Volkswagen says it's reached peak SUV
R&D boss says 14 SUVs is enough; German car-maker will now switch to developing other body stylesVolkswagen has decided that it finally has enough SUVs after rapidly expanding the number of SUVs it makes from two to 14 in only a few years.
Speaking to
, R&D boss Frank Welsch confirmed that there was little room left for Volkswagen's range to squeeze in another SUV.“I don’t think [the growth in SUVs] is over, but we have enough. We do not need 10 more. We have to take care. We must have a portfolio that is efficient as a volume player.
"If we have too many models and sell 30,000 or 40,000 units a year, we can’t make money. We will focus on the cars that can be successful.”
Welsch was careful not to list what cars might be on the chopping block and also refused to rule out adding yet another SUV in the near future.
But the VW R&D chief did reveal that Volkswagen was planning to cull MQB-based models on a "step by step" basis, with the Brit mag suggesting the slow-selling Touran people-mover sold in Europe, the flagship Arteon sedan and even the Passat sedan could be at risk.
Still to arrive in the Volkswagen range is the pure-electric ID.4 crossover, which will be available either as a standard SUV or a 'coupe' SUV.
The arrival of the ID family, says Welsch, plus the axing of other models, will mean the number of cars offered by Volkswagen should remain largely the same.
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