Post name for Routan replacement

[VWroutanvanman]

How about we come up with a new name for the Routan replacement, which I would hope is built on the Passat platform at the new plant in Chattanooga, and available with a diesel. VW sold about 1000 Routans a month in the US, and those numbers are tough to give up, especially considering that VW could probably sell double that with a good competitor to the Chrysler and others vans. Remember that VWs vans worldwide have the "AN" suffix in their name. If we accept that the cycle to design and build a new vehicle is 5 years, then maybe VW has a replacement in the wings already, having had 5years to start the design of the the Routans' replacement, starting in 2008, and the Routan filled that 5 year gap in product availability.

[haunted reality]

I thought the replacement is the Roccan, which is the 7 passenger SUV to be built in Chattanooga. There was a spy shot floating around these parts months ago.

[VWroutanvanman]

If I recall correctly, the SUV is based on VWs pickup truck (called the Amarok?), which has a truck chassis, so it won't be a direct replacement for the van, which is based on a car chassis. We'll see.

[Zambee500]

How about Touran? Or T5 Transporter?

The minivan market is considerably smaller than other types of vehicles, so I think whatever they decide on will need to be easily adapted for cargo and conversion models in order to sell the volume they need to make the endeavor worthwhile. And imported cargo vans are subject to a 25% tariff (Chicken Tax). So I think it will need to be built here, and Chattanooga sounds as logical as any place.

I really really hope that they don't feel compelled to offer a V6 TDI thinking the American consumer "demands" it. A 2.0L 4-cylinder TDI is plenty sufficient given the torque and turbo. A V-6 is overkill and also MPG killer.

[Zambee500]

I thought the replacement is the Roccan, which is the 7 passenger SUV to be built in Chattanooga. There was a spy shot floating around these parts months ago.

I could see the advertising slogan now: "If the van's a Roccan, don't come a knockin'..."

Yes, SUV:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...an-coming-2014