VW slows output at Wolfsburg plant amid tepid European demand
By BLOOMBERG | 13 May 2020FRANKFURT: Volkswagen AG will reduce output at its largest factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, on four days this month as consumer appetite for new cars remains weak in Europe.
Volkswagen will temporarily halt production on two assembly lines that make the Tiguan, Touran and SEAT Tarraco models and cancel one shift at a separate line that produces the Golf hatchback, the company said Tuesday in an emailed statement.
“We have to keep operating flexibly depending on customers’ vehicle orders,” the German carmaker said, adding that it hopes the situation will normalise as soon as possible.
The world’s largest automaker gradually restarted output in Europe last month along with peers from Daimler AG to Renault SA after the coronavirus outbreak shuttered factories in March and most of April.
But while lockdown measures are easing, many customers still stay clear of showrooms as the economic fallout of the crisis has started to push up unemployment across the region.
Volkswagen said while sales in China exceeded the prior-year level in April, it will keep adjusting output to demand until sales in Europe pick up.
Tags
Autos Volkswagen
Reviews
Jaecoo J7: Ready to rumble
7.6
Hyundai Ioniq 6 Max RWD driven
8.2
Proton X90 Flagship: Powerful, roomy, refined, premium appoi...
Tesla's brash Cybertruck: A blend of Wild West and space tec...
6.0
Royal Enfield Interceptor 650: Hark to the past
Ferrari Roma Spider: Open-top romp
7.2