Well, volks,

Maybe VW won't ever learn from this one. Perhaps there is a lack of
competition in Europe enough that people are actually willing enough
to shell out the equivalent of $30,000 for a minivan. I have heard
somewhere that Chrysler does import their minivans there, and that
they do tend to get expensive.

However, you can't ignore the fact that our friends in Congress
slapped that sorry-ass 25% import duty on foreign trucks in 1971. Now,
I'm just as pro-labor as the next guy, but I think that the American
truck market is nationalistic enough to want to keep buying American
(trust me, folks) and thus, UAW had no worries about this. However,
the fraction of the population that comprises the Transporter's market
gets penalized... and European countries get pissed because they can't
sell their products here, and slap their own duties on U.S. products.

In turn, a Dodge Grand Caravan, if it is indeed sold in Europe, sells
for an exorbitant price. In turn, anyone making a minivan over there
can get away with doing the same. VW tries this in America, gets
slapped with the import duty, and bang- a $30,000 van.

OK, the rant is over, and I am stepping off the soapbox to have a beer
now. :)

Sam
==
"I knew I couldn't fly, but I didn't care..."
-Bob Mould
"Enough to stain the eye,
these dripping words don't lie."
-Jeff Martin

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Backstage/6507
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