Scirocco stuff on the vortex....?

[greggearhead at adelphia.net (GREG DUNN)]

> I'm sure many of you think I'm an idiot for posting this. I don't. I hope
to
> make a refined and polished version to just spam VW with by email and slug
> mail, maybe someone will get a hit. I figure its time to start "pushing on
> the hammer to trigger the brain"
>   It's a great idea! Someone has thought this out well..
>   Greg


Now, of course, all of this is just my opinion.

I don't think you are an idiot at all.  VW has been missing its enthusiast
base for eons.  And I worked for a large catalog company for years, doing
market research into enthusiasts, talking to VW dealerships, VW execs,
traveling to Germany, all the magazines, etc.  (Not that the company I
worked for was any better at it - seems to have something to do with people
in the driver's seat that lose site of what is real to most people).

To be honest, VW started screwing up when it delayed the release of the
convertible New Beetle.  It did that simply because it didn't want to
"steal" sales & hype away from the tin-top New Beetle before the convertible
came out.  It waited too long, and when it was introduced, people took
little, if any notice.

VW had a Concept VW Bus they showed years ago.  Got RAVE reviews and people
went nuts asking when it was coming out.  Very similar reaction to the New
Beetle/Concept 1 show intros.  They toyed with the public, then never
produced it.  This was probably 5+ years ago.  That one, IMO, woudl have
been a sales and enthusiast winner.  The Eurovan is the lamest styled van on
the market.  And a camper is Eurovan cool, but a retro pop-top, that would
be ultra cool.

They also had some design exercises with a "new" Karmann Ghia.  Actually
looked like a very stylish car, and there are still rumors it will be
produced.  Think a "swoopier" Audi TT.  More curves, same platform.

I like your idea about a new Scirocco, but I think you are hoping for too
much.  It would be a neat idea to get reactions from, using significant
styling cues from the original Mark I Scirocco.  Round quad headlights, some
nice crisp lines, the plaid interior - heck, retro round analog gauges and a
retro-styled 3 spoke steering wheel would be great ideas.  I would love to
see it.  The platforms and drivetrains have been well proven and amortized
over a kajillion models sold.

A base 4 cyl non-turbo 5 spd for $17-18K.  Probably doable.  A GTI Sports
model with the 2.0 Turbo and wheels, suspension, brakes, better seats, etc
for $21-22.  Yep.  A flagship 3.2 VR6 AWD?  Bitchin, but probably too close
to the Uber VW R32 Golf.

VW has been trying to go upmarket (think the bigger higher dollar cars they
have released and failed selling) similar to what Porsche did in the later
80s.  Even though they have a little division called Audi that covers that
already.  It seems to me they have some mis-guided direction from the
top-down.

Ferdinand Piech is known to be a tyrant of a boss, and suggesting his ideas
might be wrong or off base has been proven grounds for losing your job.
That makes for a company that will go wherever the owner wants, even if it
is wrong.

OK, I got that off my chest.  Just my thoughts and opinions too.  If I was
in the market for a new car, would I buy a VW?  Only if it was a TDi,
because there is nothing comparable here in the USA.  If I had $20-25K to
spend - I would buy a Subaru WRX (new/used).  There is nothing VWoffers that
comes close to the performance for the dollar.

gd