Volkswagen Australia claims its supply chain is not affected by the global microchip and semiconductor shortage, citing healthy supply of models including the vital new Golf.
Like Toyota, Volkswagen is utilising its vast global footprint and buying power to muscle its way into the semiconductor supply chain to ensure smooth on-time delivery of models for the rest of the year.
But Skoda may not be as lucky.
Speaking to CarExpert at the launch of the new Volkswagen Golf 8, Volkswagen’s General Manager of Corporate Communications Paul Pottinger said the impact was minimal.
“It is not impacting Volkswagen yet, it will have some impact on variants of Skodas but we are trying to find out what that will look like,” Mr Pottinger said.
“Cars are being built, reaching the end of the production line, then the components which rely on the chips will be added later.
“I don’t want to blow it off or say it’s not a thing, but it’s certainly not affecting us as badly as some other companies and production for all our brands for Q3 and Q4 is really solid. Plus of course we had a bunch of deliveries in the first half of this year.”
Pottinger categorically ruled out Volkswagen Australia considering what some other brands have done: taking out features that rely on semiconductors, in order to move production along.
“We wouldn’t do it, we would rather wait and explain it to the customer, we don’t agree with that approach at all. Golf is still a premium model in its segment and it doesn’t have the same cache [without all its features] so that’s not a valid option for us,” he said.
Volkswagen Australia has stocked up for the launch of the new eighth-generation Golf which is now on sale. The same goes for the iconic GTI variant, which the company claims can be bought for immediate delivery from dealers today.
“There are always issues, we are at the far side of the world at the end of the international supply chain and we are a right-hand drive market, that’s just the reality of what we live with. It’s never ideal but we have a pretty workable situation,” Pottinger added.
Last month Volkswagen sold over 4000 cars, without much reliance on the Golf which had disappeared from its lineup ahead of the new model’s launch.
With limited supply constraints and the addition of the Golf hatch from this month and upcoming wagon, Volkswagen’s sales figures should only be headed in one direction.
