The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is launching this month in the San Francisco area. Auto123 will be on hand to test-drive the eagerly awaited vehicle, so stay tuned for a first review.
After that, the question will turn to how quickly will units of the new VW microbus arrive at dealerships. For those interested in the model, that matters, because Volkswagen's approach will determine whether their waiting period will be short... or long.
ID.4 sales performance to serve as basis
According to Automotive News, Volkswagen dealers wanting their units of ID.Buzz will be treated according to the numbers of ID.4s they’ve sold. Each dealer's market size will also be considered, but those who have sold more ID.4s will be prioritized.
In Canada, that’s excellent news for dealers and buyers in Quebec and British Columbia, which have led the way in driving sales of the ID.4.
It's estimated that by the time the model hits dealerships, around the American Thanksgiving holiday in late November, dealers will receive one or two models, generally. This could vary, of course, depending on location and the popularity of electric models in a given area.
Volkswagen America CEO Pablo Di Si told Automotive News that the company expects the ID.Buzz to sell well in its first two years on the market. “Then we'll have to innovate and offer different versions, which we've already done. We'll have to keep it interesting and lively,” he declared.
In the U.S., the model will be priced at just over $60,000, but in Canada, the cost will be around $80,000 CAD. It will be interesting to see how the public responds.
As Di Si points out, the response is likely to be strong at first, as more affluent buyers - the early adopters - who want one have probably already decided to take action. That's likely to fade afterwards, especially if the price tag remains as high as it will be initially.
