VW News: Volkswagen Working on Sub-Tiguan and Updated Atlas

[Drew Dowdell]

Volkswagen is working both ends of the SUV size spectrum lately.  Their Atlas model has become an excellent seller, moving 74,108 copies as of November 2019. That an increase of 40% over the prior year to date figures.  Though it's first model year was 2018, Volkswagen feels that it is nearly time for a refresh for 2021. The update will be mostly visual with new head and tail lights, new front and rear bumpers, and a revised grille. Volkswagen says it will also have updated and new driver-assistance features on top of the suits of technology the Atlas already sports.  The changes will bring the full-size Atlas more into visual alignment with the new Atlas Cross Sport  just hitting the market now.

Also coming will be a new crossover slotted below the Tiguan that will compete more directly with the Jeep Compass, Nissan Rogue Sport, and others in that class. While details are scarce, we do know what it won't be, it won't be the European T-Roc currently on sale overseas.  The new model will be designed specifically for North America and built in Mexico.  It should launch in the U.S. sometime in the Summer of 2021. 

For those of you lamenting the demise of the sedan, Volkswagen did manage to take a shot at the U.S. manufacturers by saying, "While some brands have walked away from car sales, we are focused on making smart decisions in this segment which is still a big part of the market."

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[G. David Felt]

Good to hear VW is staying diversified. Course they are a true global auto company unlike Ford, GM, and some parts of FCA.

[balthazar]

But it’s not a ‘big part’ of the markets GM & FoMoCo is in.

Read a piece the other day how Honda is seeing severe profit constraint because they are in too many markets building too many market-specific trims/equipment, and are planning on engineering consolidation.

Frankly, I never understood how ‘being global’ is always something to strive for. Some industries/products are just better suited to certain demographics. And I never saw any benefit to me OR the Corp if a truck I bought here was also sold across the globe. 

Edited December 12, 2019 by balthazar

[G. David Felt]

4 minutes ago, balthazar said:

But it’s not a ‘big part’ of the markets GM & FoMoCo is in.

Read a piece the other day how Honda is seeing severe profit constraint because they are in too many markets building too many market-specific trims/equipment, and are planning on engineering consolidation.

Frankly, I never understood how ‘being global’ is always something to strive for. Some industries/products are just better suited to certain demographics. And I never saw any benefit to me OR the Corp if a truck I bought here was also sold across the globe. 

I would agree with you on some of what you say, I think the problem is being too market specific where you build one type of auto just for say India versus the Asian market that they are part of.

I think you can be a global company that uses 3 to 4 global platforms to build a couple dozen or more auto's from a standardized set of parts and still have regional focused auto's such as Europe, Asia, Africa, Arabia, North America, Central America and South America.

I think this is the problem some Global companies end up running into when they really should be thinking regional and get country specific. JMHO

[Robert Hall]

4 minutes ago, dfelt said:

I would agree with you on some of what you say, I think the problem is being too market specific where you build one type of auto just for say India versus the Asian market that they are part of.

I think you can be a global company that uses 3 to 4 global platforms to build a couple dozen or more auto's from a standardized set of parts and still have regional focused auto's such as Europe, Asia, Africa, Arabia, North America, Central America and South America.

 

Toyota and VWAG seem to be pretty good at global products and platforms.  

[Drew Dowdell]

49 minutes ago, balthazar said:

But it’s not a ‘big part’ of the markets GM & FoMoCo is in.

Read a piece the other day how Honda is seeing severe profit constraint because they are in too many markets building too many market-specific trims/equipment, and are planning on engineering consolidation.

Frankly, I never understood how ‘being global’ is always something to strive for. Some industries/products are just better suited to certain demographics. And I never saw any benefit to me OR the Corp if a truck I bought here was also sold across the globe. 

Volume. If your truck can sell 400,000 here and then also another 400,000 in China, the company makes that much more profit.  But if they have to engineer structurally different but overall similar size vehicles for different markets, there is an R&D cost that goes into it.  Frankly, I don't understand why VAG does different models for different continents. The T-Roc would work just fine here without needing a redesign for North American tastes... just put bigger motors in it. 

[ocnblu]

I agree with the owner of a late model Touareg (he searched for one over multiple states after seeing the Atlas up close).  Volkswagen, starting with the infamous, dumbed-down Westmoreland Rabbits, has, in tangible ways, cheapened their vehicles for NA customers... there are many examples.  The T-Roc is an awesome little CUV, but there is too much engineering excellence put into it for North Americans.

I'm pretty much done with VW anyway, with this whole EV push.  It will surely filter out any residual fahrvergnügen they have left.  Awful.

[smk4565]

They need the T-Roc and T-Roc convertible here.  Definitely need something smaller than Tiguan since the current Tiguan is bigger than the old one.  I think they could fit something between Tiguan and Atlas too, unless the Atlas Cross Coupe thing is the middle.

[Drew Dowdell]

8 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

They need the T-Roc and T-Roc convertible here.  Definitely need something smaller than Tiguan since the current Tiguan is bigger than the old one.  I think they could fit something between Tiguan and Atlas too, unless the Atlas Cross Coupe thing is the middle.

Atlas Cross Sport is filling that spot.

[daves87rs]

12 hours ago, ocnblu said:

I agree with the owner of a late model Touareg (he searched for one over multiple states after seeing the Atlas up close).  Volkswagen, starting with the infamous, dumbed-down Westmoreland Rabbits, has, in tangible ways, cheapened their vehicles for NA customers... there are many examples.  The T-Roc is an awesome little CUV, but there is too much engineering excellence put into it for North Americans.

I'm pretty much done with VW anyway, with this whole EV push.  It will surely filter out any residual fahrvergnügen they have left.  Awful.

Actually my friend, with the cool looking stuff they have coming (and a beetle!) will most likely be their rebirth.

That said- as long as I see ICE models there- It’s cool with me... ?