VW to bring a Pickup Truck to the US

[RobertRyan]

I just hope they do their market requirements a bit better., than in Australia. They do sell the Caddy Van which is a leader in the smal l Van segment, but the Transporter Cab Chassis is OK, but others flounder here. The Crafter is not small as the article erroneously implies, it is the same as a Sprinter.

Volkswagen Considering Adding Pickup Truck, Van To U.S. Lineup

Mention the words ‘Volkswagen’ and ‘Van’ in the same sentence and most North-Americans will think of the “Hippie van” or “Microbus” (which, incidentally, aren’t exactly cheap anymore). Though a sliver of respondents may think of the Routan, the slow-selling Chrysler-based van VW (thankfully) axed from its lineup in 2013, wed think that by and large VW’s flower-power people mover is the one best ingrained in the minds of most Americans. Even so, reports have VW eyeing the van market once again.

According to Bloomberg, the Wolfsburg-based automaker is in the midst of deciding whether or not to try its hand at a new van in the U.S. But that’s not all, as the mighty VW, whose sales tumbled 10 percent in the U.S. in 2014, is also toying with the idea of adding a pickup truck to its U.S. lineup.

“Pickup trucks are a dominating segment,” Eckhard Scholz, head of VW’s light commercial vehicle unit, said at a press conference in Hanover. “We’re looking at both options intensively.”

In international markets, Volkswagen successfully sells the Amarok pickup truck along with a host of other small commercial vehicles like the Caddy, Crafter, T5 and various minibuses. In total, VW’s global commercial division sold a healthy 445,000 vehicles in 2014. An impressive 292,000 of these were sold in Western Europe.

It remains to be seen whether VW plans to craft a true rival to full-size pickup trucks and sales giants like Ford’s F-150, or if it plans to import a version of the Amarok to compete in the re-merging small pickup space currently dominated by the Chevrolet Colorado. Notably, VW filed a trademark application for the Amarok name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in May of 2014.

Either way, the automaker’s reported $7-billion dollar investment in its North American operations should help it bear some new automotive fruit.

[RobertRyan]

Jerem0621 wrote:
etcha it doesn't have fancy cowboy stuff sewn in to the interior. Lol

I love seeing these real trucks from overseas...

The time I spent in Europe I hardly ever saw a "Truck" like we have in the states. The

These fulfill the role of Pickups Trucks in the U.S. Heavier Trucks, MDT to HDT are called " Lorries" in England Still a lot of "lorries" on their overcrowded roads and freeways

[RobertRyan]

Jerem0621 wrote:
Betcha it doesn't have fancy cowboy stuff sewn in to the interior. Lol

I love seeing these real trucks from overseas...

The time I spent in Europe I hardly ever saw a "Truck" like we have in the states. The "truck" was pretty much Van based vehicles.

Caravan towing? That's was done by car

In Australia it is a bit different we tend to use heavier Japanese and European Trucks, now as well as these European Van Cab Chassis. In New Zealand, it is Japanese and European Trucks, not many Van Cab Chassis
Nice to have variety of vehicles to choose from. Caravan towing? Diesel SUV's, Asian Diesel Pickups, European Cab Chassis Vans, and heavier European , Japanese Trucks
Yes, U.S. HD Pickups as well

[jerem0621]

RobertRyan wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

dewey02 wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
All I Have to say to VW is: "good luck with that." 🙂

Yeah, the had better come up with something a darn side better than their last attempt!

Bought a 81 Diesel 5 speed brand new 44 mpg. Sold it at 300K.

The VW Transporter, is a DualCab, 3,000lb Payload,"Pickup Truck"

VW Crafter has a 6,000lb payload

Betcha it doesn't have fancy cowboy stuff sewn in to the interior. Lol

I love seeing these real trucks from overseas...

The time I spent in Europe I hardly ever saw a "Truck" like we have in the states. The "truck" was pretty much Van based vehicles.

Caravan towing? That's was done by cars.

[RobertRyan]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

dewey02 wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
All I Have to say to VW is: "good luck with that." 🙂

Yeah, the had better come up with something a darn side better than their last attempt!

Bought a 81 Diesel 5 speed brand new 44 mpg. Sold it at 300K.

The VW Transporter, is a DualCab, 3,000lb Payload,"Pickup Truck"

VW Crafter has a 6,000lb payload

[Cummins12V98]

dewey02 wrote:

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
All I Have to say to VW is: "good luck with that." 🙂

Yeah, the had better come up with something a darn side better than their last attempt!

Bought a 81 Diesel 5 speed brand new 44 mpg. Sold it at 300K.

