Polo passes Onix, and VW definitively suspends the layoff in Taubaté

By Alzira Rodrigues | 6/1/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Preliminary May figures indicate that the Volkswagen Polo passed the Chevrolet Onix and finished the month as light-vehicle vice-leader, behind only the Fiat Strada. In April, the German brand’s hatchback was fourth in the ranking, also behind the Hyundai HB-20.

Among automobiles, the Polo was the month’s bestseller, a position never before reached by the model whose sales had grown since February, when Volkswagen launched the Track version intended to replace the Gol, one of its greatest icons in Brazil.

The success of the Track, the brand’s new entry model, should have been the main point for Volkswagen’s decision to suspend the temporary layoff in the Taubaté plant, where it is produced. The production reduction would affect 800 workers and suspend the second working shift beginning today, 6/1.

About one month ago, the Sindmetau, Taubaté and Region Metalworkers Union informed that the layoff would be postponed to July 1. Nonetheless, Volkswagen said officially that it had never considered a postponement and the layoff is definitively suspended.

The decision seems related to the government discussions with the automotive sector about a program to create a cheaper vehicle category that was initially announced on May 25 and still depends on a Provisory Measure reducing federal taxes for models up to R$ 120 thousand.

Volkswagen explained on a note that “the suspension of the layoff was based on a new perspective for the automotive sector sales demand”.

Year-to-date, the Polo was the fourth bestseller model, behind the Strada, Onix and Onix Plus and ahead of the HB-20. The May ranking top 10 list is completed by the Chevrolet hatch, VW T-Cross, Onix Plus, Jeep Compass, Chevrolet Tracker, Hyundai Creta and Fiat Toro.

The Toro had not figured in the top 10 ranking before, and its performance could be explained by discounts offered by manufacturers at the end of May for rental companies to purchase vehicles over R$ 120 thousand, the limit established by the government for tax reduction.

In the brands ranking, Fiat keeps on the lead with a 20.7% share, followed by Volkswagen (16%) and GM (15.8%). They are trailed by Toyota, Jeep, Hyundai and Renault.

Photo: VW

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Alzira Rodrigues

Jornalista formada pela Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, iniciou a cobertura do setor automotivo em 1981 na Sucursal do ABC de O Estado de S. Paulo. Manteve-se na área desde então, passando por outros jornais e também revistas e sites.

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