VW struggling to make business case for BlueSport Roadster
Volkswagen Bluesport concept - Click above for a high-res image gallery
Due to the distinct lack of people spending money on emotional purchases, Volkswagen is reportedly thinking that now might not be the best time to introduce a sport two-seat roadster. That's bad news for fans of the firm's BlueSport concept from this year's Detroit Auto Show. Despite the favorable fuel mileage (up to 62 miles per gallon in Eco Mode) earned by the car's mid-mounted 2.0-liter turbodiesel four cylinder engine, the German automaker isn't sure it could sell enough copies of the Roadster to turn a profit.
Channel 4 in the UK quotes an unnamed insider (aren't they all?) as saying, "It is a niche product, and especially in crisis times like this it will be a challenge to come up with a volume we could require to earn money with it." Sounds like the car's future is mostly dependent on the duration of the global economic downturn.
[Source: Channel 4]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sam 6:48PM (5/19/2009)
At least the ( soon to be) number 1 automaker is making decisions with careful thought, and not throwing out random cars. Great concept, perhaps it's the wrong time. Give it a few years and maybe we'll see it. Then again this is a vehicle segment Vw isn't competing in at all, so maybe they should try it and see what happens. But nothing wrong with careful planning and thought.
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pdx 6:45PM (5/19/2009)
Who cares?
VW: Put a Clean TDI in an EOS and sell it in the U.S. No need to develop a whole new platform.
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Mike!!ekiM 8:47PM (5/19/2009)
I like it, but, when I look at AutoBlog and the number of people drooling over a V8 or "EcoBoost" Mustang with 355 hp, I wonder, the American people seem to have Old-Timers disease. That have no memory of $4 gas. No conception about the arctic ice sheets losing their "old" ice.
Is the typical American driver that delusional? US Roads are overcrowded, and it's very hard to find a place to use 150 HP much less 355. This car should sell at least 100,000 copies, and the Mustang should sell 2,000. And yet...
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elliot 11:23PM (5/19/2009)
I think this is a tragedy. This car looks great, and gets great mileage. VW, Mercedes, and BMW really need to push their clean diesel technologies in the US.
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Shock Me 10:45PM (5/19/2009)
Wow yet another roadster I'd actually save money for bites the dust.
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contact 3:07AM (5/20/2009)
F'N BUILD IT!! There will never be another time in our life when we don't own a VW diesel. It's been the best investment we ever made. This one would look great with my wife in it.
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avatare 1:29PM (5/20/2009)
it would be awesome if they launch this around 2012 or 2013 when i will be ready to get a new toy. This one would be on the top of my list.
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