Volkswagen’s efforts to more precisely tailor its vehicles to American tastes and pocketbooks as it looks to triple U.S. sales by 2018 have been well-documented.
But arguably more important has been the behind-the-scenes recalibration of its product-development process that has given the auto maker’s U.S. arm more say-so in vehicle design and put critical new emphasis on quality and customer satisfaction. The latest recasting of the VW brand in North America began with a de-contenting of the redesigned ’11 Jetta that was met with a shower of media criticism but embraced by consumers to the tune of record sales in 2011.
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