Iconic German brand recovers from past transgressions with new product and stronger sales. Wayne Gerdes – CleanMPG – June 1, 2017 2018 VW Tiguan – Pricing and EPA TBA. Expect decent numbers from this all-new CUV w/ the latest new third gen 2.0L EA288. With our recent 2018 Tiguan Introduction from the 2017 NAIAS this past January, VW released a number of details on its all-new 2.0L EA288 TSI. The all-new 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan is just around the corner and if there is one thing I am very much looking forward to is its drivetrain consisting of a third gen EA288 2.0L TSI engine. This engine provides a significant increase in power and is said to be more efficient. The current 1.8L and longer stroke 2.0L TSI based on the same are already powerful and efficient. This new engine with possibly different tuning will soon be available in the all-new 2018 Atlas and will surely make its way into the entire VW lineup in a 1.8L TSI form. The EA888 was the brands first downsized powerplant to offer the power of a larger-displacement I4 and is now closing in on the brands aging V6! The cast-iron block, aluminum-alloy pistons, cylinder head, and valve springs have all been updated. I am still surprised they continue to use a cast-iron block. Efficiency was a focus as it like most competitors nowadays incorporate a modified Miller cycle - closes the intake valves just before the end of the intake stroke, called Budack-cycle that closes the intake valves much earlier. A longer effective combustion as well as faster air flow for the incoming gases improve the F/A mix which improves efficiency while offering more torque than the second gen EA288 2.0L I4. VW 2.0L EA888 TSI The variable valve timing system on the intake camshaft can switch between short and long valve openings. At idling speed and under partial load, the valve opening is shorter. When the engine is placed under greater load, a switch to the camshaft lobe that opens the valve for a longer period is made and the driver can make use of the full power and torque of the engine. The 3rd gen EA888 in the all-new Tiguan has an output rated at 184 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque. The increased displacement over the 1.8L is due to a longer piston stroke (92.8 mm vs. 84.1 mm), while the compression ratio rises to 11.7:1 without requiring 89 or higher-octane fuel! VW stated this was due to a modified piston crown and combustion chamber. New TSI injectors with higher maximum pressure of 3,626 psi with up to three injection sequences per stroke depending on conditions. 2018 VW Tiguan Interior Looks pretty good insie! The EA288 Gen3B retains the chain-driven double overhead camshafts to the twin balance shafts. A new engine management system adjusts vales, timing, and injection timing even faster. Reducing friction -- The lower brake mean effective pressure at full load in this engine allowed the crankshaft main bearing diameter to be reduced from 52 to 48 mm, while the balance shaft chain is narrower. The new 2.0-liter TSI engine will be the only powerplant offered in the 2018 Tiguan. I cannot wait to complete the first drive of the 2018 TIguan in just over a week and the Atlas with the all-new third gen 2.0L TSI sometime this fall. The all-new 2018 Tiguan arrives at VW dealerships this summer. 12018 VW Tiguan The standout will surely be the VW R&H quotient. Nobody has figured out how to match it yet. VW May 2017 Sales Overview VW May sales of 30,014 was up 4.3 percent over the 28,779 sold in May of 2016. On a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis, sales were up 0.1 percent. YTD sales of 133,861 are up 6.9 percent above the 125,205 sold through the same period of 2016. The brands May highlight continues to be the very desirable Golf and its many variants. May sales of 7,203 were up 61 percent over the 4,475 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 32,367 are up a just as impressive 49 percent over the 21,716 sold through the same period of 2106. The U.S. Automobile May 2017 vs. May 2016 Market Share results. To begin, Ford outselling GM in May and gaining 0.5 percent market share was the big news. Both Hyundai and FCA lost .6 percent market share. The Accord broke back into the Top 10 last month and this month moved to number 5. I have not looked up incentive addons but there appears to be a hard push to move Accords at Honda dealerships nationwide. Not a bad car to be pushing either. Segment Items of note Despite the large incentives, both the aging Focus and new Cruze outsold the new Elantra. Sonata sales are slumping. The Tucson at 10,600 units in May is closing in on making Sonata the number 3 seller in the flying H lineup. Something that has never occurred before. CUVs are still hot. In the pickup truck segment, for the second month in a row