Comments by "Stephen Hendricks" (@stephenhendricks103) on "" video.

  1. Typical American obsession with paper HP specs and 0-60 acceleration compared to European focus on high speed cruising at 100 mph and more on well maintained highways and driving dynamics on roads that follow the same routes as those put in place centuries ago. The Arteon is a true European GT at a price tens of thousands dollars less than a luxury brand such as Audi or MB. VW doesn't expect it to be a volume seller as it is in Europe. But they do expect it to be an alternative to the KIA Stinger for those who find a more authentic European GT experience appealing.
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  2.  @r.d.9399  Not likely that many will sit on the lot. My local VW dealer is receiving two Arteons for the 2019 calendar year. As already noted, VW sees the market for the Arteon as a niche.
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  3.  @truthis_truthdoesntmatter  Of course you're entitled to your opinion. And I happen to agree that the Honda Accourd 2.0L Touring is a great car. I'd personally rank it as the top mainstream midsize sedan. But if you read what I wrote I didn't say you weren't entitled to your personal choice. I simply noted the market at which the Arteon is aimed.
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  4. VW designed the Arteon for the international market, especially for their home markets in Europe. As a result it reflects the preferences of Europeans for GT's capable of extended high speed driving (e.g 100 mph+) on well maintained highways and excellent handling on European roads that have been in place for centuries and snake their way through ancient cities and farms. All of this is in contrast to the stereotypical American obsession with 0-60 acceleration on long straight roads that make up much of the US and on highways where traveling at 100mph will land you in jail or the morgue. VW has been burned in the past by marketing their European spec vehicles in the US. The (European) Passat was widely praised by automotive journalists but languished on dealer lots in America until it was replaced by a larger, cheaper version built in Tennessee. The Touareg is an upscale highly capable SUV but it, too, sat unsold in America and was replaced here by the larger, cheaper, Atlas. The same was true of the European Tiguan, a vehicle that many journalists praised as the best handling compact SUV. It's still sold in Europe and internationally but has been replaced by a larger and, again, cheaper version in North America. Internationally that model is known as the "Allspace" and is seen as a midsize SUV. Even models that are sold in both the US and Europe are often differently configured. For example, the European spec GTI is better equipped than in the US and a two-door model is still available there. But in Europe the top trim Autobahn GTI has an MSRP equivalent to over $50,000, a price that VW believes (correctly) Americans simply will not pay. As far as the Arteon is concerned, VW doesn't expect to sell many in the US. And for that reason they've limited the configurations available. In Europe three gasoline engines are available. The most powerful is the same 2.0L engine used in various VW's (and Audis) but with a higher tune than in the US and mated to a DSG. In its highest tune it's considerably quicker than the US version (5.5 seconds 0-60) but VW believes Americans prefer a conventional torque converter AT and that's why the DSG isn't offered here. In addition, Europeans have options of four diesel engines not available in the US. All of these choices means a considerably higher price for any one of them. (More choices means more expensive production, service, and inventory management.) A top trim version of the Arteon in the UK most comparable to the US version of the Arteon, for example, has an MSRP equivalent to over $61,000. In Germany, the price is even higher. All in all, the Arteon is a true European GT sedan at a price tag less than $50K. Its most direct rival is the KIA Stinger but even that vehicle is more aimed at an American market with a twin scroll V6 and materials and finish less premium than the Arteon for about the same price. Those who appreciate the kind of vehicle the Arteon is will find it appealing but VW doesn't believe there are many customers with European tastes in North America. And in the wake of declining sedan sales of all kinds, they're not willing to make more than a token investment in the Arteon for North America.
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  5.  @renemartinez2744  Should have said "stereotypical." But thanks for supporting my point.
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  6.  @renemartinez2744  The problem with your analysis is that the Arteon has been for sale internationally for two years and has sold extremely well at prices well over the MSRP in the US. If you were a VW executive would you drop the price in the US and deny a customer in Europe the opportunity to purchase the vehicle? As already noted, European consumers have a different perspective on VW and a different set of driving priorities than Americans. That's why VW doesn't expect the Arteon to be a big seller here.
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