Volkswagen plans to overhaul its US strategy with new management and a revised product offering, including a new pick-up truck, a company source said on Friday.
Marco Schubert, previously head of sales at Volkswagen’s premium brand Audi, is moving to the US to replace Kjell Gruner, who is leaving the company, the source said.
German business daily Handelsblatt first reported on the plans. The company declined to comment on the matter.
Drastic overhaul on the cards
In the face of rising costs and intensifying competition from China, Volkswagen’s CEO Oliver Blume has pledged to overhaul the group. Controlling families ratcheted up pressure on stakeholders on Friday, backing management’s push for a dramatic restructuring.
Thomas Schaefer, head of the Volkswagen brand, sees growth opportunities in pick-up trucks and large SUVs — both high-margin vehicles in strong demand in the US — which the German carmaker does not currently offer.
The source said the goal is to bring the first pick-up truck to market before the end of the decade. The vehicle is to be built in the US.
Volkswagen operates a plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where production of the electric ID.4 was discontinued earlier this year after changes in US incentives for electric vehicles.
But the US market remains attractive for sellers of combustion engine trucks and SUVs, with Ford and General Motors both raising their 2026 profit outlooks.
Ford seen as possible candidate for partnership
It remains to be seen whether Volkswagen will develop the new pick-up model on its own or in collaboration with another carmaker, according to the company source. A decision is expected in the coming weeks and months.
Ford is seen as a possible candidate due to Volkswagen’s existing partnership with the US carmaker. It uses Volkswagen’s MEB platform for electric vehicles for its Explorer and Capri models, which are manufactured in Cologne, Germany.
Volkswagen’s Amarok pick-up, manufactured in South Africa, shares a platform with the Ford Ranger.
Volkswagen is not a big player in the US car market, with a market share of 4%.
Reuters
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