Ford’s F-Series has outsold the entire GM pickup truck lineup, RAM outsold the Silverado for the third month in a row and Nissan's Titan appears to be leveling off near the 5k mark with Ridgeline hovering around 3k/month. When it comes to Hybrids, the Prius lineup is beginning to feel competitor’s offerings with the Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq together taking 4,487 sales that may have went to the Prius or possibly the hot selling RAV4 Hybrid previously. Kia’s Niro achieved sales of 2,660 and its monthly sales volume for the first time since its intro has fallen below the prior months result. Prius c is way off the mark and if there was ever a time to see a second gen, now is that time. In the Electric segment, Toyota's Prius Prime for the second month outsold the Volt while the Bolt picked up quite a bit from last month’s sub 1k/mo sales result. U.S. May 2017 Sales vs. May 2016 Sales Ranks and Results for the top 18 Automobile Manufacturers Ford May 2017 Sales Up 2.2% with 241,126 Vehicles sold GM May 2017 Sales Down 1.3% with 237,364 Vehicles sold Toyota May 2017 Sales Down 0.5% with 218,248 Vehicles sold FCA May 2017 Sales Down 0.8% with 193,040 Vehicles sold Honda May 2017 Sales Up 0.9% with 148,414 Vehicles sold Nissan May 2017 Sales Up 3.0% with 137,471 Vehicles sold Hyundai May 2017 Sales Down 15.5% with 60,011 Vehicles sold Kia May 2017 Sales Down 7.0% with 58,507 Vehicles sold Subaru May 2017 Sales Up 12.1% with 56,135 Vehicles sold Mercedes-Benz May 2017 Sales Down 7.0% with 30,290 Vehicles sold VW May 2017 Sales Up 4.3% with 30,014 Vehicles sold BMW May 2017 Sales Down 11.1% with 29,878 Vehicles sold Mazda May 2017 Sales Down 7.9% with 26,047 Vehicles sold Audi May 2017 Sales Up 2.5% with 19,197 Vehicles sold Jaguar/Land Rover May 2017 Sales Up 13.9% with 8,106 Vehicles sold Mitsubishi May 2017 Sales Up 13.9% with 9,429 Vehicles sold Volvo May 2017 Sales Up 12.0% with 6,202 Vehicles sold Porsche May 2017 Sales Up 2.2% with 5,529 Vehicles sold In May, Ford moved ahead of GM as the number one U.S. Auto Manufacturer. This is a May anomaly but one we will be watching going forward. Mitsubishi moved ahead of Jaguar/Land Rover for the 15th spot. On a volume basis, May 2017 U.S. auto sales were up 4.1 percent. On a Daily Selling Rate (DSR) basis, May sales were up 0.05 percent. 2017 YTD sales of 6.97 million vehicles is down 1.6 percent from the 7.08 million sold through the same period and same number of sales days in 2016. There were 25 selling days in May of 2017 vs. 24 in May of 2016 and 125 days in both 2017 and 2016 as described numerous times above.
If true, ... that would be quite a few EVs LG Chem denies media report of $6.2 billion Volkswagen battery deal http://www.reuters.com/article/us-lg-chem-volkswagen-batteries-idUSKBN19401B
The largest automaker in the world continues to show a positive growth despite tough sales results in its most important export country, that being China. Globally, VW and its subsidiaries have sold a total of 898,700 vehicles, up 3.1 percent over the 871,300 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 4,234,900 vehicles are up 0.1 percent over the 4,232,700 sold through the same period of 2016. In a prepared statement, VW stated the uptick was mainly a result of the South American market recovery over the last few months. In Europe, VW and its subsidiaries handed over 393,500 new vehicles to customers in May, up 6.5 percent. Of this figure, 120,800 vehicles were delivered in Germany, up 3.8 percent. YTD sales of 1.9 million vehicles are up 3.6 percent VW sold 65,800 vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe, up 16.1 percent over the 56,700 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 299,000 were up 12.9 percent over the 264,900 sold during the same period of 2016. In the North America, the VW Group sold 84,300 vehicles, up 1.1 percent over the 83,400 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 377,500 are up 2.8 percent over the 367,200 sold through the same period of 2016. In South America region, VW Group sold 43,400 vehicles in May, up 14.6 percent. YTD sales of 204,600 vehicles are up 9.4 percent. In the very important Asia-Pacific region, the VW Group sold 344,700 vehicles in May, up 0.9 percent over the 341,600 sold in May of 2016. YTD sales of 1,639,100 is down 4.1 percent below the 1,708,500 sold through the same period of 2016. China by itself continues to be the VW Groups largest market by a huge margin with May sales of 319,500 vehicles, up 2.5 percent over the 311,600 sold during the same period of 2016. The country sales accounted for 35.5 percent of VW global sales in May. YTD Chinese sales of 1,510,700 are down 3.3 percent below the 1,562,400 sold through the same period of 2016. This accounted for 35.7 percent of VWs total global sales YTD.
