Would DCX/VW Minivan Incorporate Volkswagen Components?
It had to happen. Now that Dieter Zetsche, recently appointed CEO of DaimlerChrysler and Mercedes-Benz, and Wolfgang Bernhard, who now heads up the Volkswagen brand, are in positions of greater influence within their respective automakers, the opportunities for the two executives who once worked together in Chrysler Group's Auburn Hills headquarters to create new synergies are too ripe to pass up.
The first rumour, which was initially reported by Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper, has the two automakers joining forces for Chrysler's next-generation minivan. Chrysler, the self-designated "minivan company", would develop a version of its best-selling van for VW to be sold in North America, and possibly other markets.
Volkswagen currently produces a minivan in Europe, the Touran, which could very well find a niche in North America due to its smaller size and resultantly low fuel consumption. But it would never be a mainstream player in a segment where minivans are hardly "mini" anymore, with most bordering on the large side of midsize. North American minivans, or at
least those sold here whether through domestic manufacturers or Japanese and Korean automakers, are also more luxuriously appointed than those available in Europe.
Most likely, Volkswagen would want to develop a vehicle that could compete head-on with its domestic and Asian rivals, which would rule out any variation of the Touran. But still, if VW goes ahead with a cooperative arrangement to co-develop Chrysler Group's next generation minivan, it would probably want to incorporate its own proprietary drivetrains, or at the very least offer engine and transmissions to Chrysler Group so that the new VW branded model would measure up to the performance and refinement its customers have grown accustomed to, but there is little information about how the joint venture would be implemented.
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| Is Chrysler Group, the self-designated "minivan company", developing aversion of its best-selling van for VW to be sold in North America, andpossibly other markets? (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
The first rumour, which was initially reported by Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper, has the two automakers joining forces for Chrysler's next-generation minivan. Chrysler, the self-designated "minivan company", would develop a version of its best-selling van for VW to be sold in North America, and possibly other markets.
Volkswagen currently produces a minivan in Europe, the Touran, which could very well find a niche in North America due to its smaller size and resultantly low fuel consumption. But it would never be a mainstream player in a segment where minivans are hardly "mini" anymore, with most bordering on the large side of midsize. North American minivans, or at
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| Previous Chrysler Group President and Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche, left, and ex-Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer Wolfgang Bernhard, demonstrated the "Stow 'n Go" minivan seating and storage system that was made available in 2005 Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan minivans last year. (Photo: Joe Wilssens, DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
Most likely, Volkswagen would want to develop a vehicle that could compete head-on with its domestic and Asian rivals, which would rule out any variation of the Touran. But still, if VW goes ahead with a cooperative arrangement to co-develop Chrysler Group's next generation minivan, it would probably want to incorporate its own proprietary drivetrains, or at the very least offer engine and transmissions to Chrysler Group so that the new VW branded model would measure up to the performance and refinement its customers have grown accustomed to, but there is little information about how the joint venture would be implemented.