[OUGrad05]

Originally Posted by fecurtis

Doesn't really matter how much R&D money VW spends, they just don't seem to grasp the US market. Cars like the Passat and what not barely make a big splash in the US market compared to the competition from the US and Japanese.

Maybe they should ask their luxury arm, Audi, they certainly get the US market. I don't understand how they could get it so right and VW get it so wrong.

Oh but I disagree, R&D money will make a difference but it takes 3, 5 or 7 years for that money to show up. Also the Jetta and Passat are pretty good cars in their respective classes but yes I agree they aren't connecting with US consumers. VW is still overcoming their reliability reputation of the 90s through mid 00's.

They also seem to never advertise.

[fecurtis]

Originally Posted by OUGrad05

Oh but I disagree, R&D money will make a difference but it takes 3, 5 or 7 years for that money to show up. Also the Jetta and Passat are pretty good cars in their respective classes but yes I agree they aren't connecting with US consumers. VW is still overcoming their reliability reputation of the 90s through mid 00's.

They also seem to never advertise.

You can engineer great products but it won't matter if no one is buying them (I'm speaking only in the US since they do quite well elsewhere). In the US market, Honda and Toyota resonate much better with consumers than VW does and VW either isn't offering what Americans want, or can't market their products to the US market effectively.

I'm not the only one who thinks so:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-1...isappoint.html

http://www.economist.com/blogs/schum...swagen-america

Hopefully they spend the R&D money wisely and can actually market this stuff to Americans better in the upcoming model generations.

It is interesting though, Audi almost went belly up after their "unintended acceleration" disaster in the 80's and reliability in the 90's. Now look at them. Interesting how they were able to turn it around so quickly but their parent company is still spinning their wheels and trying to figure out how to gain a more solid foothold in America.

[doublevanosrc]

More corporate moves like platform sharing and designing cars for the masses. BMW has officially gone mainstream.

[SCOTT26]

Originally Posted by doublevanosrc

More corporate moves like platform sharing and designing cars for the masses. BMW has officially gone mainstream.

BMW has always been mainstream , premium but mainstream in European markets for decades.

[OUGrad05]

Originally Posted by fecurtis

You can engineer great products but it won't matter if no one is buying them (I'm speaking only in the US since they do quite well elsewhere). In the US market, Honda and Toyota resonate much better with consumers than VW does and VW either isn't offering what Americans want, or can't market their products to the US market effectively.

I'm not the only one who thinks so:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-1...isappoint.html

http://www.economist.com/blogs/schum...swagen-america

Hopefully they spend the R&D money wisely and can actually market this stuff to Americans better in the upcoming model generations.

It is interesting though, Audi almost went belly up after their "unintended acceleration" disaster in the 80's and reliability in the 90's. Now look at them. Interesting how they were able to turn it around so quickly but their parent company is still spinning their wheels and trying to figure out how to gain a more solid foothold in America.

Like I said, I agree with you...but their R&D efforts will pay rewards if not here than in the world market where VW connects very well.

Yes BMW is "mainstream" now which is somewhat concerning, their next generation products will tell us a great deal about the future of the company.

I am hoping to pickup an F30 328i by the end of the year and am seriously considering an E34 as a weekender...Their cars are still pretty good but especially the new 5er seems to be departing from the product that has made them so successful.