Press release now on the Tex
#1
Quote, originally posted by Automotive News » Chrysler group will build minivans for VW
Dale Jewett
Automotive News / January 5, 2006 - 11:59 amDETROIT -- The Chrysler group will build minivans for Volkswagen beginning in 2008, the automakers confirmed Thursday.
The Chrysler group is expected to introduce a generation of minivans in 2007 for the 2008 model year, according to the Automotive News Future Product series. The VW vans will be based on those redesigned models.
Sources say the VW minivan will be built at the Chrysler group's assembly plant in St. Louis. In early December, the automaker told of a $1 billion investment in the St. Louis plant to make it more flexible and to prepare it for new models.
Talks for the minivan deal sped up last year after Wolfgang Bernhard, former COO of the Chrysler group, became CEO for the VW brand. Bernhard negotiated the deal with his former boss, DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche.
The deal gives VW dealers a seven-seat minivan. VW dealers had been hoping for a modern version of the classic Microbus, but the German automaker killed that program last year.
Few details of the agreement were released Thursday. VW will determine its own styling for the minivan, a Chrysler group spokesman said. But other details, such as whether the VW version will have its own powertrain, have not been released.
This will be the second instance of the Chrysler group manufacturing a product for another automaker. The Chrysler group builds the Mitsubishi Raider pickup, which shares its platform with the Dodge Dakota, at its assembly plant in Warren, Mich.
You may e-mail Dale Jewett at djewett@crain.com
#2
Press release now on the Tex
#3
I think I just heard the value of my Eurovan go up a few hundred dollars...
Az
#4
you got that right? and my other VW's. what is going on with VW? They woudl be better off build it in Mexico than to let DC get a hold of it.
#5
Quote, originally posted by robeuro » you got that right? and my other VW's. what is going on with VW? They woudl be better off build it in Mexico than to let DC get a hold of it. careful there, if you look at the Quality ratings for St. Louis SOUTH vs. Puebla.....there is a CLEAR looser, and it aint DCX.
Puebla is a "problem plant"
Now I AM NOT A FAN OF A DCX badged VW.......................
I am in that St. Louis plant about 6 times a year - in Puebla 2-3 times a year.......... now the North plant is a diff story
#6
Well, we traded our '96 Dodge Grand Caravan for the 2003 Eurovan. We bought the Caravan used with 40,000 miles and it had about 112,000 miles on the odo when we traded it. For the most part, we really had no major problems with the Dodge in the time that we owned it, except that the front strut towers were starting to rust. So, personally, I have no complaints with D/C and I'll hold judgement until I see the finished project in person. Sure, I'd rather see the T5 here, but that ain't gonna happen. Or the Caddy Life or the CrossPolo.
It's all about money these days. VW is going to supply D/C with diesel engines for the new Dodge Caliber - I wonder if the Dodge loyalists are as upset about that as the VW loyalists are about the van deal?And at least VW will again have a real "people mover" in their showrooms again.
Modified by vwbugstuff at 12:26 AM 1-6-2006
#7
Now that the minivan has been announced through the press release, I guess that's the final, and official, nail in the coffin of the T5 in the U.S. Shame.
#8
Ok lemme get this straight;VW is now contracting Chrysler to build VW van instead of doing something more appropriate like importing VW vans that are already in production and available in North America???? Jesus, this is scary!!
Hello, VW OmniVan!!!
#9
OmniVan
#10
Caravanagon
#11
GrandCaraEuroVanagon.I came up with that when we had our Grand Caravan and wished we had a Eurovan. Now we've got our Eurovan and Chrysler's gonna start making vans for VW. Talk about going full circle???
#12
the town and caravan
#13
Well I've made this comment in other forums on this subject as well but I'll reserve judgement until I see the final product. VW sorely needs a van in it's US lineup. Since the Microbus concept was killed and the T5 will not likely make it here to the US due to cost and the exchange rate; developing a van with a major player in that segment is probably the next best thing.At least I would like to be able to consider "some" Volkswagen van when my it comes time to replace my six year old 2000 Eurovan MV. Even with this announcement, we won't see this van until late 2007 or early 2008.
#14
What I don't really get is VW will design a "world car" like the Golf, produce it in at least 4 plants (europe somewhere, mexico, brazil, south africa are typical places) because of economic reasons (exchange rates, etc.).Yet why did they not design the T5 as a "world van" and tool up a 'cheaper' plant than Europe so that way the US could get it?
#15
good ones...Eurotownagon
Caraporter
Vantownagon
Euromnigon <--lol
Multitownavan
Keep em coming!
Modified by Eric Didier at 11:50 PM 1-9-2006
#16
Quote, originally posted by gti_matt » Yet why did they not design the T5 as a "world van" and tool up a 'cheaper' plant than Europe so that way the US could get it? Good point
But I think vw doesn't believe the T5 is a "world van." There was a horror story called "we tried to market the T4 in the U.S." And that story is still huanting.
I do believe T5 is the "world van" because it is very versatile, safe, economical, dependable, well-behave. What else could one ask from a "world van"?
I think vw is thinking too much like a German (why not?)
They only think the "product" sells. And if it doesn't sell then it is not the right product. Whereas the real reason may lies underneath other windows like place, people, sequence, timing, input, process, value, communication, consequence, etc.They just failed to think "out of the box."
