Wolfgang Bernhard, Chairman of the VW Brand Board of Management. “In the Volkswagen product range we are missing a van for families, which meets the specific requirements of our American customers. With this new vehicle we are going to enter another important market segment with our own product.”
"This is a win-win deal for both the Chrysler Group and Volkswagen," said Chrysler Group President and CEO Tom LaSorda. "With our manufacturing and platform engineering flexibility, we can deliver a high-quality product specifically tailored to Volkswagen's customers' tastes with little or no substitution effect on the current Dodge and Chrysler minivan lineup.”
source: VWoA press release
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I'm sure some enthusiasts will cry foul, but this is an important step toward being more than a little niche brand in the US. Call it "selling out", but to make a lot of sales, a company has to make compromises, and frankly, the idea of a Chrysler/Volkswagen minivan is better than, say, a Ford/Volkswagen minivan (cough, Europe's Sharan). And an US-built Volkswagen will mean VAG won't have to worry about exchange rates.