At VW, the subject turns to sedans

With the new Atlas and three-row Tiguan crossovers in dealerships, Volkswagen will turn next to updating its core fleet of sedans for U.S. consumers. VW also is preparing to launch its first electric vehicle in the U.S. in 2020.North America head Hinrich Woebcken is giving North American dealers a bigger say in determining the product lineup. But with that added influence comes increased pressure for VW to become a bigger player in this region.Beetle: The car won't be redesigned onto the group's MQB platform as had been planned. How long it lives will largely depend on demand, which has been especially weak in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal. The current design with a gasoline engine can remain compliant with fuel economy and emissions standards until 2020. Future Product: Volkswagen, Audi timeline PDF: Volkswagen, Audi Future ProductsFuture Product Pipeline Golf: The Golf family will receive a significant freshening this year for the 2018 model year. The e-Golf EV will be the first model with the new exterior design treatment, and will have its battery range raised to about 125 miles from 85 miles. A redesign of the Golf has been moved up a year to 2020.Jetta: VW's top-selling nameplate will be redesigned during the first half of 2018, moving onto the modular MQB platform. The powertrain lineup will be streamlined, dropping the 1.8-liter turbo while retaining the 2.0-liter turbo and new 1.4-liter turbo four-cylinder engines. The redesigned Jetta will make its global debut at the 2018 Detroit auto show.Passat: After debate about what to do with the divergent Passats — VW makes one size for North America and China and another for everywhere else — the brand will go to a single Passat globally based on the MQB platform in 2019. That means it's unlikely to arrive in the U.S. until 2020. The redesign likely means the next-generation Passat for the U.S. will shrink.Arteon: VW's new midsize, five-seat sedan slots above the Passat and will replace the CC in the U.S. when it arrives in 2018. The Arteon rides on the MQB modular platform. Its styling features a low, broad front fascia and fastback tail designed to give the brand's top sedan a more muscular appearance compared with its predecessor. The front-wheel-drive Arteon will be equipped with one of three powertrains in the U.S.: a 1.5-liter turbocharged Evo inline-four mated to either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic producing 148 hp; a 2.0-liter inline-four mated to the seven-speed dual- clutch automatic producing 188 hp; or a top trim 2.0-liter inline-four all-wheel-drive version producing 276 hp. Diesels will be limited to Europe.The Arteon's interior is dominated by a customizable instrument cluster, head-up display and new infotainment system in the center stack with a 9.2-inch screen and gesture control.CC: The slow-selling sedan will be eliminated from the lineup, replaced by the Arteon next year.Phaeton: VW hasn't abandoned plans to relaunch the Phaeton in 2020 as an electric luxury sedan, but its U.S. prospects are unclear. The earliest the Phaeton could be added to U.S. showrooms would likely be 2021 or 2022, if at all. An expensive niche product isn't a priority for U.S. dealers or VW brand leadership focusing on recapturing lost market share. EVs: VW will launch the first EV based on its new MEB EV platform architecture in the U.S. in 2020. It is expected to be based on the I.D. Crozz crossover concept the brand showed at the Shanghai auto show. A sedan will follow in 2021 and the production version of the I.D. Buzz minivan concept will arrive in 2022, brand leaders have said. VW's EV lineup will feature onboard navigation with augmented reality.

At VW, the subject turns to sedans

Featured Stories