Business unusual for VW in 2020
We recently spent the afternoon chatting with Volkswagen SA about how the 2020 year has been going and what we can expect from the marque for the remainder of a year we all wish was over.
Related: Volkswagen T-Roc (2020) makes its virtual debut in SA
After what was a very entertaining meeting, we can report the following.
Sales figures
It goes without saying that the global pandemic put a very heavy damper on the sales figures of every automaker but as they say every cloud has a silver lining and VW's figures are actually not looking as bad as one may think. Revised figures for the year to date show that Volkswagen is not that far from their original predictions.
The largest contributor to the decline in numbers was the rental vehicle market which has taken the worst of the knock due to tourism and travel restrictions and therefore no need for rental fleets. On the whole as of July this year VW was only trailing last years total unit sales by about 11 thousand vehicles and can report a marginal market share increase.
Industry developments
Volkswagen has never been the type of company that rests on its laurels and while vehicle sales were curbed they moved into marketing mode with a number of exciting campaigns.
Campaigns such as the Drive Local and Lioness Den were incredibly successful with huge engagement from the public. There was also the launch of the GTC racing Golf 8 that has garnered global interest with requests to build the same type of vehicles for racing series around the world. Volkswagen are also planning a number of initiatives for the latter half of 2020 but remain rather tight lipped so we will have to wait and see what they have planned.
Yet to come
In the coming months we can expect a number of new developments from the Wolfsburg manufacturer beginning with the local arrival of a number of new vehicles. Beginning in September we will see the 1.5 TSi T Cross followed by the GTi TCR which has already sold 85% of the 300 units ordered and a special edition Polo Vivo that celebrates our South African ingenuity. November and December will see the arrival of the new T Roc and the sneak peaks of the Golf 8.
We will also see the inclusion of the data plug and We Connect Go app as standard fitment in all new vehicles as well as it being made an option that can be purchased and fitted to all vehicles made after 2008 excluding that years Polo Vivo.
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