Jump to content
Create New...
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Volkswagen Chief Designer Says Interiors Were Not Compromised

    William Maley

    Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

    May 18, 2012

    Despite the large amount of complaints from the automotive media about the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat's interior quality, Volkswagen is standing behind them, stating that interior quality hasn't been compromised.

    We didn’t take (cost) out. We just rebalanced where (the money was spent). We moved it from here to there. Whatever was taken out went right back in,” said Jae Min, chief designer-group interior at VW’s Design Center California.

    Min credits a new, more flexible architecture and a shift in manufacturing from Germany to VW’s new Chattanooga, TN, plant as to the cost savings.

    We're finding it hard to believe Min's comments on that costs were not taken out of the Jetta and Passat's interiors. But there is one thing we can believe, sales have gone up. Jetta sales have shot up 43.9% this year and Passat sales have risen by 80.9%.

    Source: Ward's Auto

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Cadillac sales went through the roof after the introduction of the Cimarron, too. Short-term gains and sales goals at the expense of long-term brand equity. Check through my posts; I called it for VW way back then.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Passat sales are up 80% because last year you could pick through a few middle optioned wagons on the lot, there were virtually no sedans to be had at all.

    Current Jetta sales up over the sales of the Jettarolla? I'm shocked... SHOCKED.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Blah, the VW INTERIORS are the worst out there. They took money out of the inside and spent it on the plant, guess you can say they kept the money in the car by creating a plant instead of a quality interior.

    • Agree 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    snapback.pngCroc, on , said:

    Cadillac sales went through the roof after the introduction of the Cimarron, too.

    Cadillac only gained 26K in volume for '81.

    Don't confuse them with reality, balthy.

    Blah, the VW INTERIORS are the worst out there. They took money out of the inside and spent it on the plant, guess you can say they kept the money in the car by creating a plant instead of a quality interior.

    Again, quit confusing people with reality.

    • Disagree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Yeah, don't try to confuse me with reality. :rolleyes:

    The total 1981 Cadillac sales were...approximately two hundred twenty-six thousand
    Source
    Total production for the 1982 Cadillac year was 235,584.
    Source
    The total sales for the 1983 Cadillac lineup was up nearly twenty-two percent from the previous year. Cadillac dealers reported that over 300,000 Cadillac’s were sold this year.
    Source

    Also, Cimarron debuted as a MY 1982, not a 1981, Balthazar.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Blah, the VW INTERIORS are the worst out there. They took money out of the inside and spent it on the plant, guess you can say they kept the money in the car by creating a plant instead of a quality interior.

    They're hardly the worst out there. Contrary, besides the Jetta and new Passat their interiors are some of the best built and finished in their classes.

    However, with regards to the article....

    "Volkswagen is standing behind them, stating that interior quality hasn't been compromised."

    looool.jpg

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    CTS debuted as a 2003, in Jan of 2002, my friend.

    Cimarron was introduced 05-14-1981.

    '80 MY :: 231028

    '80 CY :: 203992

    '81 MY :: 226427 (including 17602 Cimarrons)

    '81 CY :: 259135

    '82 MY :: 235584 (including 8366 Cimarrons)

    '82 CY :: 246602

    '83 was indeed a good year, every series was up, and healthily.

    Point is, the Cimarron didn't move enough units to 'skyrocket' Cadillac's numbers by itself. They didn't actually skyrocket in the first 2 years.

    Other factors were at play by '83 (or about 2 years after the Cimarron debuted). Even in '83, the Cimarron only sold 2/3rds of the Seville's volume.

    It just didn't move the needle.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Back to VW. Maybe they should build all of their cars in the USA rather than Europe (especially Germany) in order to save real money. Then again, that would require fully privatizing VW for good.

    Edited by riviera74
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I test drove the Jetta and sure the new interior plastics were not as nice as the last gen but the design is still very pleasing and modern. I found it better quality than the much more expensive Prius, who's interior was shockingly hollow in places. (I do find the Prius interior design modern as well though).

    I think it was at least on par with the plastics in the Civic, and CRZ (although I loved the chrome in the CRZ) and better than the TC but maybe not as nice as the soft touch materials in the Cruz, Elantra, or Kizashi. In the 18k to 23k dollar range the Jetta was a solid choice for my money. I really considered it.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    One thing I do like about contemporary VW interiors (I've looked closely at the Golf, New New Beetle, and Eos interiors, not so much at the new Passat or Jetta) is they are generally quite cleanly designed, logically laid out w/ solid switchgear and decent materials..I like the fact that they don't have the wierdness or overwrought quality IMO that so many smaller car interiors have (i.e. Fords, Hyundais, Hondas).

    Edited by Cubical-aka-Moltar
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I haven't been in anything recent. Last one was about an '03 passat- that one had some really awkward ergonomics, namely the seat adjuster wheel on the inner side of the seat- horrible to work (unless you were sitting in the back seat). Hopefully they dropped that long ago.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search