Volkswagen Archives - Headlight.news

It’s No Longer “If,” But “When” Chinese Automakers Will Crack Open the U.S. Market

by Paul Eisenstein | Oct 3, 2025 | *Daily News*, Business, BYD, Car Culture, Consumer Guides, Earnings and Financials, EVs and batteries, Ford, geely, General Motors, Government, Green Power, Hybrids, Tariffs, Toyota, trade, Volkswagen

Tariffs enacted by Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump effectively closed the door on auto imports from China – only a few products now entering the U.S. But, despite the current hefty tariffs, observers expect that the Trump administration will soon open the American market up to Chinese products, while also encouraging manufacturers like BYD and Geely to set up U.S. manufacturing operations. While American motorists would likely welcome vehicles like the $20,000 BYD Dolphin, this could pose an “existential threat” to traditional automakers, reports Headlight.News.

Stellantis Finally Pulls Out of its Sales Slump – But Federal Shutdown Weighs Over the Entire Industry

by Joseph Szczesny | Oct 2, 2025 | *Daily News*, Business, Chrysler, Earnings and Financials, EVs and batteries, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Government, Green Power, Hybrids, Hyundai, Kia, Ram, Sales, Stellantis, Tariffs, Toyota, Volkswagen

Strong sales by the Jeep and Ram brands helped Stellantis reverse its long sales slide during the third quarter, even as Volkswagen faltered in the face of a challenging economy. While U.S. auto sales are running stronger than expected, analysts still worry about the impact of tariffs and the federal government shutdown in the months ahead.

All-Electric VW ID.Polo Debuting in Munich – and Ushers in a New, Less Confusing Naming Strategy

by Paul Eisenstein | Sep 3, 2025 | *Daily News*, *Reviews*, Auto Shows, Business, Car Culture, Concept Vehicles, Consumer Guides, EVs and batteries, Green Power, Volkswagen

While it’s slowed down the pace of EV rollouts, Volkswagen isn’t giving up on all-electric power and will debut a new battery version of the Polo at the Munich Auto Show next week. The little hatchback also will mark a transition in its naming strategy that VW hopes will make it easy for shoppers to figure out which EV is which. Headlight.News has more.

Automakers Hold Back on Tariff Price Hikes – For Now

by Paul Eisenstein | Aug 4, 2025 | *Daily News*, Business, Consumer Guides, Earnings and Financials, Ford, General Motors, Government, Hyundai, Kia, Regulatory, Sales, Stellantis, Tariffs, trade, Volkswagen

Pres. Donald Trump’s tariffs will add billions to the cost of manufacturing vehicles in the U.S., as well as importing products from abroad. So far, however, automakers have been reluctant to pass those higher costs onto consumers, fearing that could trigger a sharp downturn in demand. How long they can continue swallowing those higher costs remains to be seen. More from Headlight.News.

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz is Fizzling Out

by Paul Eisenstein | Jul 24, 2025 | *Daily News*, Business, Consumer Guides, Dealers and Service, EVs and batteries, Green Power, Recalls, Regulatory, Volkswagen

There was plenty of, well, “buzz” when Volkswagen officially launched sales of the ID.Buzz battery-electric van last year, bringing out a modern incarnation of its legendary microbus. But that hasn’t translated into robust demand, VW selling barely 400 Buzz models a month so far this year. A temporary stop-sale didn’t help, but there are other problems that may be short-circuiting demand for the EV. Headlight.News has more.

U.S. Auto Sales Stall as Trump Tariffs Take Hold

by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 1, 2025 | *Daily News*, Business, Chevrolet, Ford, General Motors, Government, Honda, Nissan, Sales, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen

“The party’s over,” said one key analyst. While domestic carmakers reported a modest upturn boost in sales for June, the U.S. auto market largely stalled out as buyers began pulling back due to price increases caused by the Trump tariffs on imported autos and auto parts. Headlight.News has more on the winners and losers.

Expect to find Fewer Imports at Your Local Dealership as Trump Tariffs Take Hold

by Paul Eisenstein | Jun 10, 2025 | *Daily News*, BMW, Business, Consumer Guides, Dealers and Service, Hyundai, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nissan, Regulatory, Tariffs, trade, Volkswagen

If you’re planning to buy an import vehicle anytime soon be prepared to wait. Dealers around the country are beginning to run short of some foreign-made models, according to recent reports, as manufacturers reduce shipments to the U.S. due to the Trump auto tariffs. And that could spell trouble for motorists, in general, as the slowdown also impacts foreign-made service and repair parts. More from Headlight.News.

The Pace of New Vehicle Development “Has Slowed to a Crawl” – Bad News for Buyers

by Joseph Szczesny | Jun 5, 2025 | *Daily News*, Autonomous Vehicles, BMW, Business, BYD, Car Culture, EVs and batteries, Ford, geely, General Motors, Government, Green Power, Honda, Hybrids, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Regulatory, Stellantis, Subaru, Tariffs, Tesla, Toyota, Volkswagen

The number of all-new models coming to market over the next four years is predicted to drop sharply as manufacturers around the world cut back on investments. That will be particularly obvious in the EV market as the industry shifts back to internal combustion, according to the latest annual “Car Wars” study.

VW Planning “Massive” U.S. Investment, Says CEO Blume

by Paul Eisenstein | May 30, 2025 | *Daily News*, BMW, Business, Deals and acquisitions, Earnings and Financials, Government, Tariffs, trade, Volkswagen

Facing potentially massive new tariffs on imported autos and auto parts, some manufacturers have begun planning ways to shift production to the U.S. That includes Volkswagen whose CEO said “massive” new investments could be coming – though a new court ruling could short-circuit such plans. More from Headlight.News.

German Automakers Working on Tariff Deal with Trump Administration

by Michael Strong | May 28, 2025 | *Daily News*, Automakers, BMW, Business, Executives, Government, Mercedes, Regulatory, Sales, Tariffs, Volkswagen

Officials from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen are reportedly in talks with the U.S. Department of Commerce to lessen the impact of the tariffs on European automakers shipping vehicles into the country. Get details at Headlight.News.

A Decade Later; German Court Convicts 4 Former VW Managers in Diesel-Gate Scandal

by Paul Eisenstein | May 27, 2025 | *Daily News*, Audi, Business, Earnings and Financials, EVs and batteries, Fiat, Government, Green Power, Legal, Mercedes, Regulatory, Stellantis, Volkswagen

A German court has convicted four former Volkswagen managers of fraud in connection with the “Dieselgate” scandal that saw the automaker pay out more than $33 billion in fines and other costs for rigging diesel emissions data. Two of the VW employees face prison time. More from Headlight.News.

Tesla v Waymo? Get Set for the Dual of the Driverless Robotaxis

by Joseph Szczesny | May 23, 2025 | *Daily News*, Autonomous Vehicles, Business, Car Culture, Earnings and Financials, Ford, General Motors, Regulatory, Ride-sharing, Tesla, Volkswagen

Tesla and Waymo are about to square off in a duel, which could decide the fate of automated vehicles in the U.S. Billions of dollars in revenue and profits are at stake as the two companies prepare to compete in cities around the country.

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