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Rumorpile: Cost-Cutting At Volkswagen Puts the Beetle and Polo 3-Door in Danger for Cutting

By William Maley

· 4,386 views

  • Are the Volkswagen Beetle and Polo 3-Door coming to a end?

Volkswagen is on a mission to cut costs and that means models will be shown the door. According to a report from German publication Der Spiegel, Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn said last June he would like to cut 5 billion Euros.

Models that are being considered to get the ax include the three-door variant of the Volkswagen Polo. The reason for the cut is that the popularity of three-door hatchbacks has been declining in Europe. A key example of this is rival Renault dropping three-door version of the Clio. Dropping the three-door Polo variant would save around 200 million Euros.

Der Spiegel also reports that the Beetle could be on the chopping block.

A Volkswagen spokesman said "there are no decisions yet" on the future of the Beetle and Polo to Reuters.

Source: Der Spiegel, Reuters

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    Community Regular

    regfootball

    Members

    i hope the Beetle stays.  Get rid of the 2 door golf.......

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    • Agree 1
    Collaborator

    daves87rs

    Members

    Polo-not surprised there.

     

     

    Get the feeling the beetle will go along with the "minivan".....

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    • Grand Master

    G. David Felt

    Members

     

    They should be killing the Volkswagen Phaeton.

     

    Why?

     

    If they want to save 5 billion Euro's then why waste the money on trying to bring out the Phaeton again. I am sure VW corporation could find plenty of wasteful projects in VW, Audi and Porsche. So why waste money on a car that very few people would see as luxury and has not sold very well. Has it ever reclaimed the original R&D cost of the first failure here in the US?

     

    Just saying, I see plenty of Bugs around few golf and now rarely ever see the Phaeton so I just do not see why they need to spend the money now when they seem to be clearly hurting for cash.

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    • Community Regular

    regfootball

    Members

    Agree on the phaeton although they probably think the market is endless for expensive German sedans that make profits.

    Polo is a good car to sell in many countries where people don't have a lot to spend on a car.

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    • Newbie

    Z-06

    Members

    Initial leak in the VW fortress or levee washing away?

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    • Collaborator

    daves87rs

    Members

    The Beetle is too good to get axed  :nono:

     

     

    Kinda their "halo" car, if you will. Should stick around based on just that alone..

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    • Grand Master

    Drew Dowdell

    Editor-in-Chief

    Initial leak in the VW fortress or levee washing away?

     

    Deutschland Allgemeine MotorWerke hat zu viele Marken, nein?

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    • Newbie

    Z-06

    Members

     

    Initial leak in the VW fortress or levee washing away?

     

    Deutschland Allgemeine MotorWerke hat zu viele Marken, nein?

     

     

    Geschichte wiederholt sich. Deutsche sind immer hinter wie üblich.
     
    Diese und andere deutschen Marken haben mich schreiben einen Artikel über "Deutsche Kartenhaus."
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