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RE: [comment] VWoA...WTF?
<snippage>
>All of the big 3 have stated publicly that if it weren't for the CAFE
>standards, they would all abandon the small car market. What does that
>tell you about the small car market in the States? It's just not there.
It doesnt mean it isnt there it just means that the big 3 would seek to
manipulate the (average,lame, boring, uneventful) public into buying a
larger car.
We, OTOH would prefer a smaller car. If the big 3 had their way and didnt
make smaller cars all of us who are performance and fuel mileage oriented
would be buying non-big 3 cars. Granted thats not a whole lot of people but
it might be enough to get us the Lupo ;)
>
>Jason
>
>
>
>At 08:46 AM 12/15/00 , Aaron Ness wrote:
>>One thing to consider is that small cars don't have profit margins. Did
>>you
>>know that GM takes a loss on nearly every Cavalier it sells? Carmakers
>>sell
>>small cars to establish brand loyalty, assuming you will think your POS
>>Cavalier was so friggin' awesome that you will run out and buy a Monte in
>>two years, and a Tahoe after that, and then an Escalade. This is just an
>>example, but note the logic - each successive car I mentioned has a higher
>>profit margin for GM. The luxury models have the profit margin that
>>allows
>>the carmaker to be profitable - and still sell entry-level cars at a loss
>>in
>>order to bring people into the brand.
>>
>>Others have mentioned crash safety standards. This is another factor, as
>>well as emissions and little things like lighting requirements. If VW is
>>satisfied that they are growing as fast as they need to grow in the US
>>market without drawing people in via "entry level" cars below the Jetta in
>>their lineup, it would be stupid for them, from the business side, to even
>>consider the additional development on the smaller platform that would be
>>required to make the cars legal to sell and drive in this country.
>>
>>Another way to look at it is that VW is meeting its goals with the current
>>lineup, so if they were to bring in an "entry-level" such as the polo for
>>the enthusiasts, they would either have to be less profitable, or they
>>would
>>have to pass their costs along to the consumer (a.k.a. you), and the car
>>would be so expensive (relative to "comparable" cars) only the most
>>die-hard
>>VW nuts would even consider it. That's not a big enough market share to
>>make it feasible, and the fewer interested people they can find, the more
>>each person will have to pay. In general, people just won't pay a premium
>>for the privilege of driving a small car.
>>
>>I think the root of the problem is that Americans are spoiled by excess,
>>so
>>they would prefer to drive a big car. That's why models continue to get
>>heavier/larger over their life. I, like a lot of you, prefer my small
>>cars,
>>but my wife doesn't understand my obsession. I'm about 6'3",
>>incidentally,
>>so I can understand her confusion.
>>
>>Aaron
>>'82 Scirocco
>>'70 Beetle
>>'87 Jeep Cherokee 4.0
>>'81 Honda CX500
>>
>>
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: owner-scirocco-l@scirocco.org
>> > [mailto:owner-scirocco-l@scirocco.org]On Behalf Of Night Shadow
>> > Sent: Friday, December 15, 2000 7:50 AM
>> > To: Christian Els
>> > Cc: VWMikeLVW@aol.com; scirocco-l@scirocco.org
>> > Subject: Re: [comment] VWoA...WTF?
>> >
>> >
>> > On Thu, 14 Dec 2000, Christian Els wrote:
>> >
>> > > BMW is not the only maker to suffer this -- look no further than the
>> > > Porsche SUV...
>> >
>> > Good true stuff snipped from Christian's email above, car
>> > makers tend to
>> > try and make what they think people will buy.
>> >
>> > Funny thing is, I want a Lupo too. You guys remember when
>> > EuroSport took
>> > all those signatures to petition VWOA to bring the Lupo here?
>> > Well, they
>> > chose to ignore it. VWOA is being stupid here, they could sell those
>> > Lupos by the truck load as an entry, enthusiast oriented VW.
>> >
>> > Another funny fact, the Porsche SUV? A joint project with
>> > VAG. Yes, VW
>> > and Audi will have SUVs soon, with the same chassis as the Porche
>> > unit...just different engines...and interiors...etc.
>> >
>> > Eric
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Email LIST problems to: scirocco-l-probs@scirocco.org. To
>> > unsubscibe send
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>> >
>>
>>
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>
>
>
>
>----------
>1987 Scirocco 16v
>1988 Mercedes 190E Sport Euro
>
>
>http://www.scirocco16v.org
>
>
>--
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>
Chris DeLong
ICQ#45030867
Seattle, WA USA
'80 16V Rag
'88 Scirocco 16V (for sale!)
'78 Rabbit (16V) Woohoo!
'82 GLI
'80 'Vert
'65 Bus (ugly, but good for campin' W/toaster oven)
'61 17 Window
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