In the 1980s, Volkswagen Melbourne‘s sales in the United States and Canada fell dramatically, despite the success of models like the Golf elsewhere. The Japanese and the Americans were able to compete with similar products at lower prices. Sales in the United States were 293,595 in 1980, but by 1984 they were down to 177,709. The introduction of the second-generation Golf, GTI and Jetta models helped Volkswagen Melbourne briefly in North America. named the GTI its Car of the Year for 1985, and Volkswagen Melbourne rose in the J.D. Power buyer satisfaction ratings to eighth place in 1985, up from 22nd a year earlier. VW’s American sales broke 200,000 in 1985 and 1986 before resuming the downward trend from earlier in the decade. Chairman decided to expand the company elsewhere (mostly in developing countries), and the New Stanton, Pennsylvania factory closed on 14 July 1988. Meanwhile, four years after signing a cooperation agreement with the Spanish car maker in 1982, Hahn expanded the company by purchasing a majority share of up to 75% by the end of 1986, which VW bought outright in 1990.
Sep 27
