List of the 10 VW Group models sent "to the guillotine" to save billions of euros
Volkswagen Group is preparing a historic restructuring of its global portfolio. After the German car giant officially announced its intention to reduce the complexity of its ranges and eliminate up to 50% of its total models in order to restore profitability, German publication Bild has revealed an extremely harsh unofficial list.
Ten major models from established brands such as Porsche, Audi, Volkswagen and Skoda are on this preliminary list and are at risk of disappearing completely from the range over the next four years. Through this drastic simplification of the portfolio, the German group aims to save up to 6.5 billion euros by 2031.
Porsche and Audi: Sacrificing design niches and electric pioneers
The biggest surprise on the list comes from Zuffenhausen. The Porsche Taycan, the brand's first all-electric production model and a technological trailblazer, may not get a second generation. The decision comes amid a reassessment of the electrification strategy and profit margins in the luxury EV segment.
Taycan is not the only Porsche targeted:
- Porsche Cayenne Coupe (thermal): The plunge-roof version of the performance SUV equipped with internal combustion engines is reportedly set to be discontinued.
- Porsche 718 Boxster/Cayman (thermal): Although there was speculation about maintaining a gasoline version in parallel with the future electric generation, the project for a new thermal generation was, according to German sources, definitively canceled.
At Audi, the trend towards simplification is targeting crossover-coupe bodies. The Audi Q5 Sportback and the new electric Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback will complete their current life cycle, but will not receive direct successors. The Ingolstadt-based manufacturer is thus choosing to eliminate redundant design variations in order to reduce production costs.
Blow to the affordable segment: Farewell, Skoda Fabia?
For the European public, the most painful news is the possible disappearance of the Skoda Fabia model. Although the Czech brand is going through a financially stable period, the VW Group prioritizes the higher segments, with much higher profit margins. A successor for the current generation Fabia is very unlikely under the new cost-cutting policy.
The new Cupra Raval, the Spanish electric urban model recently presented to the public, is in the same situation. It is expected to be produced in a single generation, with no long-term future perspective.
Major restructuring in global markets for the Volkswagen brand
Parent brand Volkswagen will make massive cuts, especially in markets outside Europe (such as North America), but also in its own electric range:
- Volkswagen Jetta: The compact sedan with a history of over 40 years and huge popularity in the US will not receive a new generation.
- Volkswagen Taos: The compact SUV positioned below the Tiguan will be phased out at the end of the current production cycle.
- Volkswagen ID.5: The electric crossover coupe will also be retired, leaving the ID.4 model to cover this volume niche alone.
The rationale behind the decision: Profitability before volume
The group's executives have openly admitted that the concern's current big problem is not necessarily sales volume, but the profitability of the cars it produces. The huge costs generated by the slow and expensive transition to electrification, the pressure of emission standards and fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers are forcing the German giant to abandon niche experiments and models with low profit margins.
Although the Volkswagen Group has not officially confirmed every name on this list, the direction is clear: the future belongs exclusively to volume models capable of generating profit quickly, in a range reduced by half compared to the current one.
