Volkswagen plans US line-up overhaul, names new chief – report

Volkswagen (VW) is preparing a important shake-up of its US operations, bringing successful caller enactment and broadening its exemplary line-up to see a pickup truck, German concern paper Handelsblatt reported.

The German carmaker is reviewing its full US exemplary range, with the root indicating that definite models could beryllium dropped altogether, and is acceptable to name Marco Schubert, presently Audi's outgoing income chief, to caput its American business.

He volition instrumentality implicit from Kjell Gruner, who is departing the company.

Thomas Schäfer, caput of the VW brand, has flagged pickups and ample SUVs arsenic areas for expansion, pointing to beardown request and steadfast margins successful these categories successful the US – segments wherever VW presently has nary presence.

The automaker is targeting a motorboat for its archetypal pickup motortruck earlier 2030, with the conveyance to beryllium built successful the US, according to the root cited successful the report.

VW runs a manufacturing tract successful Chattanooga, Tennessee, wherever output of the electrical ID.4 was coiled down earlier than planned successful April.

No determination has yet been made connected whether VW volition make the pickup connected its own, enactment with suppliers, oregon squad up with different manufacturer, the root said, adding that a prime is apt wrong the coming weeks oregon months.

Ford is seen arsenic the starring campaigner for specified a partnership.

VW and Ford person tally a wide-ranging European concern since 2020, done which Ford builds its Explorer and Capri models connected VW's MEB electrical level astatine a works successful Cologne, Germany.

In commercialized vehicles, Ford's Tourneo draws connected exertion from VW's Caddy, portion the VW Transporter is built connected the Ford Transit level and, similar the Transit, is produced astatine Ford's mill successful Turkey.

VW's Amarok pickup, made successful South Africa, is besides based connected a shared level with the Ford Ranger.

The Chattanooga installation presently produces the Atlas SUV on with a derivative model, portion smaller vehicles specified arsenic the Tiguan, Taos and Jetta are brought successful from Mexico and look tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump.

Just Auto has contacted VW for comment.

The quality comes aft Porsche SE, VW's bulk shareholder, called past week for swift enactment to bolster the VW Group's competitory position, having booked billions of euros successful impairments linked to its involvement successful the company.

"Volkswagen plans US line-up overhaul, names caller main – report" was primitively created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand.