Volkswagen will present a manufacturing model of its long-awaited ID.Buzz, an electrical reincarnation of its beloved Microbus or Kombi, on March 9 and plans to launch it within the United States in late 2023, the corporate mentioned on Friday.
The ID.Buzz is one among “the most anticipated and most hyped” fashions anticipated from the Volkswagen model for the reason that firm launched its new Beetle within the late 1990s, Scott Keogh, head of Volkswagen’s North American operations mentioned throughout a media name.
Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess tweeted on Thursday “The legend returns on 03/09/22!” The tweet contained a sketch of the profile of the ID.Buzz van.
Volkswagen has proven a collection of prototypes for a brand new Microbus over the previous decade. But these prior present vans — the Budd.E and the Bulli — by no means made it to manufacturing, to the frustration of followers of the automobile.
Keogh mentioned {that a} three-row model of the ID.Buzz will launch within the United States, the place the unique microbus turned an icon of the counterculture, in late 2023 or early 2024. Volkswagen will launch a two-row model in Europe.
Volkswagen doesn’t plan to construct the ID.Buzz at its US manufacturing unit in Chattanooga.
“You want to get to 100,000 units before you localize,” Keogh mentioned.
Volkswagen will ramp up manufacturing of its ID.four electrical SUV at Chattanooga this 12 months.
Earlier Friday, Volkswagen mentioned US gross sales of its VW model automobiles rose 15 p.c in 2021, pushed largely by sturdy gross sales of gasoline-fueled SUVs such because the Atlas and Tiguan.
Shortages of automobiles brought on by chip provide chain issues will proceed to restrict automobile manufacturing and gross sales within the United States by 2022, Keogh mentioned.
He mentioned he believes as many as two million potential automotive consumers didn’t purchase a automobile in 2021 due to the shortage of provide, creating pent up demand for this 12 months and past.
© Thomson Reuters 2021
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