New Golf sales disappoint

23 December 2003: Unexpectedly low demand for the new Golf in its home country has forced the company to revise its planned build number of the new car for 2003.

Original forecasts were for 135,000 units to be sold before the end of year, but that figure has now been cut by 25,000.

Chief executive Bernd Pischetsrieder blamed 'technical problems in production' - relating to the building of chassis, doors and windows - for the situation.

But he said they would be solved in time for VW to achieve its target of building 600,000 Golf Vs in 2004.

According to Automobilwoche, a sister publication of Automotive News Europe, traders in German were disappointed with demand for the new Golf, which went on sale in October.

It will arrive in Ireland in the early part of the new year.

©2003 irishcar.com