by Volkswagen’s new course in the US
Volkswagen has spent decades trying to win over American buyers with hatchbacks, sedans, crossovers, and more recently electric vehicles. Success has been rather modest. Now the company appears to have decided to turn its attention to something Americans truly cannot get enough of. According to reports from Germany, VW is preparing a serious entry into the US pickup market.
The likely plan is part of a broad overhaul of Volkswagen’s American strategy. New leadership, according to Handelsblatt, is expected to head the operation, and the company is reviewing its model lineup in an effort to move beyond its rather modest 4% share of the US market.
Why a pickup is a logical step
The pickup idea has a solid foundation. Trucks remain among the most profitable vehicles in the US market. At the same time, Volkswagen has not sold a single pickup in the States since the Rabbit-based model, which ended its five-year run back in 1984. That does not mean VW has given up on pickups around the world, but models such as the Amarok never officially made it to American showrooms.
According to available data, Volkswagen wants to bring the pickup to market before the end of the decade. Production is expected to take place at the company’s existing plant in Tennessee. Local assembly would help avoid tariffs on imported pickups — the very tariffs that effectively killed sales of VW’s van-based pickups in the US back in 1971. In addition, such a move would make better use of capacity in Chattanooga, where ID.4 production recently ended earlier than expected.
Amarok equals Ranger
The current Amarok is, underneath the skin, essentially a rebadged Ford Ranger. In addition, the European Transporter is based on the Ford Transit. In response, Ford uses Volkswagen’s MEB electric platform for the Explorer and Capri models sold in Europe.
Potential cooperation with Ford
If another joint development goes ahead, Volkswagen could drastically cut the time needed to create a new pickup and get a proven platform for competing in one of the toughest segments of the American market. The report does not mention this, but theoretically VW could build a pickup alongside the electric Ford Fathom priced at around $30,000.
A pickup is not a panacea
By itself, however, a pickup will not change Volkswagen’s fate in the US. The company still imports several of its highest-volume models from Mexico, making them vulnerable to tariffs. According to reports, the entire brand lineup is under review: management is looking for a formula that resonates better with Americans. The Handelsblatt report also mentions a larger SUV that would presumably sit above the Atlas. And again, Ford could come to the rescue here.
These are still just plans, and much could change. But the direction itself is telling: after years of trying to impose compact hatchbacks and electric cars on Americans, Volkswagen is finally ready to play by the rules of the local market. If VW can quickly bring a pickup to market with Ford’s support, it would give the brand a chance to significantly strengthen its position where it has long trailed local giants.
