Chapter 443： Popular new products

In the famous Volkswagen Company test track, a car was driving fast under the crowd of onlookers.

This onlooker car is different from Volkswagen’s flagship Model T. Its sleek shape is also very different from the angular T model. At the same time, it is more metallic, and there is a metal rod across the front of the car.

Among the crowd of onlookers, the new general manager of Volkswagen, Ambrose, was watching the car's driving situation while speaking quietly to Tuslid, the R&D supervisor next to him.

Ambrose is the second helm of Volkswagen to replace Minoba, the former general manager. He graduated from Oxford University and has been engaged in product sales since then. He joined Volkswagen in 1910 and gradually became the deputy general manager. He took over as the general manager after he retired from Minoba disease.

Immediately after taking office, he showed a difference from Minoba. It may be the reason why he has been engaged in sales, and he is extremely sensitive to customer experience. For this reason, after taking office, he ordered sales points to be entrusted to conduct questionnaire surveys of customers. It is mainly about the dissatisfaction with the Model T, and the price of the car that can be accepted.

The results of the questionnaire survey will also be fed back quickly. Many people report that the Model T is not beautiful or beautiful, and it is too simple and not suitable for people with status. In addition, the vehicle lacks protective equipment, and people are easily injured after a car accident, and the ride feel is poor.

And Ambrose attached great importance to these feedbacks and immediately ordered the R&D department to prepare a new generation of Volkswagen. It is required to be beautiful and generous, but also have a certain degree of protection.

The reason for him to do this is simple, the current position of Volkswagen in the European vehicle market is threatened. At present, Volkswagen's market share in Europe is only 42.5%, and it has fallen from a standout to a tie for the best. Products from other European vehicle manufacturers are competing fiercely with Volkswagen.

Among them, war factors have the greatest impact on the public. Because of the closure of the strait, Volkswagen can only pass through Bulgaria and then export, and the high transit fee spreads the price of the car. After Bulgaria entered the war, basically Volkswagen’s Model T cars could no longer be exported.

European automakers such as Renault and Fiat are desperately seizing the market by virtue of this window period. For this reason, Renault has built a 30,000-person car manufacturing plant in Lyon, while Fiat has also built a 1.5-person plant in Milan. So after the war ended, Volkswagen re-entered the market and found that many of its market shares had been robbed, and it was impossible to regain the market by Model T cars. So Ambrose needs a new car to help Volkswagen regain its own position in the market.

Of course, only Tuslid, the supervisor in charge of research and development, can satisfy this task. Tuslid deserves to be the technical director of Europe's first car company. After he received the task, he started with aesthetics. Abandoning the square head, the front of the square brain uses a lot of arc design concepts, and the front of the car is changed to an oval to look more beautiful.

At the same time, a closed body design is used to provide passengers with better privacy. The newly developed four-wheel independent suspension device makes the passengers in the car more comfortable. At the same time, in order to avoid the loss caused by the car accident, he also installed a hollow round steel column in the front of the car, and also installed a radio in the car.

The power plant uses the latest 90-horsepower six-cylinder gasoline engine produced by Volkswagen and Romania Power Laboratory. This gasoline engine is not too outstanding in horsepower, but it is small in size and stable in operation, which is very suitable for passenger use. Use of the car. This new model uses all the newly developed technologies of Volkswagen.

Ambrose looked at the new car that had been running a few laps in the test track before him, turned his head and asked Tuslid next to him: "How did the results of the various tests?"

Tuslid stared at the moving car and replied intently: "Most of the tests have been carried out, and there are only a few items left to complete."

Hearing the words of the technical director, Ambrose continued: "The research and development work needs to be completed as soon as possible. We need this new car to open up the market for us."

"No problem, I will work overtime and arrange personnel to test."

Ambrose looked at the new car in motion, thought for a while and said: "After you finish the test, transfer the technology you can use to the new truck project. Our freight cars must also ensure the market."

Tuslid replied, "No problem."

Ambrose looked at the new car tested for a while and left. He needed to coordinate production with the production manager. After the new car has been tested, factory production will be arranged immediately.

At present, Ambrose has arranged three different models for this new car, namely a simple version, a regular version and a deluxe version to meet the needs of different people. These are all tips that Ambrose learned from sales.

Different versions use different configurations. The radio is eliminated in the simple package. At the same time, the interior decoration of the car is also as cheap as possible. At the same time, there are subtle differences between the models and others.

The regular version is the version currently used in the test car.

The luxury version uses newly developed metallic paint and the door handles are gold-plated. You can see the extraordinary appearance of this car. The interior decoration of the car also uses a lot of valuable products, such as Italian cowhide for the seats, and a lot of precious woods such as nanmu in the car. Regardless of how luxurious it is used, of course its price is quite extraordinary. At present, the price of the new compact version is 2,000 lei, the regular version is 3,000 lei, and the deluxe version is 6,000 lei.

At the same time on the rear of the car an A1 logo is engraved on the compact version, an M1 logo is engraved on the regular version, and an S1 logo is engraved on the deluxe version. This can basically meet the needs of all walks of life for vehicle use. It is also Ambrose's plan for the development of future automobiles.

In his view, it will not be possible to meet people's riding needs with a car in the future. The myth of the Model T is impossible to reproduce.

Different classes have different requirements for vehicles. Ordinary people only need to use the vehicle, and the price factor is the focus of their most attention. The slightly richer middle class, in addition to passenger use, also has a demand for comfort and safety, and can afford it in terms of price. At the same time, it is necessary to select vehicles and separate them from ordinary people. As for the rich, comfort comes first, and vehicles are also needed to show their identity.

So even a prototype car needs to be sold separately. However, in order to seize the market, Volkswagen must develop new cars quickly, so it can only use the same prototype car first, and can only separate it from the details.

Ambrose has already planned it. This requires that the new car sells well. The new car will be developed immediately and divided into two types: Volkswagen cars and mid-to-high-end cars. Next, his ideas need to be verified by the market.