With President Donald Trump announcing a 25% tariff on imported cars, the world's second-largest car manufacturer, the Volkswagen Group, is facing severe challenges. Currently, approximately 37,000 new vehicles are stranded at various ports across the United States.
The high-end brand Audi confirmed that this "high-risk standby status" was triggered by the new tariff policy. These affected vehicles arrived in the U.S. on the very day President Trump announced the tax, and are now forced to be put on hold, awaiting further decisions. It is understood that senior executives at Volkswagen hope the president will change his mind or at least争取 a lower rate.
This is also another strong protest from Volkswagen against President Trump's tariff policies. Volkswagen plans to add an "import surcharge" to price tags, clearly showing the specific impact of tariffs on prices - this move is widely seen as a "counterattack" against the president.
This "import surcharge" will be listed alongside regular taxes and optional configurations (such as heated seats, Apple CarPlay, etc.), allowing consumers to clearly understand the reasons for price increases.
Volkswagen's decision to halt shipments highlights the chain reaction impacting the global automotive supply chain under the current trade policies. Audi is hit first and foremost, becoming the "target" of tariff strikes: its main model, the Q5 SUV, is assembled in Mexico, while most other models are imported from Europe, meaning almost the entire lineup is affected by tariffs.
In a statement sent to the Daily Mail, Audi openly opposed the tariffs and expressed hope that the Trump administration would return to the negotiating table and cancel this punitive measure.
A Volkswagen spokesperson stated that consumers will not immediately feel the impact at this stage. The company currently has around 37,000 vehicles in inventory in the U.S., enough to support dealerships for about two months.
"Most experts agree that such tariff policies in the U.S. and possible reciprocal countermeasures will have a negative impact on growth and prosperity in both the U.S. and other global economies," the spokesperson said, "the entire automotive industry, global supply chains, businesses, and consumers will bear the adverse consequences brought by such policies."
President Trump has consistently believed that tariffs will force companies to bring manufacturing back to the U.S., but Volkswagen warned that this policy is threatening its business model in the U.S.
Volkswagen emphasized that the company has invested over $14 billion in its U.S. manufacturing facilities and employs thousands of workers. At the Chattanooga plant in Tennessee, Volkswagen produces the Atlas and Atlas Cross mid-size SUVs, as well as the electric ID.4.
Despite having U.S. factories, Volkswagen remains one of the hardest-hit automakers in the U.S., as most of its vehicles sold there are still produced in Germany and Mexico.
"Volkswagen has always maintained communication with its dealers regarding all aspects of its operations, and we will keep information transparent during uncertain times." An insider revealed, "The situation may change daily, but we always prioritize the interests of our dealers and customers. Once we assess the specific impacts of the policy on our business, we will promptly share our response strategies with dealers."
Nevertheless, readers seem unimpressed with Volkswagen's "label warning."
"Do whatever you want," one commenter wrote, "everyone I know who owns a Volkswagen isn't planning to buy another one."
However, Volkswagen's U.S. sales increased by 15% in 2024, with market share breaking through 4%, indicating the brand still holds appeal.
Currently, major manufacturers are urgently evaluating the impact of new tariffs on profits, inventory, and future production layouts.
Last week, Stellantis, parent company of Jeep, Dodge, Ram, and Chrysler, announced layoffs of 900 people and suspended production at multiple factories to cope with tariff challenges.
Ford, due to higher inventory, is offering employee discounts to consumers; General Motors is accelerating local production of premium pickups in the U.S. Toyota announced it will establish a new parts distribution system in the U.S., but has yet to clarify whether prices will be adjusted. Mercedes-Benz stated that prices will remain unchanged in April.
Land Rover has already suspended shipments to the U.S.
Meanwhile, Trump continues to criticize other countries' tariff policies and pushes for so-called "reciprocal tariffs."
"They charge us 39%, we charge them 20%," Trump said when introducing reciprocal taxes, "we're being generous by halving it."
However, most countries do not agree with Trump's claims. The World Trade Organization estimates that the EU's average tariff on U.S. products is about 4.8%, slightly higher than the U.S. side.
Data shows that in 2023, the EU collected approximately $3 billion in tariff revenue from U.S. products, while the U.S. collected approximately $7 billion in tariffs from imports during the same period.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7490791827625296418/
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