Post-dieselgate VW became so concerned about image that they hired a bunch of PR firms led by people with MBAs and who have never shipped products in their life to sell them on the idea that changing the name will reset perceptions about the brand.
As it turned out, a lot of people stopped giving shit about dieselgate once it was revealed that everyone was cheating in some way, but the abandonment of one of the strongest fan bases in the world would have severe repercussions.
Not just stopped giving a shit, most people didn't give a shit period, if they even were aware of it to begin with. Whenever my car happens to comes up in conversation with normal non-car people, they say things like "wow a diesel, what kind of MPG?", or "oh yeah what ever happened to VW diesels", literally never had someone comment about the emissions scandal outside of car enthusiast types.
Whole thing honestly seemed more like a self inflicted Streisand effect by VW, them hard pivoting and getting endless "VW is sorry, commits to EVs" articles written just kept it in the news that they had done something bad. If they just took the initial negative press, and moved on they'd probably have been better off. At least in the US consumers don't give a shit about that stuff, but they'll remember a brand making an unsafe car one time forever, or write off a brand forever because their aunt bought a lemon.
People certainly didn't care in Europe. Year after dieselgate they have one of their best net profits ever and were topping Toyota as the largest car manufacturer in the world. Of course the US 40 billion fines did hurt them. Funny considering US was only 4th largest market for VW.
why can't they just make their regular models electric instead of having this ID. -line?
Because they're doing it right and developing EV-specific platforms. The ID.Polo has basically nothing to do with the regular Polo, but that name allows people to understand where it falls in the lineup. This new naming scheme I'd argue is also the right thing to do. It makes the EVs just part of the regular lineup and I'm glad all the Germans are finally sorting it out after all the terrible experiments.
And plenty of people explained to the person why, because electric cars have different limitations (you have to make room for the big battery) and also different design freedoms (much smaller motor, no transmission tunnel, less cooling requirements, etc.) you can take advantage of.
Please please please no more of those unbelievably shitty touch control surfaces that they've been putting in all VAG group cars. It's impressive how much ass those things suck. They can be less responsive than some shitty touch strips that came out of a beginner's Arduino development kit from aliexpress. Sometimes they don't even have backlighting so you can't tell which part of a smooth featureless surface you need to rub your finger against to turn down A/C temperature at night.
Everyone who was involved in the decision making process that culminated in those shitty things being installed in so many VAG cars needs to go hump a cactus.
VW backpedaled hard on that. The backlash to these controls was overwhelmingly strong. Turns out, people use tactile feedback (button shape and the like) to use controls when they are trying to keep eyes on the road.
Not sure who could have predicted this, do these infotainment designers even drive cars?
Still hate the stupid haptic buttons on my steering wheel. And there's other issues like '25s losing Beats audio so factory sound is beyond bad entry level.
No, they didn't. The interiors are largely the same as when the Mk 8 Golf came out except the higher trims don't get the touch buttons on the steering wheels, the sliders for AC and volume are backlit and the software is much more mature. Which don't get me wrong, are decent improvements, but they're a far cry from VW backpedalling on the shitty UX.
Not sure who could have predicted this, do these infotainment designers even drive cars?
Because it's an exercise in cost cutting, not design and consumer preference. The screens weren't chosen because they thought consumers wanted them, they were chosen because they are cheaper than physical controls. Consumers liking them is a bonus.
So when they go too far, they will backpedal just enough to make people happy. But we are never going back to physical controls unless people truly start boycotting these cars. The cost savings are just too massive not to push screens.
An electric Golf Sportwagen would be a "shut up and take my money" moment for me. I'm not going to hold my breath since the wagon has been dead in the states for basically an entire generation now and there's zero signs of that changing.
Random_Introvert_42@reddit
So...the numbering scheme is right out the window.
AltruisticMobile4606@reddit
Now give this to the US you cowards
Oberst_Reziik@reddit
So you can be rammed of the road by an idiot with a F550.
The american car market is cooked
Pseudonym_741@reddit
As someone said on /r/de, why can't they just make their regular models electric instead of having this ID. -line?
Also, they're breaking their own naming scheme here, which is almost unheard of with German cars.
samdtho@reddit
Post-dieselgate VW became so concerned about image that they hired a bunch of PR firms led by people with MBAs and who have never shipped products in their life to sell them on the idea that changing the name will reset perceptions about the brand.
As it turned out, a lot of people stopped giving shit about dieselgate once it was revealed that everyone was cheating in some way, but the abandonment of one of the strongest fan bases in the world would have severe repercussions.
leedle1234@reddit
Not just stopped giving a shit, most people didn't give a shit period, if they even were aware of it to begin with. Whenever my car happens to comes up in conversation with normal non-car people, they say things like "wow a diesel, what kind of MPG?", or "oh yeah what ever happened to VW diesels", literally never had someone comment about the emissions scandal outside of car enthusiast types.
