Currently reading: Microbus may be doomed

Reports in Germany have cast doubt over two of VW’s future models. According to the Welt am Sonntag newspaper, Volkswagen chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder has ordered internal cost studies into the planned Microbus (right) and C1 executive car.

Due in 2006, the Microbus will be built at VW’s commercial vehicle factory in Hanover, Germany, and is aimed primarily at the US. However, wild currency fluctuations between the euro and dollar have thrown the original business model into disarray.

And planning for the new BMW 5-series-rivaling C1 exec, which was originally going to be based on the rear-drive Maserati Quattroporte platform, is on hold. VW is now studying cheaper in-house platform alternatives.

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