John White, CEO of Volkswagen Group Canada, says he and his American counterpart very much want to add the Polo compact to their respective lineups, so that's one hurdle down.
In most cases, if the U.S. distribution arm of any particular car company does not want to sell this model or that, then the Canadian sales channel won't get that car, either. That usually holds true whether the car in question would be a big seller in Canada or not.
But the Polo would be instantly popular in Canada, competing against the likes of the Honda Fit. VW USA might even sell a few, too, now that a fair number of Americans have discovered the benefits of fuel economy. At least we think so.
White says there are two problems that need to be overcome before the Polo rolls into Canadian showrooms.
First, it would need to be built in either North or South America. The German version would simply be too expensive to compete in the under $14,000 market.
So look for VW to announce that its Puebla, Mexico factory, where Beetles are built, is going to start building the Polo. On-sale date? Likely 2011.
The second issue, says White, is that the European version is not what Canadians will get. The Polo sold in Canada and the U.S. will be designed and outfitted especially for Canada (and the U.S.).
Our Polo will be a bit bigger than the European car. If it is to sell in the U.S., it will need to be super-sized like so many Americans.
And look for a sedan smaller than the current Jetta, along with a four-door hatchback slightly larger than the fifth-generation Polo unveiled last month at the Geneva auto show.
It's about time VW in Canada started getting serious about selling vehicles specifically tailored for this market. For too long VW here was run like the 51st U.S. state, and that meant VW Canada's showrooms looked just like VW USA's.
VW Canada, though, has managed to gain most of its independence. White now can make decisions without bowing to whatever whims emanate from VW USA. That means faster, more focused decisions for Canada.
White, in fact, is quietly making his mark. He's travelling around the country, meeting dealers, assessing market conditions and looking for ways to grow VW sales in Canada. Last week he was in Vancouver for its auto show, talking up the Golf and saying good-bye to the Rabbit name forced on Canada by – you guessed it – the U.S. marketing machine.
Finally, the Rabbit name is bouncing out of here permanently. The Golf is sold around the world as the “Golf” and it's a perfectly good and recognizable name.
Reverting to the car's proper name gives Canada access to a wider range of advertising materials from around the world. Before, by calling the car the “Rabbit,” VW Canada was stuck with only the U.S. as a secondary source of marketing materials.
White also announced VW's BlueMotion Technologies branding. When it comes to German auto makers, blue is the new green, so BlueMotion refers to VW's low emissions, high fuel economy technologies.
First among them are the diesels. In fact, the Jetta diesel is this year's Green Car of the Year as chosen by Green Car Journal. The Jetta TDI, he noted in Vancouver, is clean enough to qualify for British Columbia's $1,500 provincial sales tax rebate for fuel-efficient vehicles.
VW's upcoming hybrids will qualify, too.
Yes, VW has now confirmed that it will be adding hybrids to its lineup, likely next year, though no firm date has been confirmed.
VW Canada is being more aggressive than it's been in years. It has no choice.
New vehicle sales were down 15 per cent in Canada last month. VW Canada beat the market, with sales falling 10.5 per cent. That means market share was up to 2.4 per cent on the year, versus 2.1 per cent in the same period last year.
To keep sales from sliding further, White announced a new sales promotion: “Autobahn For All.” The skinny on that is zero per cent financing for up to three years on the full VW lineup. There are other sweeteners out there, too.
VW has never thrown zero per cent financing at its entire lineup at one time. That among other things, such as the coming Polo, signals a more aggressive and more independent VW Canada than we've ever seen before.
