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I found this news quite interesting.

It basically said that Len Hunt, Volkswagen of America's boss, posted in an independent VW forum. He noted some of their comments and said he would take them to the factory in Wolfsburg. So whats the point? Well, VW has someone listening to their enthusiasts, so hopefully, we've got someone listening to us.

 
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Volkswagen = losing market share = desperate = doing something wrong = in search of ideas

Honda = gaining market share = doing something right = doesn't give a damn what you think and will innovate the market on it's own

 
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Yeah, that about sums it up.

 
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its not hard to look at the gas prices. then look at the cost of newer hondas vw and toyotas. then look at the problems vw has and end up in a honda.

 
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I think thats a smart move on hunts part. Vwvortex and this site is basically free market research for them. Sites like these are probably the only truely unbias way you can get opinions on products. This site is probably one of the only sites where people ripe apart there cars and put them together and offer solutions in design flaws.

The designer of the ridgeline did the same thing. He spent half his time just sitting at home depot, watching people load stuff in and out of mini vans and trucks. Trying to figure out the most efficent and cost efficient way of loading stuff into a truck.

I think VW is losing market share, because there trying to be a honda or toyota. The reason they gained market share in the past is the fact they offered luxury at a poorman's price. They offered unique non boring styles to there cars.

In the end, if you design a boring reliable VW and put it next to a boring reliable toyota, people are going to buy the toyota. VW is trying to be toyota with there ugly boring new jetta and alienating the buyers they already have.

 
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they are just getting ideas from the younger crowd

that way, he can save some money from product and development! who hoo!

 
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Vw visits the vwvortex.com often. How do you think the 337 GTI and the R32 made it over here.

 
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hey don't you think that honda ever goes onto a forum to get some ideas? i think all car companies do it. so its nothin new. i bet someone from honda is reading our forums closely.

 
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Well sorry to burst your bubble but I'd rather have a golf than a civic. It's the painful truth...especially the VR6 or 1.8T.

The rest of the line pretty much took a dump though. The wolfsburg Jettas are nice though...but not the newly redesigned ones.

 
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Vr6...

 
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I'd stick with Honda, but I'd like some of the sportier Honda's that are available overseas. I'd get a stock 2.0L Civic sedan, or a sporty 5-door hatch. A type-R would be nice also. They offer some great things overseas, but they think no one will buy them here, hence making them unprofitable. Bring them here!!! I'd get one of those...

 
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Yes, most companies read forums so its nothing new.

 
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I'm a vwvortex memeber and read that. I think it's cool on Hunt to do that but he shouldn't take to much advice from vwvortex because most guys are hard core enthusiasts and most people who buy vw's are not hard core enthusiast that do no mods to them so Hunt better be carefull

 
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VWs are great cars if you can get over an inflated price tag (read: Euro kicking other currencies' asses) and the quality problems. They're a bit weighty too, a fact that doesn't help the rear (*cough* archaic) suspension on them. Barring that, the 1.8T is endlessly modable and the VR6 can hold insane amounts of boost.

It is common for companies to read user boards, but rarely do you see a senior executive posting, at least not under his own name, usually they leave that to the marketing guys or something or at least post under a pseudonym.

 
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DING DING.. And the winner is..

 
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Honda wont read our forum.. The civic sold highly based on other principles than we stand for...
Car companies work closely to apeal to the large majority of those buying thier cars. Large majority of civic owners just want a cheap reliable economic car.

As for a car like the Corvette for example. Dave Hill works so closely as to go to corvette car meets with people and mingle in the forums. He listens to what people have to say and that makes the corvette what it is. All of the past corvette division presidents have done the same...
hense the term emerged
win on sunday and sell on Monday
It was the corvette fans/ owners that allow the c6-rs to race.