Whole thing honestly seemed more like a self inflicted Streisand effect by VW, them hard pivoting and getting endless "VW is sorry, commits to EVs" articles written just kept it in the news that they had done something bad. If they just took the initial negative press, and moved on they'd probably have been better off. At least in the US consumers don't give a shit about that stuff, but they'll remember a brand making an unsafe car one time forever, or write off a brand forever because their aunt bought a lemon.
tissotti@reddit
People certainly didn't care in Europe. Year after dieselgate they have one of their best net profits ever and were topping Toyota as the largest car manufacturer in the world. Of course the US 40 billion fines did hurt them. Funny considering US was only 4th largest market for VW.
JC-Dude@reddit
Because they're doing it right and developing EV-specific platforms. The ID.Polo has basically nothing to do with the regular Polo, but that name allows people to understand where it falls in the lineup. This new naming scheme I'd argue is also the right thing to do. It makes the EVs just part of the regular lineup and I'm glad all the Germans are finally sorting it out after all the terrible experiments.
CastYourCoat@reddit
If I could get a plug-in or even a traditional hybrid version of my Jetta, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
linknewtab@reddit
And plenty of people explained to the person why, because electric cars have different limitations (you have to make room for the big battery) and also different design freedoms (much smaller motor, no transmission tunnel, less cooling requirements, etc.) you can take advantage of.
ConfusedTapeworm@reddit
Please please please no more of those unbelievably shitty touch control surfaces that they've been putting in all VAG group cars. It's impressive how much ass those things suck. They can be less responsive than some shitty touch strips that came out of a beginner's Arduino development kit from aliexpress. Sometimes they don't even have backlighting so you can't tell which part of a smooth featureless surface you need to rub your finger against to turn down A/C temperature at night.
Everyone who was involved in the decision making process that culminated in those shitty things being installed in so many VAG cars needs to go hump a cactus.
/rant
samdtho@reddit
VW backpedaled hard on that. The backlash to these controls was overwhelmingly strong. Turns out, people use tactile feedback (button shape and the like) to use controls when they are trying to keep eyes on the road.
Not sure who could have predicted this, do these infotainment designers even drive cars?
Muttonboat@reddit
I mean they sorta walked it back, but not totally
Only the wheel got tactile buttons. The infotainment has more or less stayed the same
fhs@reddit
The GLI is a 7.5 era GTI. They're wasting no money on updating that pipeline
THXFLS@reddit
7.5 infotainment, but unfortunately they already wasted money “upgrading” it to an 8.0 touch steering wheel for 2022.
i_am_birdperson@reddit
And its a better car for it.
NoctD@reddit
Still hate the stupid haptic buttons on my steering wheel. And there's other issues like '25s losing Beats audio so factory sound is beyond bad entry level.
JC-Dude@reddit
No, they didn't. The interiors are largely the same as when the Mk 8 Golf came out except the higher trims don't get the touch buttons on the steering wheels, the sliders for AC and volume are backlit and the software is much more mature. Which don't get me wrong, are decent improvements, but they're a far cry from VW backpedalling on the shitty UX.
WendysChiliAndPepsi@reddit
Because it's an exercise in cost cutting, not design and consumer preference. The screens weren't chosen because they thought consumers wanted them, they were chosen because they are cheaper than physical controls. Consumers liking them is a bonus.
So when they go too far, they will backpedal just enough to make people happy. But we are never going back to physical controls unless people truly start boycotting these cars. The cost savings are just too massive not to push screens.
Shark00n@reddit
Grand Turismo Injection does seem like a good name for a limited range electric car
Thomas_633_Mk2@reddit
I get what you mean but VWAG calls an EV the Turbo GT
Muttonboat@reddit
kinda seems opposite - shouldn't a grand tourer be long distance?
Shark00n@reddit
It should, but they want to use the GTI monicker so bad it doesn’t matter anymore I guess
UGMadness@reddit
Giant Thicc Inverter
Shark00n@reddit
More like Garage Time Imminent nowadays
accountforrealppl@reddit
Their golf gti article says the "i" now stands for "intelligence"
Shark00n@reddit
And the GT for Garage Trophy
Looks good but never moves
jormailer@reddit
"Grand Turismo Innovation" nowadays iirc
accountforrealppl@reddit
intelligence*
Shark00n@reddit
A 3 yo would find a more intelligent name changr
nismotigerwvu@reddit
An electric Golf Sportwagen would be a "shut up and take my money" moment for me. I'm not going to hold my breath since the wagon has been dead in the states for basically an entire generation now and there's zero signs of that changing.
TheAppropriateBoop@reddit
thst's gonnna be great
Low-Umpire236@reddit
ID will overtake VW.
V8-Turbo-Hybrid@reddit
Hope VW still keeping their promise to bring that GTI to America market.
linknewtab@reddit
They never promised that.