Head of VW's Work Council calls US Performance "Horrorshow"

"Klaus Schmoll" (klausschmoll) 01/22/2014 at 15:12 • Filed to: None

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Bernd Osterloh, head of VW's work council, voiced some harsh criticism about VW's strategy for the US. The main points are wrong products for such an important market, and not enough dealerships. He also said that he doesn't see a silver lining, yet.

After sales growth in the past, sales for the VW brand alone saw a 7% decline in 2013. "We came, we saw, we conquered. And then we lost again."

(Unfortunately) he didn't name any names. He was just upset that they "are talking, and talking, and talking, but nothing happens." He also used China as an example for a market where VW is able to adapt to customers' wishes (softer seats than those in cars for the European market, among other things) much faster than in the US.

I don't know why he completely left out the US-spec Passat and Jetta, but for a little while now, I've had the hunch that the higher ups in Wolfsburg have realized that they weren't exactly the brightest of ideas.

(link: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! )

GhostZ > Klaus Schmoll 01/22/2014 at 15:14

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Real Horrorshow, you say?

willkinton247 > Klaus Schmoll 01/22/2014 at 15:15

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this is a great picture for this article.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Klaus Schmoll 01/22/2014 at 15:15

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He's now saying it when he should have called it out by 2006 or so?

Get Rekt Bernd

duurtlang > Klaus Schmoll 01/22/2014 at 15:15

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I really think VW should've brought the Skoda Octavia and Superb to the US, and rebadge them as VW Jetta and Passat respectively.

Brian Silvestro > Klaus Schmoll 01/22/2014 at 15:18

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I honestly agree with him. The current VW lineup just screams "meh" to me. The only semi-interesting models are the CC ( only because it looks good) and the upcoming Golf R. That's it. It'll be a different story if they bring the GTD to US shores.