IF You Were In Charge Of VW, How Would YOU Rebrand The Company? Das Auto, No More...

I'd focus on substance rather than marketing, that being change the company rather than trying to change the public's perception of the company (i.e., "rebranding," and related muck). Areas I'd focus on:

(1) Effective and ethical management that deserves to be respected. In the very least, this includes understanding the challenges your people face, and not asking them to do what they can't ethically or legally do. The old way -- managing through intimidation and fear -- never produces admirable results.

(2) Decide on who VW really is. Are we the creators of practical people movers? If so, then set sticker prices and maintenance costs to reflect this. Are we trying to be mid-market, more upscale? If so, then change our pedestrian styling, lower the defect numbers, and make the product take fewer trips to the shop.

(3) Let the world know what we've decided, what we're doing to get there, and be open and honest about our progress and achievements. This contrasts starkly with what we've been receiving from VW since Dieselgate broke, with VW initially blaming "2 engineers", then "a handful of engineers", and then "a few dozen engineers", and at last count, "a few dozen engineers, but fewer than 100." VW continues to spin the story in damage-control mode with such catchphrases as "we tolerated cheating" rather than the honest but unpopular "because of our culture of management through intimidation and fear, we drove our people to do unethical things."

In other words, do the right things to *EARN* consumers' respect.

Marketing HAS to be done to change the chant from "Volkswagen cheats" to "VW makes great cars".

They have to adopt a corporate structure that the ethical choice is the only choice and that unethical behavior (1) has no quarter in the company and (2) is grounds for immediate dismissal.

Realize that literally no one in mainstream America sees VW as near-premium much less premium and in fact, the buying public expects the "people's car" to mainstream and frugal.

VW need to get rid of its scorn for customers. VW needs to get rid of its scorn for dealers. In both cases the antagonistic behavior is palpable. VW must also obliterate every dealer that does not make customer satisfaction its #1 goal.

1. 10 year / 100K mile warranty

2. new styling language that shares only the VW logo in common with the current cars.

3. new names that is weird in no way.

4. gas / hybrid / PHEV on their C and D segment sedans and crossovers

5. low price and amazing value for the price

6. strict quality control

7. treat customers with the same respect they would be given if they were Bentley purchasers

8. a dedicated EV coupesedan and crossover coupe

9. cut a deal with FCA to make a version of the Ram 1500 for VW

10. market the Amarok--new name please--and cut a deal with FCA to build them a Dakota

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In essence, VW needs to be the next Hyundai marvel

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Sadly - all the items noted above are virtually impossible because, as the "People's Car" company, VW makes cars that provides jobs to the "people" - VW does not make cars that hit a price and value point so that they can be purchased by middle income people.

All these years, VW tried to coast at a higher price point because they tried to position themselves as "superior German engineering". In reality, the cars are complicated, unreliable, expensive to buy and maintain, and quirky because the company exists to provide jobs to Germans in lower Saxony (where the state is the largest shareholder, essentially, with board seats and management ranks).

VW REALLY is "government motors" and it shows. A restructuring is sadly, not possible. VW basically is one big government bureacratic body, like the DMV or the Post Office.

Look at how successful the US Postal Service was at reforming itself - that is VW in a nutshell.

VW can build anything they want. They CHOOSE not to be competitive in the US market. That is their arrogance. VW has to hit a good price / value relationship in Mexico and they do. Thus they know how to do it.

The Government in Lower Saxony will have to face the music because even if VW provides remedies for all the cheating cars in the USA, the owners still have a right to sue of punitive damages and that I predict will be in the billions.

It is not rebranding that VW needs. AS MRE30 said - the cars are unreliable - expensive to maintain and repair. THe people who bought the Beetle and Bus are now either gone or old - and VW doesn't make a car for older Americans - who prefer larger softer cars. ANd VW has not identified a "buyer" in the USA that really wants its current offerings. Their styling is "bland" and generic - but they seem to want people to believe that they are upmarket to other cars in their class - when they are nothing more than a Chevy-Toyota competitor.

However - Toyota and other Japanese companies have successfully produced cars for the US market that they do not offer in other markets - the US Camry is an example. The problem is- people trust the reliability of Toyota - something they do not with VW.

IF VW wants to come to our market - they cannot be DeNysschen clones who force THEIR idea of a car on us - we simply won't buy it (And don't as well). So - VW either needs to decide if it truly wants to sell in the USA - and then make USA product to compete. IT may not be something they actually care to do though.

If the cars you make have bad reliability, making better cars and using the tarnished names is idiocy. Rebranding of the Golf and Passat are necessary. Golf is just a hella dumb name and it sells miserably. I'd turn "Jetta" into a line of 3 / 4/ 5 door vehicles and pitch Golf. The Passat has crapped on itself vis a vis the CamCord and FusNata and a new car with a new name is probably needed...and again not another stupid name that VW so seems to love.