New 2011 Jetta introduced as early as June

http://blog.caranddriver.com/vws-u-s-plans-jetta-name-confirmed-two-door-concept-coming-series-production-coupe-possible said:

Ambitious Volkswagen is preparing a massive assault on the U.S. market—the company wants to grow sales from something like 220,000 units annually to 800,000 by 2018. At the Los Angeles auto show, we spoke with U.S. CEO Stefan Jacoby and a few other insiders.

The cornerstone of Volkswagen’s U.S. strategy is the new Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant, which will build VW’s Camry-fighter, a.k.a. NMS (New Mid-Size Sedan). It will make its debut at the 2011 Detroit auto show. While this large sedan of over 192 inches is yet unnamed, Jacoby confirmed the smaller, Mexico-built NCS (New Compact sedan) will be called Jetta. Slated for a U.S. debut in June 2010, it will be exported to Europe in late 2010, where it might receive a different name. VW will continue to offer a GLI, based on the new Jetta.

VW might even keep the Passat in the portfolio—it is smaller but more expensive and technologically more sophisticated than the NMS (which shares components, like its rear axle, with the Golf). The Passat will receive an extensive facelift next year to bring it in line with VW’s new styling language—but, given that VW will keep the CC in the lineup, bringing the new Passat to America seems like overkill.


There is no decision yet on whether the Polo will be brought to the U.S., although there is a strong proclivity towards offering VW’s compact and efficient entry-level car, says Jacoby. We believe that while the natural fit would be the four-door sedan, hatchback versions of the Polo are a very real possibility. The Ford Fiesta and Mazda 2 may be breaking the ground for VW here.

VW will also facelift the Tiguan and the Eos, to obliterate the garish grille and taillights, relics of the Murat Günak styling era. The U.S.- and European-market Tiguan models will get a distinct facelift, not the one currently seen on the stretched Chinese-market Tiguan debuting at the auto show in Canton.

Jacoby says that the Phaeton won’t come to the U.S. even after an extensive mid-2010 facelift. But the next, completely re-engineered model, which we expect to come not before the 2014 calendar year, could well be offered here.

But VW might offer another model—a two-door coupe with a notchback, targeting specifically the U.S. market and likely over 180 inches in length. Gauging public reaction to the concept car that will hint at a possible series production model is so important that VW has decided to push back the debut of the new Touareg by several weeks. We are sure that it will make the Japanese competition look fairly old.

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