Currently reading: VW's plan to conquer the wild frontier

Volkswagen will build a line of US-specific models including a new saloon and 4x4

Volkswagen is hoping to revive its fortunes in the crucial American car market by launching models designed and engineered expressly for the US.First will be a small saloon which was the brainchild of ex-CEO Wolfgang Bernhard, and is known internally as the 'NCS' - new compact sedan. A high-level source told Autocar that it will be Jetta-sized but a lot cheaper to build, and will be equipped to appeal in the US. That means it will have a much less sophisticated torsion beam rear axle set-up than the mkV Golf and Jetta, but have a high equipment count.Our source also revealed that 'NCS' would be a global platform, being sold in the developing world, and even Europe. However, he revealed that it didn't mean that the Golf was going to switch to a lower tech platform. Golf mk VI is likely to share a base with the next Passat, indicating that it will continue being a sophisticated car and very competitive dynamically.Insiders have also admitted that VW is looking at a new SUV for America to sit between the Touareg and Tiguan. "Our US dealers think that the Tiguan is too small," he said; "we're looking at a middle model, possibly based on the Passat."

Chas Hallett

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