[Atlant]

Or if VW has to charge prices on the ID.7 that approach Audi just to make a minimal profit, will they sell enough? At equal prices, I’d likely buy an Audi instead of a VW in the same segment.

After my experience at my local VW dealership and considering in contrast my more than twenty years experience with my local Porsche/Audi dealership, I'd surely pay Audi's price premium just for the difference in the post-sales service experience.

 

[Moe]

After my experience at my local VW dealership and considering in contrast my more than twenty years experience with my local Porsche/Audi dealership, I'd surely pay Audi's price premium just for the difference in the post-sales service experience.

Audi is very popular here, possibly more than Volkswagen. I see them a lot.

 

[Fahrer]

After my experience at my local VW dealership and considering in contrast my more than twenty years experience with my local Porsche/Audi dealership, I'd surely pay Audi's price premium just for the difference in the post-sales service experience.

It is best if you can find a VW dealer that is not too far away and is connected ( literally) with an Audi and Porsche at the same facility. That is what I am lucky to have and I have never had a problem with servicing my Porsche, Audi or any of our VWs.

They are not cheap but they are good.

 

[Egg]

VW told dealers today that the ID.7 is no longer an American option...
Was it ever? ;(

 

[OrbiterTI4]

Here is public confirmation of the cancellation for the US:

Volkswagen cancels ID.7 sedan for US

VW isn’t planning on introducing any new EVs in the US this year.

www.theverge.com

 

[Bazza]

That's the crux of it: VW the brand (not the group) could be killing it. Porsche and Audi are great examples, but their markets are smaller and more focused.

VW branded vehicles should be where Hyundai and Kia are. There's no reason not to have an ID.3 in the NA lineup, the Buzz is arguably 2 years late to market here, and the ID.7 might be another Arteon but you can't know till you try.

And specifically in the US, why isn't there an electrified MEB Atlas? VW could have beat the EV9 to market AND had domestic production.

The ID.4 is selling well – like I say my region is littered with them – but it's a car sorely in need of a refresh after a bunch of rocky starts and bad media, and doubly so because it's an OG of 2020's 250 for under 50 class.

“the ID.7 might be another Arteon but you can't know till you try”

I have an Arteon and tried the ID.7. It is effectively an electric Arteon although not with such good looks. I bought one though as I see the future is electric but was waiting for somebody to bring out a saloon EV that matched the Arteon. I hate SUVs!

I pick it up tomorrow.

 

[Nai3t]

I pick it up tomorrow.

Cool!

I wasn't knocking the Arteon. It's just that in the US, that car has sold only about 18,000 copies in the 6 years it's been available.

That averages out to less than 1 sale per quarter per dealership (about 3 each, annually). Not exactly a resounding hit that VW is itching to duplicate.

 

[Bazza]

Cool!

I wasn't knocking the Arteon. It's just that in the US, that car has sold only about 18,000 copies in the 6 years it's been available.

That averages out to less than 1 sale per quarter per dealership (about 3 each, annually). Not exactly a resounding hit that VW is itching to duplicate.

Same here in the UK, you just don’t see Arteons around which is quite nice actually.

I was surprised VW brought out the ID.7 considering how badly the Arteon sold. I was getting a bit despondent thinking I would be forced to get an SUV so when I saw the ID.7 I jumped at it.

 

[Dougie01]

Here's what I don't get.

Obviously a low volume car is a bit of a pain for a company, because they have to support only a small number per dealer. But what is the actual problem at this point in time? The techs are familiar with how VW cars work in general, and the MEB platform in particular, and follow detailed procedures during servicing. Some parts are shared between models, so the parts department doesn't need a complete stock of unique parts. And parts are flown all over the world with fast delivery--when they're available--so you really only need maybe two national warehouses, one on each US coast. And if the parts aren't immediately available, the big companies--including VW but not exclusively VW--seem to have no problem with dealers holding a disassembled car in a shop for days or weeks waiting for parts.

So if VW were to offer the ID. 7 or the ID. 2all or whatever in the US, and the sales are relatively low, so what? The only overhead I can think of that would be a problem are things like DOT approval, etc., which should be a pretty light load on a company that already knows how to do it. The Cybertruck demonstrates that you aren't even required to do a crash test, and the DOT requirements are either not enforced or really, really loose.

VW should offer the complete range of ID. cars in the US and deal with the side effects as part of their "attempting to not get completely run over by the Chinese car companies" strategy.

 

[Moe]

Here's what I don't get.

This seems to be the tactic of HMG and GM—something for everyone.

 

[Nai3t]

That's my thinking, too. Shoot, even logistically, just about everything overnighted in this country passes through either Memphis or Louisville, so even a single parts depot would suffice.

VW's focus needs to be establishing themselves as an EV brand like what Hyundai and Kia are doing. It's a financial commitment to do that. You don't do it with one stale entrant and and four long years later offering an overpriced 2-year-old van built on an aged platform.

Flood the zone, VW!