Another fine Honda example is the s2000
forums had said upon its initial release they wish the body moldings where more agressive. Honda responded with the new bumpers.. Another common complaint was the lack of torque for daily driving. Honda responded with creating more torque out of the engine.

what it comes down to is that all good companies respond to thier market majority segment..
Cars like Ferrari/ corvette/ porsche/ lambo/ BMW M3 division etc.. work by interacting with consumers because of the small market majority they control.
Larger mass produced cars tend to accept dealer complaints and refine according to market sales.
20,000 corvettes are made a year only 24, 000 porsches are made a year, all models!
thsoe arent big numbers for a world wide market!

 
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Yeah, but does Honda really listen to enthusiasts? NO. How much could it cost to send a type R here?

VW did send the GTI 337 here, and they did the same with the R32. Both are amazing cars that America deserved to have. And everyone of them sold for above MSRP.

How many Civic Type R's do you think would sell, how many RSX's. Probably all of them at the asking price. It is not like they are making a new car, just releasing what they already have. But Honda won't do that. So how much do they listen to the enthusiasts?

 
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Honda like toyota dont make cars for people like us/ Honda makes fast *** bikes but reliable cars...
Honda's true sport factor is in thier bikes and allways has been.
Toyota fallows the same case except they dont make any sports stuff

 
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It cost alot of money to introduce a new car to market. If Honda puts the Type R here, then they have to have a whole infrastructure to support it for at least 10 years. This means training people, stocking spare parts, ...etc. With only a relatively few enthusiasts buying the Type R, you can't truely expect a large company like Honda to make such a commitment unless there is a good chance they could recoupe the cost.

 
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Seriously, how much extra could it possibly be? The Type R already exists. I am not saying make a new car, just listen to the people and send the car that already exists to America.

Now, training? If a Honda tech can work on an Si, then how much more does he have to learn. Parts, distribution is all computer controlled. They don't have to keep the parts in every dealership, just the main location. And they make money on parts.

And cost, they won't give the car away. And they did sell every Type R Integra for way over MSRP.

What I am saying is that Honda does not listen to the enthusiast. The cars exist, they just have to be sold here. People wanted VW to send the 337 and the R32 to America. They called, they wrote, and VW sold them here. Sure the numbers were low, but that kept the cost high and made sure that everyone was sold almost before they came here. When was the last time you were so excited about a car, you put down a deposit sight unseen? Mitsubishi brought the EVO here, guess what, they sold them in mass numbers. Subaru brought the WRX here, and the same. IF Honda brought a Type R here, it would sell.

 
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Isn't the pounds of England worht more than the euro?

 
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why would honda change the mix considering they are making money....you say they should bring the ctr and itr here but you still bought the thing you complained about. They got your money....There not gonna fix it if it aint broke and it aint gonna be broke for a long time to come. Be glad they decided to actually put some sport in the si

 
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Well, the point was that some companies listen to enthusiasts and make or design more exciting cars or versions of cars. Yes, they are making money, but they would not lose money to bring a more enhanced version to the United States. In fact, the main reason Hondas became so popular in the tuning community is because they were easy to modify and parts interchanged so easily. That is slowly coming to an end.

As for me, they lost my money. I was unhappy overall with the Civic. I wished I had bought a 2000 instead of the 2001. For the record, I bought a VW, a 2005 Jetta GLI with a 1.8T. And when I sold the car, it had several issues that should have been addressed but were never really satisfied. The struts were crap from day one, the seat rocked, I had three recalls, and the transmission was going out. I guess what it boils down to is that the buyer does have a say, and I made my statement. If Honda wishes to ignore certain buyers, then other manufactures will benefit by making products that do satisfy.

 
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They don't have to do that much work for a new infrastructure. There have always been a lot of Honda enthusiasts. Look at sales of the S2000 and RSX-S. If they had a cheaper car sold somewhere underneath the S2000 but as a Honda also, the luxery factor of the RSX-S could be dropped in favor of a more sporty car.

Also, a sporty Civic sedan would be great. One model that would be less powerful then the coupe, but more powerful then the regular sedan, like older Civic's had with the EX model.