Volkswagen's Robust future on display

Volkswagen showed off the Robust pick-up concept on its stand at the Melbourne International Motor Show last week. Although the LCV concept was overshadowed by all the attention lavished on the new Golf 6, it's an important first step for Volkswagen in a new direction. First displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Hanover, Germany last year the pick-up will become a vital new addition of Volkswagen Australia's line-up, most likely in 2011.

"The Volkswagen Pickup will certainly be a welcome and exciting fourth addition to our expanding range of light commercial vehicles," says Phil Clark, Director of Volkswagen Group Australia Commercial Vehicles. "Being the only premium European offering a product in the one-tonne segment is a great opportunity for Volkswagen. I believe the Pickup will be one of the best selling models in the Volkswagen line-up."

Speaking at a recent launch Volkswagen Australia Group managing director Jutta Dierks revealed just how involved the local operation has been in the production car's development. Australia is expected to be one of the biggest markets for the car alongside South America and South East Asia.

"We are pretty much involved, Phil Clark and his people, because we are pretty much one of the biggest Robust Ute markets in the world; I think we are the third biggest or something like this," Dierks says. "So they obviously think we can sell some. So Phil was very involved with what kind of equipment you need and what kind of things people actually do with cars like this. What is the minimum equipment they have to have and again the struggle is with automatic transmission. Just unbelievable how long it takes to convince somebody that a Ute needs an automatic transmission."

Dierks says the company has taken a different approach to developing the car because of its inexperience in the market, hence Clark's input as well as colleagues from South America and Asia.

"Instead of being fully driven by our colleges in Hannover it was a much more international approach this time. I think it's the right thing to do," she says.

Dierks is eagerly awaiting the Robust because she believes it could have a major impact on the company's volume (more here /news/2008/commercial/volkswagen/volkswagens-robust-offensive-11139); even though she won't reveal her sales expectations for the car. The Robust would go up against the highly-popular Toyota HiLux, Holden Colorado and Ford Ranger but VW would be the first European brand to offer such a vehicle.

"It's an important part to be involved in the SUV segment but it's also important to be a player in the Robust Ute segment," she says. "That segment is closed to us; we are not even near it. If we could actually open that door again you would be seen in the market as a totally different player. Volume-wise it would be nice as well. Phil Clark and his people are working hard to get that all done."

Dierks expects VW to produce both commercial workhorses and lifestyle-oriented versions of Robust and believes getting an automatic transmission is vital to capturing the full potential of the car. It is anticipated that the car will be offered with both petrol and diesel engines but Dierks ruled out using the companies V10 TDI as a range-topping powerplant.

"We see it as great opportunity; lifestyle is great but workhorses are needed too. Again it is important what price we can negotiate and when we can get the cars in. But we are all excited, we've seen the cars, we've driven the cars so that's really exciting," she says.

"We have further confirmation that it will have an auto but I'll wait until I see that in writing. It has an impact on volume. If you have an auto that's a different volume."

The car is most likely going to be built in South America but just when that begins and when Australians can expect the Robust here is still unclear.

"Not a couple of years but not next year," Dierks says.

"If it would be next year it would be fabulous and we'd take it but there is a lot of work to do."