Two thousand Dutch people regret that this Volkswagen is disappearing

There is probably more, but not much more, because since 2017 only 2292 Dutch people have bought/leased a Volkswagen Arteon. And this model will soon have to disappear from the field. No more niche models, says VW!

Why are the Arteon and Arteon Shooting Brake being retired? The answer is predictable: Volkswagen wants to increase its profit margin in the coming years and is therefore streamlining its delivery program.

Next Volkswagen Passat only as Variant

In the case of D-segments that are not SUVs, buyers no longer pull out their wallets, which is why the next-generation Passat is only available as a variant and VW is throwing the Arteon in the trash.

The latter is not the only model that Volkswagen is saying goodbye to. In the near future there will be more pruning work in Wolfsburg, but CEO Thomas Schäfer does not want to say which branches are left and which are lined up on the hedge trimmer.

Fewer options and shorter price lists at VW

Volkswagen will focus on its core models and drastically reduce the number of options available, he explains. In other words: the price lists are becoming shorter and clearer, and the choice for the consumer is reduced. This makes production more cost-effective.

Even more joint MQB and MEB productions

Another piece of news is that the cars of the Volkswagen Group – which includes Audi, Cupra, Seat and Skoda – are becoming more and more similar as the number of co-productions (on MQB and MEB basis, of course) continues to increase.

Effects of the Corona crisis and the switch to electromobility

Why is VW taking these and other steps? Because the effects of the corona crisis are still being felt in the group and the switch from petrol engines to electric drives costs many billions in investments.