VW's Moonraker Project
Over 22 German Volkswagen employees have infiltrated the U.S. under the guise of the company's Moonraker Project.
Their mission: to study us and learn what we like in our vehicles. The Car Connection has an
article up on
this project that's intended to help VW design cars we in North America actually like. You know, cars with lots of cup
holders and really powerful air conditioners.
The group of employees, which also includes one American, has been set up in Malibu, CA for some time now studying our
ways and reporting back to corporate HQ in Wolfsburg, Germany. The article says it will take some time to digest and
implement the findings of the Moonraker Project, though VW's presence at SEMA this month marks the first time the
company has made the trip to Vegas to meet our tuner community. It's possible the company attended on the
recommendation of the gang in Malibu.
So if you see a conspicuous group of 22 German engineers, designers and product planners at your local mall in Malibu,
buy them a smoothie in the food court and tell them exactly how you'll take your next VW. I'll have mine with a
turbo and a supercharger, please.
Get a WordPress.com Blog_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Christian 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
1. How about some rear leg room comparable to American and Japanese competitors, right across our product line. Geeez. The Honda Civic is almost as much room as the Passat! 2. Keep working on copying the Cayman and the Z4 coupe. You guys must really be working hard.
Reply
Tommy Ward 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I've been driving VWs for years, and there isn't one new VW that I'd consider buying. The new Jetta is ugly...looks like a Toyota. No GTI here yet, and it will have that same stupid front end. All of the VWs are too heavy now.
The concept Bus would sell like hotcakes, and last I heard they decided not to make it.
The concept R roadster would sell pretty well, I'd be tempted to buy one, but who knows if they will make it.
They don't have anything equivalent to the Scirroco or Corrado, and nothing in the works that we've been told about. Nothing to compete with the 3 series BMW. Nothing exciting.
The product managers should be fired.
Reply
Brocktoon 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
As a six time VW buyer, I can say one phrase in this story worries me....
"North Americans"
Try American drivers. Canada likes VWs as they are just fine and have a healthy proportion of the market here. Designing for Americans in California who would otherwise buy a Honda, will just cost you market share up here. For example, give us the Sharan it's the right size for Canada, you can keep the rebadged grand Caravan down south (along with that stretch limo Polo for poster #1).
What VW needs is a small, entry level car in Canada. Maybe the Gol from Brazil to fill the void Toyota won't fill here with Scion. or something in the Kangoo/Doblo class. Canada is crying out for that kind of car.
Please VW, I don't want spinners, monotone grey interiors, flutes that attach to your exhaust or slab-sided fake troop transports. I also don't want to pay for the gas to haul around 500lb of third row seats in the floor that I'll never use, or TVs that decend from the ceiling.
Please don't be another Honda. If some Americans don't "get" european cars, I say too bad, but don't lump our needs in with Illinois soccer moms...
Reply
whofan 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
VW you have to over come silly (I`ll speak for my country)US perception on what`s what!
Audi cool, VW not?
BMW cool, Mercedes not?
Porsche cool, Jaguar not?
Mazda cool, Ford not?
Toyota cool, GM not?
Subaru cool, Saab not?
Honda cool, Volvo maybe?
Chrysler? Doing good but still its the big three thing,not?
Reply
scott h 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
If a purchase a German automobile, I want a German Automobile. VW should look to Audi, BMW, etc for direction.
Reply
justme 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I think this project is misguided. VW's strength is their concepts and design of their products: insightful, not gimmicky, stylish and cool. Their problem is in their execution. I think if they could give us their European-designed products with consistent reliability, they would do very well. They came close in the mid 90's.
I drive a 93 VW Golf with 205K miles on it.
Reply
naugahyde 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
Wow, General Motors should try this. Maybe they'd get a clue as to what buyers actually want.
Reply
Ben 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
How about the ability to customize a car to the level of a Mini. I would love a Golf, but I don't want a bare bones car like the ones in the US. In Europe you can get Xenon, Navigation, etc. etc.
Reply
Graham 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
Arg! People don't buy a VW because it's what american's want. They want a _German_ car (even if it's made in mexico or brazil). Granted they should consider issues like cupholders and whether people will fit in the things. But turning them into a Toyota (see Mk 5 Jetta) is a mistake. The European designs were sound, they need to focus on pricing and build quality. The Mk4 Golf/Jetta and the Passat sold very well. Nice impression of build quality (whether it was there or not) and attractive pricing. But these models got old, very old. And with replacements that seem to cost considerably more ($25k jettas with the base 5 cyl motor, a $38k passat??)... I fear for VW's future in the US.
