The automotive industry came under serious threat during the recession, American giants GM and Ford had to be saved from the brink of collapse by the government, while Toyota almost committed commercial suicide, suffering a raft of near-fatal parts failures leading to a backlash from consumers and a PR disaster, leading many to ditch their Corollas immediately and get another model immediately with temporary car insurance. It is no surprise that, new motors were the first to be struck off people’s shooping lists after the purse strings tightened, to make things worse for manufactures, those that did invest in metal opted for pre-owned as used car prices went into freefall.
Although Britain is now officially in growth, many manufacturers are making a sloth-like recovery, still seeing a lack of profits and sales figures in need of a jump-start. One exception is Europes largest manufacturer, VW. In the initial couple of months in 2010, even when the UK was officially still in financial freefall, deliveries rose a staggering 27% making the Volkswagen group the jewel in the automotive crown. The business has enjoyed huge success, rising like a phoenix from the flames of financial ruin, but what are the reasons for this?
The VW group comprises of a large collection of well regarded marques, amongst the stable sits Audi, Lambourgini, Bugatti, Seat and Skoda. This means the group has a huge range of models all coming into the marketplace in different cost brackets, from the budget Fabia and Ibiza to the daddy of the supercar market and official fastest production car in the world, the Bugatti Veyron. This means the marketplace is covered, the VW group is always an option for those perusing a new model. Car shoppers will be able to find a model to suit their needs quicker than they can get an instant car insurance quote
Aside from this, VW simply make good cars. VW and Audi models are renowned for their superior quality in and outside the cabin. Because cars like the well balanced, rounded Golf are used as platform for other similar-sized models, the solidarity is transferred across the range, while cars that share the chassis retain their own uniqueness, just as insurance companies offer unique short term car insurance plans. VW is also in receipt of regular critical acclaim, the new polo was recently voted car of the year 2010 by a heft of top motoring journalists. Other manufacturers would do well to take a leaf out of VW’s book to boost their sales post-recession.