The Detroit Auto Show is the largest auto show in the United States. And yet, only VW in Detroit by the Germans. Announce first Details of its cooperation with Ford. Maya Shwayder from Detroit.
The hubcaps are polished, the hoods wide open, unnecessarily blonde Models in Position – the Detroit Motor Show, heralds, once again, the new car of the year. The North American International Auto Show, or NAIAS, as it is officially called, is the largest auto show in the United States. A huge market is waiting, and so the auto makers have been meeting for years in the former auto city pack lush decoration and bring glamorous presentations on the stage.
But why is it looking under the car heavy weights like Toyota or Ford, German companies – with one exception – in vain?
Daimler, Audi, Porsche and BMW, the big brands of the industry, are at this year’s Show. Alone, Volkswagen has managed to make it to Detroit. Apparently, the Germans did not see much sense in it, in the tradition of the fair to join in. Finally, it is now considered to present cool and sexy, as well as new technologies for the car at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and these show in Las Vegas just went to the end.
But if this is so, why Volkswagen is still in the process? VW-in-chief Herbert Diess has DW compared to a simple statement: The US market is very important for VW. “We continue to invest strongly here, because we believe that the Volkswagen brand has a large potential for growth”, according to Diess. “Therefore, it is quite right to be here. Detroit is the most important auto show for the US market. And the first of the year – what for us makes it even more attractive.”
VW-in-chief Herbert Diess, with the DW-author
To follow this line of reasoning, then Detroit may soon become significantly less attractive: The car Show will be relocated by 2020 from January to June. This is presented as a “complete reboot” of the fair and to help, attract an audience and a loss of importance of the NAIAS.
“Complete Restart”
No doubt VW is trying mightily to the U.S. market. In front of the press in Detroit is less about innovations in their own models, but mainly to the investments of the group and the creation of new jobs in the United States.
VW chief Diess took even the outgoing Governor of Tennessee, Bill Halsam, to the stage to chat with him about the special bond of VW in the mid-West. Also, the mayor of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was awarded on the occasion with a special round of applause, to match the announcement that VW is to settle in Chattanooga, and now his second U.S. factory. This earned the wolf burgers prompt Twitter to praise the US President.
In Chattanooga, the Germans want to leave your car starting in 2022 with the city site ID Crozz the first fully electric model on the Basis of the VW electric kit from the tape roll. And this, according to Diess, will bring 1,000 new Jobs to Chattanooga – in addition to the 12,000 jobs in the automotive sector and further 3,800 new Jobs created by Volkswagen group, and around 2.3 billion dollars in investments.
Presentation of the VW ID of Buzz in Detroit
After this show, Herbert Diess on Monday, second for Tuesday had been anticipated: There Diess explained together with Ford boss Jim Hackett has for some time been circulating plans for an Alliance between the two automakers. Starting in 2022 it wants to work together in the development of transporters and medium-sized Pickups, possibly also in the case of electric vehicles. Also in the case of mobility services and Autonomous cars to check possibilities of cooperation. A capital interweaving of the two companies was not provided.
Gentle Mockery
In addition, VW has used the fair to his commitment to other fields: Volkswagen is a Sponsor of the U.S. soccer teams at the men and the women. The soccer stars Alexi Lalas and Aly Wagner were also the same for a first-time sponsors appearance on the stage brought and mocked a little bit about the Failure of American footballers at the world Cup qualifiers.
Meanwhile, a number of difficult and unresolved issues in the trade conflict between the United States and Europe, and VW is slow in the Diesel-exhaust-scandal behind, the burdens group since 2015. In front of the press in Detroit, VW presented itself full of good will To stand by the USA and the people here – after all, had declared that VW are willing to pay the U.S. government a fine of $ 2.8 billion.
“Transformation” was also Scott Keogh, the chief of Volkswagen Group of America, but he had, especially the former car city Detroit. The town that laid not too long ago, economically, completely, managed a slow but steady Revival since Volkswagen wanted to be, so Keogh to DW: “It’s good to be here.”
The question, however, whether VW would build in the coming years in Detroit, said Keogh, in the car Business nothing is chiseled “in stone”.