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Volkswagen could stop selling the Golf in America because of the weak dollar. The German company wants to improve its profitability margins in its pursuit of market leader Toyota and the Golf, which is called ‘Rabbit’ in the States, isn’t selling as well as the company would like.
The Tiguan and Touareg SUVs are more popular. But the US market has proved disastrous for VW recently with the North American wing of the company posting billion-dollar losses.
Volkswagen is likely to build a ne...Read the full article

With a name like "rabbit" are VW really suprised it's not selling?

Howdy partner, what you driving then?

Oh, just my rabbit.

Sniggers galore from the knowing populace... 

 From what I've seen on my trips there is that the Jetta is a much more popular model. Hatchbacks aren't the thing over the pond.

Only a 2.5L engine available too.

Knee jerk reaction and bad timing, even the most devout SUV aficionados see the writing on the wall. People here are buying these cars now; a wait and see could pay dividends. I loved my GTI and if I had room for two cars would have kept it.

Your right - in the US market the saloon version (Jetta) is greatly favoured over the hatch (Rabbit). The standard engine is a 2.5l 5cyl which is not the VR5 unit, but a "straight" five derived from the old 2litre 115bhp GTi engine. In the context of the US where even the most basic cars have high power levels (a Honda Jazz (Fit in US) has a 1.5l base engine, for instance) this power choice makes sense.

 It used to be the case that the Jetta/Rabbit/Golf was made in Mexico (cheap labour), so the dollar's weakness vs. the Euro shouldn't affect the economics.

This report is off the mark.  Just today, VW of America has denied that the MK6 Golf/Rabbit will be dropped from the American market.  According to Edmunds, VWOA spokesman Steve Keys has said that they are proceding with plans to introduce the new model in the fall of next year.

I understand the 2.5 engine they use for the US model generates 170 bhp which is a reasonable figure for a car of that capacity in America. Some engines I have come across there have abysmal outputs when compared to their size. The question is, why doesnt VW introduce some of the more efficient engines they use in Europe such as the twin chargers? I know the brilliant TDI engines (2.0 170PS common rail in particular) wont be accepted there mainly do to emissions regulations and the american mentality towards diesel engines, however the choices given to the American VW market is very limited. This may be a factor restricting sales against certain competitors.

It's a big country, you could easily lose a car there.