VW plans 2 new SUVs to expand appeal beyond Tiguan
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VW's two SUVs sold in Germany have a more than 25,700 euro gap in pricing with the smaller Tiguan (shown) starting at 24,450 euros and the Touareg beginning at 50,225 euros. |
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BERLIN -- Volkswagen AG plans to expand its lineup of SUVs with two new models in the coming years as part of a goal of overtaking General Motors Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. in deliveries.
One of the new models will be bigger than the Tiguan SUV to appeal to U.S. drivers and provide a seven-seat alternative to a minivan, said Peter Thul, a spokesman for the company.
The other SUV will be a compact model smaller than the Tiguan, according to Thul, who was confirming comments made by development chief Ulrich Hackenberg in an interview with Automobilwoche, a sister publication of Automotive News Europe.
Smaller crossovers are among the fastest-growing light vehicle segments in Europe and North America as consumers seek enhanced fuel economy and greater functionality.
Volkswagen is expanding its lineup to offset weak demand in Europe as it pursues its goal of becoming the world's largest automaker by 2018.
Growth in China and the United States helped the company increase deliveries 9.7 percent to 6.71 million vehicles in the first nine months of 2012, even as demand in Europe is set to drop for the fifth straight year.
Bloomberg and David Phillips contributed to this report
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