#17
Is the "chicken tax" still in effect in the U.S.? That would be a good reason to produce the van domestically and not import them.Who knows - it may come out to be a good ride, but odds are they won't have either of the two things I would buy it for - TDI and a camper conversion.
#18
yup the chicken tax is still in effect
that is what drove the T5 price so highthere is a way to beat it, ask DCX or toyota
for years toyota built trucks in japan - minus the truck bed.
ship it to us, without a bed, pay NO chicken tax and add the bed in California
the DCX sprinters are built in Europe and sent as "kits" to South Carolina where they are assembled.
there are ways to beat that tax without contracting out the build
#19
Quote, originally posted by buddahvw » yup the chicken tax is still in effect
that is what drove the T5 price so highthere is a way to beat it, ask DCX or toyota
for years toyota built trucks in japan - minus the truck bed.
ship it to us, without a bed, pay NO chicken tax and add the bed in California
the DCX sprinters are built in Europe and sent as "kits" to South Carolina where they are assembled.
there are ways to beat that tax without contracting out the build
Probably could build it in MX too and beat the "pollo tax"
#20
Quote, originally posted by gti_matt » Probably could build it in MX too and beat the "pollo tax" *groan*
#21
I still think they should build the Touran in Mexico, do this jive Caravanagon, AND bring over the T5 as the flagship "full" size van... all with TDIs of course
Modified by J_Westy at 2:14 PM 1-10-2006
#22
Quote, originally posted by cinn » Good point
But I think vw doesn't believe the T5 is a "world van." There was a horror story called "we tried to market the T4 in the U.S." And that story is still huanting.I do believe T5 is the "world van" because it is very versatile, safe, economical, dependable, well-behave. What else could one ask from a "world van"?
I think vw is thinking too much like a German (why not?)
They only think the "product" sells. And if it doesn't sell then it is not the right product. Whereas the real reason may lies underneath other windows like place, people, sequence, timing, input, process, value, communication, consequence, etc.They just failed to think "out of the box."
VW have created a world van. The T5 is available virtually everywhere in the world except SE Asia and North America. It isn't in SE Asia cause it really can't compete on price with the Toyota Hiace and similar Japanese/Korean vansand it ain't in North America because of price due to a protectionist vehicle tax on commercial vehicles designed to preserve local content/jobs/Ford F-series sales.
The T5 is produced in developing countries. While the passenger vans (Multivan) is built in Germany the Transporter versions are built in Poland and also Mexico and Brazil. So it can and is built cheaply.
There's nothing wrong with the vehicle.....just the policies of the markets where it's not currently available AND the attitude of the local marketers.
#23
Quote, originally posted by Seano » The T5 is available virtually everywhere in the world except SE Asia and North America. It isn't in SE Asia cause it really can't compete on price with the Toyota Hiace and similar Japanese/Korean vans..
That is not true. There are plentiful T5s in Thailand. They are the leader in luxury market. Virtually every politician here has one. Price is not everythig in marketing.
Modified by cinn at 12:02 PM 1-11-2006
#24
I just read that Chrysler is providing the drivetrain, too....
#25
Quote, originally posted by McVanagon » I just read that Chrysler is providing the drivetrain, too.... So let's add up the VW content:
Emblems
Window stickerAnything I'm leaving off?
Az
#26
I am afraid this is will be like the diamondstar cars (mitisubishi eclispe,plymouth laser,eagle talon) They were all the same cars with different badges and trimpieces. I'm not knocking the chrysler minivans they have been very sucessful, but there is a unique feeling to any VW and you can't get that just by slapping on a VW badge. I think chrysler wants to get their hands on the TDI engine. I can see it now. They will have ads stating how their engineers invented this small powerful diesel engine,just like they invented the jeep
#27
The resale price of your Eurovans has not changed from 2005 to 2006.
3 years old and I can still sell it for what it cost new!
And with the way VW is going I may be keeping this baby a long time.
#28
How about calling it a WoodyWagen?(pronounced with two 'V' sounds, of course)
Actually, now that Westfalia is owned by DCX, will we see a VW "Town and Country" Westy? A WestyWoodyWagen, so to speak.
Of course, the new van probably won't be large enough or have enough body rigidity for a camper conversion anyway.
#29
Hmm, if Chrysler is providing the drivetrain, and VW is providing Chrysler with TDI engines for the Caliber, then there is a slight possibility (in a roundabout way) that the US market could finally get a VW van with a diesel engine. That would be cool!!!
#30
Here's a couple of spy shots of the D/C version - you'll have to use your imagination a little....
#31
Quote, originally posted by vwbugstuff » Here's a couple of spy shots of the D/C version - you'll have to use your imagination a little.... The price of our EV's has just increased
#32
Doesn't take much imagination (for me) to suggest a T5 with a longer bonnet.Or a Passat wagon with a weight problem.
At least there'd be room for the V10 TDi under the bonnet!
#33
OMG! Say it isn't so
#34
Quote, originally posted by g60runner67 » OMG! Say it isn't so Interestingly enough, we just got back tonight from our trip to San Diego to see my grandparents; our childrens' great-grandparents.
We rented a new Caravan to haul all five of us around. While the features were similar to the EV; cloth seats, plastic dash, etc, the Caravan was so tiny compared to our EV. We would barely make what we brought with us fit in the Caravan, which easily fit in the center of the EV with the middle seats removed.
At first my wife liked it,
I loved how many EV's we saw out there. They were much more common there than they are here in Atlanta. All types and varieties.
Thanks!
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