Quote:
"I didn't discover the real urgency of the situation until we experienced the market firsthand once we got here and talked to Volkswagen dealers,"
WTF?? Are they that stupid? None of the complaints about VW's products are new. All they have to do is read a damn magazine. Slow model cycles, build quality, dealer service... they've all been problems for decades to varying degrees.
Reply
Future VW buyer 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I would love to buy a VW. So how about building one with the reliability of a Honda or Toyota and back it up with the warranty of a Hyundai or Kia. Everything else is great otherwise.
Reply
Nathan 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I like the looks of the mk4 Jetta, and was going to buy a 1.8t. The mk5 looks are not as nice, but still acceptable. I don't like the idea of a 5 cylinder model at all. Why not a decent 2.4 I4 like Accord? I also see lots of people who have had problems with VW/Audi reliability.
Basically I think VW should do this:
1. Keep the German styling and handling.
2. Get Japanese reliability!
3. Watch the pricing. For $25K, I'll take the Audi A3 instead.
4. Don't waver on the diesels. Why still the 1.9l 'Pumpdusse' instead of the better Euro diesels?
As for going to "Focus Groups", I believe that's what GM in fact DID do and what came of that was the Lumina if I am remembering correctly. And that didn't sell too well.
Don't listen to consumers, WATCH the consumers. Why do people buy Hondas and Toyotas? Reliability. It may or may not be there, but it is perceived that HMC and TMC make high quality, reliable cars.
Hyundai is doing the right thing, focusing on getting their image up with great reliability (nowadays anyway) and a good price to lure buyers in.
VW not only needs to see what other people buy, but why they choose that way. Why Honda Civic? Reliability and Economy. Why Mazda 3? Fun to drive. Why Jetta? 'Well...It's German', doesn't cut it.
Things like the DSG and the interior quality are fine as-is. Get the reliability, engine choices (2.0t FSI good, I5 not), and pricing in line, and that should help.
Oh, and also, don't compromise. The Civic is an economy car. Great MPG's. Not a quick car, but it is reliable and saves on gas. On the other hand the MZ3 gets horrible mileage in 2.3l, the heavier Accord with a 2.4l does better. But it's not about great mileage. It's about the fun to drive factor, and hatchback versatility. VW needs to define itself, and focus on that. You can never be all things to all people.
Reply
naggs 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
make your cars lighter, 3500 lbs for a entry level economy car is about half a ton too heavy. what works for audi doesnt necessarly work for vw.
Reply
Mark 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I also think this project is misguided. All they'll go back with is "make the cup holders bigger".
I'd love them to come to Canada though, and do the same. They'll be told to put the winter package on all diesels (wait, they do up here)... bring more diesels into Canada (well, it accounts for almost half of VW's Cdn sales), more engine choices on the diesel lineup, and bring the polo and other models over to compete with the wild-selling Smart car we have up here.
I worry the American market will ask just for bigger cupholders and a double-sized Golf. In a SUV format :(
Reply
CC 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
something tells me if they tailor the car to Californians, the rest of us won't want one anyway. I imagine the priorities for a Chicago buyer are just slightly different.
Reply
JZed 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
If they actually listen, I think all they will really find is that everyone wants a German car... but a cheap one. So that means more sporty cars, less weight, better design, simple and trusty tech... with that unique new-German car smell.
Kliene licht GTI bitte? Mit Recaros und Zuverl?ig!
Reply
ZipperSeven 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
a.) Bring the R36 here faster. And build enough so they aren't 'Limited Edition'.
b.) Bring us an 'R36' model of the Jetta (3.6 VR6, DSG, and 4Motion)
c.) Build more TDI models and advertise the great fuel economy. Diesel is on it's way in here.
d.) Give us a VW-branded version of the Audi RS4. This is the most important point.
Reply
bhtooefr 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
#8: Actually...
The only difference between the 1.9L TDIs that we get here and what they get in Europe is that ours are detuned.
They're still pumpe duese.
We get PD100s, they get PD110s that have a better ECU. 10 more HP, probably a little more torque, too.
They do have higher end engines, though, and lower end engines AND cars. I would LOVE something like a Polo 1.4L TDI. That's a 70hp engine, IIRC.
Reply
Bigel 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I agree with Nathan (#8). Focus groups and market surveys are garbage. They always seem to attract the Homer Simpsons of the world. Besides, talk is cheap. It costs nothing to say you want a hot roadster with all the latest whiz-bang gizmos. But when reality hits, it's the heavily discounted sedan or minivan that leaves the dealer lot instead. Unfortunately, car companies can't survive on fantasy and whimzy alone.
Reply
ZipperSeven 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
I think it would be great if VW were to bring the Polo over as a Mini-fighting 'city' car.
Reply
SGV 11:07PM (12/18/2005)
If after all these years they still haven't figured that out, good luck with that.
Reply