Volkswagen will quickly be brief one giant hatchback. The producer introduced as we speak that the short-lived Arteon four-door is scheduled for a go to to the gallows, and confirmed to Automotive and Driver that 2024 would be the last mannequin 12 months.

The announcement comes at the side of Volkswagen’s Speed up Ahead program, which sees the corporate refocusing its efforts on changing into a extra environment friendly and extra worthwhile firm. In response to Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer, which means specializing in a smaller variety of high-volume autos, whereas eradicating low-volume autos such because the Arteon.

Debuting within the U.S. in 2019, the Arteon has by no means loved huge gross sales figures in our market. A normal lack of enthusiasm by American customers has all however killed the full-size sedan phase domestically, with only some opponents remaining. In response to gross sales figures from VW, the Arteon has been on steep downward spiral for the final two years. The producer bought simply 5537 Arteons in 2021 and solely 1742 in 2022. Examine these figures to the over 375,000 and 300,000 complete autos bought by Volkswagen within the U.S. for every respective 12 months, and the choice to discontinue the mannequin turns into crystal clear.

At this level, Volkswagen hasn’t introduced any direct alternative for the Arteon. We all know the electrical ID.7 is headed for the U.S., and that may very well be seen as a type of alternative for each the Arteon and the discontinued Passat mid-size sedan. Regardless of its excessive sticker worth, we have at all times held the Arteon in good gentle. On high of that, we’ll merely be unhappy to see the full-size sedan market shrink even additional.

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Jack Fitzgerald’s love for automobiles stems from his as but unshakable habit to System 1.
After a short stint as a detailer for an area dealership group in school, he knew he wanted a extra everlasting approach to drive all the brand new automobiles he couldn’t afford and determined to pursue a profession in auto writing. By hounding his school professors on the College of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was in a position to journey Wisconsin looking for out tales within the auto world earlier than touchdown his dream job at Automotive and Driver. His new aim is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.