The saying goes – something, something – basically, don’t talk about what happens in Vegas. Except that Volkswagen wants this particular piece of news to get around. At an annual Las Vegas conference, the company reached out to the numerous dealerships from around the country that have been affected by the diesel emissions scandal.
Dealers have voiced their displeasure with the message shared with them, or rather, what was missing from the company. The way the discussion went down took place over 90 minutes. The basics of what Herbert Diess, head of the Volkswagen passenger-car brand had to say was that Volkswagen aims to be a mass-market player in the U.S. market. Moreover, the company will be going for volume at the expense of exclusivity.
Touting a redefinition and relaunch of the brand, the executive shared how the company was preparing to make this business move. Increased production, new model development, and a dedicated focus were promised.
Dealers that were looking for specifics of the impact and costs of the various recalls, lawsuits, and legal costs were left still wanting at the end of the day.
