Volkswagen To Collaborate with Ford on New Vans
Motoring giants Volkswagen and Ford have announced a global alliance, confirming collaborative work on a range vans and pick-up trucks that could hit the market as early as 2022 in a partnership that could reshape the commercial vehicle marketplace.
Given the popularity of the two firms, who shipped a combined 1.2 million commercial vehicles last year, the partnership is set to signal the start of a new and exciting chapter for the two manufacturers as well as the clients they serve.
Scalability Opportunities at The Dawn of a New Era
The partnership between the American and German motoring firms will not see either buy out the other; neither will there be any VW-Ford or Ford-VW badged cars hitting the market anytime soon. Instead, vehicles manufactured by either firm will continue to showcase the badging and identity of that brand. Instead, the purpose of the collaboration is to bring scale and efficiency.
Dr. Herbert Diess, chief executive of Volkswagen, declared: “Volkswagen and Ford will harness our collective resources, innovation capabilities and complementary market positions to even better serve millions of customers around the world.” while Ford’s Jim Hackett will give the partnership a chance to shape the next era.
While Ford will be focused on producing pickups and mid to large sized van, Volkswagen will concentrate primarily on building quality city vans. Through delegation and unity of production, the partnership stands to save both companies millions of pounds each year. The improved efficiency of production and purchasing will make a significant impact on the margins, which can aid the competitive element of both brands.
The true results are unlikely to be seen until the next generation of vehicles hits the market, but the partnership that joins senior executives from each company is expected to significantly boost that figure of 1.2 million annual sales.
Further Collaborations in The Pipeline?
As things stand, the partnership between Volkswagen and Ford is exclusive to the commercial vehicles, concentrating on vans and pickups. However, given the aggressive collaboration and marketing strategies planned by both companies, there is a very real chance that success will lead to further collaborations.
Official announcements regarding those future ideas are still a little ambiguous but early indication show that Autonomous vehicles, Mobility services, and Electric vehicles could all become part of the collaboration within the next decade.
For now, though, the partnership is sure to send shockwaves through the automotive industry as both Ford and VW embark on a project that will result in developmental advancements as well as increased production runs and sales.
As far as consumers are concerned, all models will retain the identity, comfort, and performance that they currently possess.
Test Drive A Volkswagen Today
The collaboration is sure to boost sales of VW’s commercial range, but it is expected that many of its popular vans and pickups – including the Caddy and Transporter – are likely to stay. Sinclair’s Volkswagen has a range of new and used vans on sale. Why not order or test drive yours today? Contact us to find out more.
