VW: 2009 Minivan Reveal in Summer '07; Hits Showrooms in Q3 2008
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Keith Price -- Public Relations Manager for Products & Technology at Volkswagen -- and he imparted some new details about VW's upcoming 2009 minivan, which will be based on the 2008 Dodge/Chrysler minivan platform.
VW has already announced that their minivan will be manufactured at existing Chrysler minivan plants (likely in Windsor, Ontario and St. Louis, Missouri), but Price stresses that VW will go to great lengths to set their minivan apart from its sister vehicles.
"The VW minivan will be strongly differentiated by design, both interior and exterior," says Price. "We'll also adjust the ride, handling and suspension tuning of the vehicle to fit our needs." Price stressed that VW will do all they can -- within the constraints of being on the Dodge/Chrysler minivan platform -- to set their vehicle apart from other minivans on the market as well.
Price mentioned that young families and empty nesters could be key consumer demographics for the new vehicle, as well as younger drivers attracted to VW's traditionally unique design aesthetic. While there has been some speculation among the VW faithful that this new minivan heralds the return of the legendary VW Microbus, Price says that the new minivan will stand on its own. "This vehicle is not the new Microbus," Price says. "It will be a unique vehicle with its own merits."
Price indicated that some concept sketches of the vehicle would likely be unveiled in the summer of 2007, possibly to coincide with a press event designed to emphasize the unique design direction VW is taking with the vehicle. Next up would be the unveiling of a "99% production ready" concept vehicle at either the LA Auto Show or the Detroit Auto Show, in November 2007 and January 2008, respectively. Price adds that the minivan would hit dealer showrooms sometime in the September 2008 timeframe as a 2009 model.
Other details:
- Diesel is Dead: While VW has obvious strengths in the development of diesel vehicles, it looks like the VW minivan -- at least at launch -- won't have a diesel engine option. VW is limited by the underlying hardware platform of the '08 Dodge/Chrysler minivans, but that doesn't rule out the addition of a diesel variant a few years down the road.
- Swivel 'n Go a No-Go: Some news reports have indicated that the Swivel' n Go feature found in the 2008 Dodge and Chrysler vans won't be offered in the VW van, as Chrysler wants to keep the feature exclusive to their products for the near future. That said, VW will likely have something else up it's sleeve on the interior design front. "Who says we might not be working on unique interior configurations of our own?", says Price.
Comments
I would think with gas prices going through the roof, coupled with the consumers want to get plenty of long term use to justify the higher price of their minivan, that having a fuel efficient diesel engine which lasts twice as long would be a no brainer. Especially considering the incredible popularity of their other diesel models and the continued decline of everything else they make. But with the minivan a gas only engine, it will be style, not ubstance, that differentiates them from Chrysler. The American consumer can see past that, and by 2011 they will probably have to pull this line too.
This is a ditto of DV’s comment. For physical reasons we drive a minivan. With gas prices what they are and what they will be the diesel seems a no brainer. VW will be competing very soon with a Toyota and/or a Honda Hybrid Minivan. Seems a shame to blow an opportunity.
Funny that swivel-n-go won’t be in the VW minivan, since VW used to feature a facing-seats layout in the old Eurovan MV! I loved it - made the vehicle feel more like a limo than a minivan.
Chrysler has offered diesel-powered minivans in the past for the European market, but they are usually small four-cylinder engines with manual transmissions — something that just wouldn’t fly in the states. Too bad.
I have seen the Chrysler swivel seat configuration. There is so much less space and convenience than in the old Eurovan MV style. Please don’t let the next VW be like that. I really would like to buy a new vehicle to replace my ‘98 MV but there’s no way I would have the slightest interest in one like the Chrysler. I can hardly get in the back of the dumb thing!
Alan Dale.
Price better hope the design engineers completely hide any resemblance of a Chrysler product. VW’s mistake wasn’t necessarily with diesel, it was ditching the microbus model the California design team developed. VW had a chance to have a second retro success on their hands as they did with thte beetle.
Our family of four has had two Dodge Minivans, a ‘96 and a’00. Both were gas hogs and terribly unreliable. We waited for a Q7 once we found out that the Microbus was a no-go. The dealer brought one to the house and we couldn’t get in the back seats! We settled on an MB R350. The rest of our friends and neighbors have dumped their Ford, GM, and Chrysler vans for Hondas, Toyotas, Hyundais, and even Kias. Q: What idiot thinks ANYBODY will buy a crappy van just because it’s been rebadged? A: Some punk marketing “expert” with no kids and a Lexus.
We’ve been hosed. As a 2 time VW van owner, Synchro Vanagon and current EV Camper I’m dissapointed. My van has about 95k and I’m ready to buy. The Dodge chassis hasn’t adequate space so it’s a non starter. I need 9 feet behind the front seats for my 9 foot surfboard and more ceiling height to put a wetsuit on or get ready for a mountain bike race. You blew it VW. You sell vans worldwide we want and need and they still fit in a garage. You have what we want but won’t sell it here. You sell to the world and even name it after places in the US. I’m a VAG owner twice over with an Audi and VW. For all VW’s smarts I may leave VAG products altogether unless you make smarter choices. Amazingly enough my Eurovan is worth today what I paid for it in 99. What a waste of development dollars on the new Microbus when you could off a lot of commercial based T4’s in the US for conversions again and be sold out. Why do you think we all want a Dodge? It’s the space and the practicality of the van that’s what we want. We can always buy a Dodge, or Honda or Toyota. Don’t waste your time and ours on rebadging a too small too cramped van. The legacy of VW is dead. RIP.
Ug. I am SO disappointed. Chrysler underpinnings? How incredibly UN-cool. I’m thinking Tiguan now, but that baby will be way overpriced. Brain-dead VW - you think the corporate ‘think’ and take that slippery slide down down down.. that fatal cliff-fall the american automakers are taking.
All interesting comments. The consensus among these comments seems to be that VW may have a challenge convincing their core VW audience about the “VW-ness” of the new vehicles.
Other than building the new minivans themselves, what do you think VW could do to change/improve their version of the minivan? I’ve seen that a diesel engine and an improved interior are some of the more common requests. Anyone else have a specific feature they’d like to see in the new VW minivan that would be enough to set it apart from the Dodge/Chrysler verions?
OK, so where is it. I’ve waited for the concept sketches, I’ve waited for the 2007 LA auto show, I’ve waited for the 2008 Detroit auto show, and all for nothing. Is VW ever actually going to build this car?