News: Volkswagen Australia has yet to decide whether to import the Golf GTD

[windyzz]

http://www.barloworldvolkswagen.com.au/news/?mga_story=3A44DBA894CD77C7CA2575D10082B085&mga_category=future&mga_make=Volkswagen

[STV4SYT]

That is a shame, though hopefully it will help out the resale values of any GT TDI's still floating around.

[Lima]

I'm getting a bit sick and tired of the "oh poor us it will impact on GTI sales" excuse. What a load of crap!

Just bring the GTD here.

[windyzz]

I'm getting a bit sick and tired of the "oh poor us it will impact on GTI sales" excuse. What a load of crap!

Just bring the GTD here.

Yeah Agree! SO much excuses. We are so unlucky here in term of German cars.

Very disappointing. VW will look/sound much better with Scirroco and GTD included in their model line.

[Greg Roles]

I think it's more the fact they are watching their bottom line, and figure it isn't a good enough risk. It alwyas comes down to the money, and to be honest it would be no suprise to me if many car manufacturers start doing this. Would be prudent in fact.

[Stoney!]

It annoys me, because at the end of the day the golf is VW's best selling car, and wouldn't you want to release as many variants of your best selling model as possible, to try and please as many ppl as possible to get the sales going.

Some ppl may buy the GTD who were looking at the GTi, but so what, there are people like me who would buy a GTD that wouldn't even look at a GTi, so theres a lost sale.

Stoney!

[windyzz]

It annoys me, because at the end of the day the golf is VW's best selling car, and wouldn't you want to release as many variants of your best selling model as possible, to try and please as many ppl as possible to get the sales going.

Some ppl may buy the GTD who were looking at the GTi, but so what, there are people like me who would buy a GTD that wouldn't even look at a GTi, so theres a lost sale.

Stoney!

Darn! I cant agree more with you! The more variant on your model line, the more you get.
Even at the worst case, some people decided to buy the GTD instead of the GTI, they lost in one side and gain in the other.

I guess we were unlucky here in Australia in term of motoring industry.
The best they can do now is to bring the GTI asap

[maca]

It annoys me, because at the end of the day the golf is VW's best selling car, and wouldn't you want to release as many variants of your best selling model as possible, to try and please as many ppl as possible to get the sales going.

Some ppl may buy the GTD who were looking at the GTi, but so what, there are people like me who would buy a GTD that wouldn't even look at a GTi, so theres a lost sale.

Stoney!

Agree 100%... As much as I think the GTI's sexy, the GTD would be so much more practical with the same level of appeal

[weekender]

This sales strategy if you can it call it that does not make much sense.

I would think that the more products one owner has in the market place the better in particular when it is a product in demand. I could understand if it was an Aus specific product but when you have done the R&D you would think that the opportunity to sell it is a good thing.

I don't think selling diet coke, coke,water and spite hurts the bottom line for its owners. As long as you pick one of their products out of the fridge the sales outcome is still good.

[Corey_R]

The problem is, right now VW can say the Golf GTI is the top selling car in its class. If they dilute the sales with other options like the GTD and the Scirocco, then all of a sudden the Ford Focus XR5 may be the top selling car in the class etc.

As you can see with 'sheeple' that go and by iPods and iPhones because 'that's what everyone else does', even though they're arguably over priced and no the best music player or phone on the market, being the 'best selling' of its type seems to count for a lot these days. Sheeple assume that because it's the best selling it must be the best, and they end up buying it even though there are much better options available.


Having said all that, the GTD and Scirocco would be great in Australia

[GoLfMan]

Im not sure the GTD would detract from GTI sales. Its really a different market. Some people just want the GTI badge just as much as the "GTI experience"

Diesel hot hatches are very new in Aus and only just getting recognition, surely the success of the GT TDI would be a decent indication that its feasible here!

[Greg Roles]

It does seem odd that VW would fly in the face of all the reports that "petrol" will bypass $2 per litre in the next several months, and there are predictions of huge shortages in the next 3-5 given exponentially increasing Asian demand. I figure it would be prudent to focus on the most economical options, as people will want the most km's for their money. Still, I figure they'll use the "diesel demand" excuse again and jack diesel prices up even higher...

[Timbo]

I think it's absolute rubbish, and just a smokescreen while VWA sequences its model release in Australia. It's not about cannibalising GTI sales, but rather about ensuring the maximum margin from those sales and initial inventories (usually over the initial 12 mths) while stocks are short and no-one's really discounting. The likes of Barloworld highlight this sort of stuff up to bring forward sales and maintain demand and pricing for their floorstock.

If they have GTDs on the floor at the same time, then customers have an internal choice that ultimately may reduce margins over that early period.

I'll put money on a GTD or some type of "sports" 125Kw diesel being on the floor within 12 mths. VWA have sold too many of them to happy punters, and it's critical they have a replacement available.

[GoLfMan]

VWA have sold too many of them to happy punters, and it's critical they have a replacement available.

it would make poor business sense if they didnt cater for the "repeat" business of a mk5 owner wanting to upgrade his current GT TDI for a new GTD.

unless that owner is very loyal to VW, he's going to go elsewhere for a new "sport diesel"!

[Greg Roles]

....well I read in this months Yankie "Dieselpower" mag that the USA is getting the MK6 168hp 2.0 diesel Golf, and they've finally dropped the name "Rabbit".