The head of Volkswagen’s U.S. dealer council says the emission scandal will turn out as “a big blessing,” reducing VW’s arrogance when it comes to offering products in America.
“We’ll finally get Germany paying attention to the U.S. market,” said Alan Brown, a partner in a Texas dealership. “VW is going to pay attention to the North American market and give us the opportunity we need to go big and get aggressive and win the hearts of Americans.”
Brown said getting “the right product at the right time at the right price” to U.S. buyers is the only way the automaker can recoup the massive $15 billion price tag attached to the proposed emissions settlement unveiled last month.
VW has been criticized for not offering the products that Americans want to buy. For example, it hasn’t fully taken advantage of car buyers’ shift to sport utility vehicles and trucks.
Brown said he and a small group of other dealers a couple of weeks ago toured the Chattanooga assembly plant and checked out the new midsize SUV on which production is to start late this year. VW has said the vehicle is part of an SUV offensive it’s unleashing in the U.S. market. Brown said the dealer group was impressed by the SUV.