All articles tagged with #volkswagen
Volkswagen will halt ID.4 production at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant mid-April to prioritize the second-generation Atlas gasoline SUV, with remaining ID.4 inventory sold off through 2027; the move highlights ongoing challenges in the U.S. EV market even as production continues in China and the EU.
Volkswagen will stop ID.4 production at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant to shift output to the Atlas in pursuit of higher‑volume North American growth. ID.4 inventory will continue to be sold, and VW plans a future ID.4 with details to come, while the company also explores a new high‑volume vehicle tailored to U.S. needs.
J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study ranks Volkswagen as the most unreliable brand for original owners of 3-year-old vehicles, while Lexus, Buick and Mini are listed as the most reliable. The study measures problems per 100 vehicles and emphasizes long-term quality as owners hold onto cars longer. The piece also notes differing reliability signals from other sources and suggests evaluating a brand’s portfolio and model history when shopping for dependable vehicles.
Volkswagen Group will cut 50,000 German jobs by 2030 after net profit dropped 44% to €6.9bn in 2025, with revenue around €322bn and operating profit halved to €8.9bn, as geopolitical tensions, a China slowdown, and Porsche’s strategic shift weigh on results; the unprecedented job reductions go beyond 2024 agreements as the group seeks to restore profitability going into 2026.
Volkswagen will cut about 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 across the group (including Audi and Porsche) after posting a 44% drop in post-tax profits to €6.9bn in 2025, pressured by US tariffs, competition from China, and high EV-shift costs; the company says further cost cuts are needed even as it anticipates a recovery and targets a 2026 core margin of 4–5.5%.
JD Power's 2026 reliability study ranks Volkswagen as the least dependable brand, reporting 301 problems per 100 cars (vs. 204 industry average) largely due to infotainment and exterior issues; Volvo, Land Rover, Jeep, and Audi also ranked poorly, while Lexus and Buick had the fewest problems, and Toyota’s overall score was middling amid rising software-driven complexities in modern cars.
Volkswagen marks the 50th anniversary of the GTI by reviving its wild Mk5-era W12 concept—the GTI W12-650. Powered by a mid-mounted 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 from Bentley and sending about 640 hp to the rear wheels, it borrowed parts from Audi, Lamborghini, and even a Phaeton transmission to create a rare, high-strung showpiece. Designed more as a celebration than a production model, the W12-650 remains a temperamental legend of VW Group’s extreme engineering ambitions.
Scout Motors’ highly anticipated EV pickup program (including the Terra) is reportedly pushed to 2028 due to VW Group’s broader cost-cutting, funding needs for the Blythewood, SC factory, and software-development delays tied to Rivian and Cariad, casting doubt on the original 2027 timeline.
The United Auto Workers announced a tentative four-year contract with Volkswagen at the Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant, marking the union’s first agreement with a foreign automaker in the South. The deal includes a 20% wage increase, reduced health-care costs, job-security protections, stronger health and safety standards, a $6,550 signing bonus, and annual $2,550 bonuses, and now goes to a member vote for ratification.
Volkswagen is considering abandoning its plan for a major Audi factory in the United States due to President Donald Trump’s automotive tariffs, with the CEO citing a $2.5 billion hit in the first nine months of 2025 and a 45% drop in German investment in the US in 2025 as duties took hold, amid continued trade uncertainty and potential new levies.
IG Metall confirms VW’s facelifted ID.4 will be renamed ID. Tiguan, with production moved to Emden through 2031; ID.4 will wind down in Zwickau as the Emden plant becomes the sole ID producer. The facelift brings MEB+ tech, a new entry motor, and cheaper LFP batteries, plus redesigned handles, while VW also pursues a brand-structure overhaul aimed at about €1 billion in annual savings by 2030.
Volkswagen has introduced a revamped interior for its upcoming affordable EV lineup, starting with the ID. Polo, featuring more physical buttons, an updated infotainment system, interactive lighting, and software enhancements, aiming to improve driver comfort and functionality.
Volkswagen's new ID. Polo electric car reintroduces physical buttons for controls, contrasting with previous models, and features a modern interior with recycled materials, aiming to offer an affordable, spacious, and sustainable urban EV starting at less than $30,000, with sales beginning in April 2026.
Volkswagen is reintroducing physical buttons in its cars, starting with the new ID. Polo, addressing consumer feedback on touchscreen controls, and also experimenting with non-circular steering wheels, signaling a shift back to traditional controls in its vehicle interiors.
Volkswagen's ID. Polo EV features a nostalgic interior with physical buttons, switches, and a knob for controls, marking a shift back to tangible controls in modern cars, alongside digital displays, as part of Volkswagen's commitment to reintroduce physical controls in their vehicles.