Climate Changed
VW Bets on SUVs, Electric Cars in Overhaul of Namesake Brand
- ‘We want to make the Volkswagen brand competitive,’ says Diess
- German carmaker plans to expand SUV lineup nearly tenfold
Volkswagen Drives Into SUV Market
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Volkswagen AG’s namesake brand is pivoting from damage control to competing harder against Toyota Motor Corp. and Tesla Inc., with a plan to increase its SUV lineup nearly tenfold and push sales of affordable electric cars.
As Volkswagen emerges from the diesel scandal, the company has intensified an overhaul at its largest division, with the aim of giving the Golf hatchback-maker more autonomy within the 12-brand group. In the process, VW’s lineup will get bigger and more energy-efficient as it fills gaps and reviews the fate of aging classics including the Scirocco and Beetle.