[RobertRyan]

brulaz wrote:

RobertRyan wrote:

brulaz wrote:
Loved my 2005 Passat TDI. Great car. Daughter still driving it up North.

When the new Amarok TDI came out, lot of folks on the TDI forums were upset that it wasn't being sold in NA (except Mexico). That "little" truck with the I4 BiTdi and Auto had close to 1900# payload and 7700# tow capacity in Europe. Think the HP was only 177 though.

They actually reduced the payload, to make it under a "1 Tonner", to increase, the mediocre towing from 6,600lb , with the little 2 litre Diesel

Yeah. But it does seem like payload is more important than tow capacity outside of USA+Canada. They have a better balance IMHO. And nobody seems to mind lower HPs even if it means tow/hauling at lower speeds up the grades.

If Amarok (and other "world" trucks) can have a 1900# payload, why can't the RAM EcoD? Makes no sense to me ...

The weird thing is they are not much slower upgrades, So I do not have the answer
Mazda BT 50 towing average boat

[Hannibal]

I liked our 1980 Rabbit diesel. We sold it when it started nickel and diming and then burning through C notes. Friend had a 1980 diesel VW pickup like shown above. Not bad for very light duty work. My '84 Isuzu P'up diesel was a brute in comparison.

[brulaz]

RobertRyan wrote:

brulaz wrote:
Loved my 2005 Passat TDI. Great car. Daughter still driving it up North.

When the new Amarok TDI came out, lot of folks on the TDI forums were upset that it wasn't being sold in NA (except Mexico). That "little" truck with the I4 BiTdi and Auto had close to 1900# payload and 7700# tow capacity in Europe. Think the HP was only 177 though.

They actually reduced the payload, to make it under a "1 Tonner", to increase, the mediocre towing from 6,600lb , with the little 2 litre Diesel

Yeah. But it does seem like payload is more important than tow capacity outside of USA+Canada. They have a better balance IMHO. And nobody seems to mind lower HPs even if it means tow/hauling at lower speeds up the grades.

If Amarok (and other "world" trucks) can have a 1900# payload, why can't the RAM EcoD? Makes no sense to me ...

[BurbMan]

Who remembers the Rabbit?



My Dad had two Rabbits, a 76 and a 79 and both were great cars. I bought a 1985 Golf, my first new car, and what a POS it was....it ran great....when it ran.

My conclusion was that it was engineered to minimize assembly costs, not repair costs. Lots of spot welds instead of mechanical fasteners, simple components buried deep under complex systems that drove repair hours on everything through the roof. Living in a city apartment made me reliant on the dealer for service back then.

Friend bought a Tourag...very nicely appointed, drives great....but the dealer gets $200 for an oil change and "routine service", making me wonder if the design and engineering principles are the same even if the vehicle is better....designed to assemble cheaply, not repair cheaply.

I'll never own another one that's for sure.

[Bedlam]

cwill925 wrote:
It's already here.... :B

If only the heater worked better... My air cooled is a seasonal driver due to lack of heat.

[RobertRyan]

brulaz wrote:
Loved my 2005 Passat TDI. Great car. Daughter still driving it up North.

When the new Amarok TDI came out, lot of folks on the TDI forums were upset that it wasn't being sold in NA (except Mexico). That "little" truck with the I4 BiTdi and Auto had close to 1900# payload and 7700# tow capacity in Europe. Think the HP was only 177 though.

They actually reduced the payload, to make it under a "1 Tonner", to increase, the mediocre towing from 6,600lb , with the little 2 litre Diesel

[cwill925]

It's already here.... :B

[brulaz]

Loved my 2005 Passat TDI. Great car. Daughter still driving it up North.

When the new Amarok TDI came out, lot of folks on the TDI forums were upset that it wasn't being sold in NA (except Mexico). That "little" truck with the I4 BiTdi and Auto had close to 1900# payload and 7700# tow capacity in Europe. Think the HP was only 177 though.

[RobertRyan]

Greentreena wrote:
they are going to need a lot of luck, the light truck market is a tough one to crack and I bet is the most competitive. Toyota did a good job but Nissan and Honda still have a way to go. Honestly, a Nissan with a Cummins will get more attention than a VW diesel truck.

I think it will need to outdo those other Germans, Mercedes. The U.S. midsizers would not cut the mustard outside NA,as many are built on ancient architecture, but VW has to build something that stands out in the U.S.and their Commercial vehicles have been a bit mundane.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

nevadanick wrote:
I think one of the manufacturers needs to come out with a small truck like the first Ford courier. All the small trucks have become big trucks.

🙂 Hi, I had a Ford Courier and it was a great little truck. It was also a Mazda!