Volkswagen’s move to reduce standard specification on several of its cars to navigate shortages has cut local wait times by up to six months, its Australian arm says.
Volkswagen Australia has revealed which of its cars currently have the highest levels of stock in the country, after announcing a cutting a number of features across its model range in an effort to trim customer wait times amid parts shortages.
Volkswagen buyers looking for cars they can drive off the lot in the near future should look to the T-Cross city SUV, the facelifted T-Roc small SUV, the Touareg large SUV, the facelifted version of the seven-seat Tiguan Allspace and the entry-level grade of the Polo city hatch.
“The T-Cross is on the ground right now, and the T-Roc facelift doesn’t launch until August but it’s being built in good numbers so we’re expecting come August we will have decent numbers of that,” Michelle Rowney, Volkswagen Australia’s Head of Product, told Drive.
“The Touareg too, we were able to secure extra production of 1000 units, and the Polo has decent stock in the [base-spec] Life model.”
The 2022 Tiguan Allspace – which has received a mid-life facelift in line with its five-seat sibling – is also likely to land with solid availability.
“We’ve been getting pretty good production [of the Tiguan Allspace] out of Mexico compared to the normal Tiguan,” Glenn Reid, Product Manager for Volkswagen Australia, told journalists at the facelifted model’s launch.
However, availability is likely to be inconsistent across the range, with entry-level Life models offering more stock than higher – and typically more popular – model grades.
“The Tiguan Allspace has been built in good numbers except for the Elegance and R-Line grades with [the] 162TSI [petrol engine],” Ms Rowney said.
“That’s why we did the Adventure model to try and get [more stock of the] 162TSI,” Ms Rowney added, referring to the five-seat special edition of the incoming Tiguan Allspace update with the 162TSI engine, only five seats, smaller wheels and camping-related accessories.
The Allspace Adventure edition – which boasts a 760L boot – will land in Volkswagen showrooms in August 2022, following the regular Tiguan Allspace’s imminent arrival.
Amid ongoing global semiconductor shortages, Volkswagen has announced it will remove the blind-spot monitoring, proactive occupant protection and rear cross-traffic alert safety features from an array of local model-year 2023 vehicles for a period of six months.
According to VW Australia’s General Manager of Corporate Communications, Paul Pottinger, the specification alterations will have a substantial impact on wait times.
“I’d go far as to say that has made the difference between having supply and not having it for some six months,” Mr Pottinger told Drive.
Precise waiting periods remain to be seen, with some of the affected, de-specified models – which include the Polo, T-Cross, T-Roc, Tiguan, Passat and Arteon – not yet rolling off the production line.
“We’re telling dealers and customers as soon as we know and not waiting until cars start arriving,” Michelle Rowney, Volkswagen Australia’s Head of Product, told Drive.
“We’re talking about cars that haven’t even been built yet.”
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