Volkswagen wants to treble its market share in the US in the next five years.
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In an interview with the Financial Times Deutschland, Volkswagen’s US chief, Adrian Hallmark, said that new models in new segments would allow the brand to increase its share from 1.9% today to 5% by 2012.
Nevertheless Volkswagen is struggling to return to profitability in the US. According to Hallmark, it is possible that Volkswagen will be profitable in the US in 2008, but achieving a positive result will be difficult. For 2009, however, “it is a must”.
The model offensive will not in fact start until 2008 – 2007 is not expected to be a growth year at all.
Specific models offering growth opportunity in the US are a new minivan and the small Tiguan SUV.
The weak dollar is amongst a number of problems that Volkswagen has had in the US market. Hallmark told the Financial Times Deutschland that this is the main reason that VW has not recorded a profit in the US.
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By GlobalDataTo reduce the effect, Volkswagen wants to reduce the number of overseas suppliers. He said, “we want to increase the number of suppliers from the dollar zone.”
