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FBN’s Jeff Flock with Jonathan Browning, VW North America President, on the automaker’s foray into the SUV market.
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Volkswagen looking to give US auto makers who run for their money with a new US.
SUV.
Jeff Flock is live it -- to Detroit auto show Jeff.
Dennis they're quite get in their boots over there -- forward you know we just heard -- from was as exclusive interview with Alan Mulally he was here yesterday.
Looking at this cross blue it is VW's.
Entry into this segment.
Ford Explorer which is of course a huge vehicle look out -- said.
We get a real competitor here Jonathan that was probably pretty good news -- -- -- you know -- we're very excited by the reaction not just from Alan Mulally but.
All prior solidity who has all the customers that were there and I'm really excited about the initial reaction there's a lot of competition in this space that not just SUV.
The big suvs which is this is kind of let that good size -- Earlier today that Nissan -- residence was introduced also which is a kind of a crossover SUV -- a lot of competition out there what makes you think.
VW could win in this thing.
Well you know this is a midsize SUV we don't have a vehicle that fits into this -- at the moment but.
The VW brand really can reach into this because we we can offer that combination of safety of practicality of policy all wrapped up in German engineering and I think -- The engineering interest in this vehicle with the diesel hybrid.
With the functionalities.
Is -- is very strong.
Specific look -- their lorries look at inside the car now if she comes around look in the backseat you've got spaces for ipads in there I'm hopeful we can come on around without kill herself.
You know.
VW is already doing.
Well in this market.
Maybe Europe -- not a great place to be right now but the US is take a look at the numbers you had a record sales year.
For your PW group last year yeah.
35% -- let the industry and some of that magnitude of growth to be important thing Jeff was that wasn't just one year we've now -- three consecutive years of double digit growth.
Well ahead of the industry and that means -- -- three years found since 2000 I'm with the SE doubled the size business here in the US to say and and the another vision is suspect at.
And not to put too fine a point on it but division is world dominance.
That -- if you wanted to be the number one auto maker in the world culture pot on a global basis -- the leading automotive.
Or to make here and here in the US we put in a growth strategy that.
-- billions of dollars of investments so far we announced another five billion through to 2015.
So if we keep putting those foundations importance before we get away that investment.
Presupposes that the US economy we'll stay on good footing.
Any message for Washington I mean we're approaching and other debt ceiling increase potentially.
Dan Akerson GM told me this morning.
Don't grow the economy by holding it hostage would you share that -- -- We feel that the uncertainty has to be removed just as quickly as possible it it is not a good.
Environment for consumer confidence to be built so we're looking for resolution on debt ceiling resolution on spending -- so that consumers can focus on.
Really they're going about their business in a normal life.
He wants to build cars not make policy so that thirty go this looks like a good -- -- tell -- I've -- Ford explorers for probably twenty straight years.
This is a real competitor to that vehicle.
-- good jobs.
