Koda in the U.S. Would Be 'Pure Suicide,' Says Volkswagen Brass

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Volkswagen AG’s Škoda subsidiary claims it’s interested in bringing the value-packed Czech brand to the U.S., even going as far as copyrighting model names, but the powers that be in Wolfsburg couldn’t hate the idea more.

According to comments published by Automobile Magazine, Volkswagen execs want nothing to do with the idea of a stateside Škoda. It looks like the surging brand’s parent company is prepared to kill the dream for good.

Earlier this year, amid rampant speculation on the brand’s U.S. return, CEO Bernhard Maier claimed the automaker would make a decision sometime in 2017. The recently introduced Kodiaq SUV, which takes its name from an Alaskan island, was a sure-fire “home run” for the American market, he claimed.

After posting record sales in 2015, the brand’s low-priced cars were even seen as a possible replacement for certain Volkswagen models. Others claimed the two companies could never exist alongside each other. Those “others” now include top VW brass.

Speaking to Automobile, one senior VW board member stated, “We may be crazy, but we’re not mad.”

“Entering this huge market with an unknown brand, a model range focused on Europe, and a non-existent dealer network is pure suicide,” the board member said. “Furthermore, the last thing Volkswagen of America needs now is in-house cannibalization.”

In the U.S., the three-row Kodiaq SUV would compete directly with VW’s 2017 Atlas. After weathering a perfect financial storm with its diesel emissions scandal, VW’s U.S. turnaround hinges on the success of that model, as well as other crossover and SUV models targeted at American buyers. The frustration of Škoda’s parent isn’t hard to understand.

While the deliberation continues in the Czech Republic, it seems the verdict is already in.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Truckducken Truckducken on Dec 09, 2016

    Cannibalize? Cannibalize what? A name change would be the smartest thing VW could do in this market.

    • 993cc 993cc on Dec 09, 2016

      I was thinking VW could sell rebadged Skodas in the U.S. Say, replace the Passat with a Superbe with the VW corporate grille. But that would risk ruining Skoda's reputation.

  • Kmoney Kmoney on Dec 10, 2016

    Bring it to Canada. We had Lada here and they managed to sell some units...

    • See 1 previous
    • JimZ JimZ on Dec 11, 2016

      so did Yugo. that doesn't mean they were worth buying.

  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
  • Carson D The UAW has succeeded in organizing a US VW plant before. There's a reason they don't teach history in the schools any longer. People wouldn't make the same mistakes.
  • B-BodyBuick84 Mitsubishi Pajero Sport of course, a 7 seater, 2.4 turbo-diesel I4 BOF SUV with Super-Select 4WD, centre and rear locking diffs standard of course.
  • Corey Lewis Think how dated this 80s design was by 1995!
  • Tassos Jong-iL Communist America Rises!
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