Volkswagen AG is seeking to end its bit-player status in the U.S. with an expanding line-up of the crossovers and SUVs that Americans love to buy, aiming to more than double market share in the coming years.
“We have a plan to become successful here in the United States in the next years as a relevant volume player,” Herbert Diess, global head of the Volkswagen brand, told reporters at the company’s factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “We can’t win America over in two years’ time. It’s a 10-year plan, but we are committed..."
...The plan to expand its U.S. role in the lucrative SUV segment comes as VW ramps up output of its newest large vehicle, the Atlas. VW’s factory in Chattanooga is producing 400 Atlas SUVs a day, and still has capacity to fill, said Antonio Pinto, head of the plant. The long-awaited model, with a name chosen in consultation with U.S. dealers, is a key part of VW’s strategy to meet the needs of American consumers with growing families.
VW aims to become “relevant” in the U.S., as “right now we are a niche player,” Woebcken said, adding that the brand is committed to launching two new or redesigned models a year in the country. “We want to deliver and not only announce numbers.”
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