VW Crushed the Iconic Beetle to Make Room for This Small SUV
- Taos compact SUV will slot below the Tiguan in VW’s lineup
- Automaker sees Americans buying almost 10 million SUVs in 2030
This article is for subscribers only.
Automakers are so eager to replace less-lucrative cars with higher-margin SUVs, they’re willing to scrap iconic nameplates along the way.
Volkswagen AG’s newest North American model, the Taos, is perhaps the starkest example of this yet. The German automaker made room to manufacture the compact sport utility vehicle in its Mexican assembly plant by ceasing production of the Beetle, one of the most influential cars of the 20th century.