EXCLUSIVE: VW restricts supply of Bluemotion range

16 April, 2008

VW has admitted massive demand has led to it limiting supply of its low-CO2 Bluemotion versions of the Polo and Golf to the corporate market.

The company said its year’s allocation could have been eaten up by fleets, particularly local councils, ordering batches of cars to help meet public sector green obligations.

“We could sell our entire quota into the fleet market but we need to get some cars into showrooms,” said an insider.

Strong demand across Europe has seen waiting times stretch to three times that of a normal VW model, and competing European markets are scrabbling to increase their allocation. VW has already had to stagger deliveries of large orders, particularly from rental firms. A VW spokesman said it had already had to stagger deliveries of Golf Bluemotions to car club Streetcar.

Norwich City Council recently confirmed a deal to take 50 Polo Bluemotion models in an attempt to cut its CO2 output, with Glasgow also about to announce a similar deal.

The Bluemotion range kicked off last year with the Polo, which is now classified at 99g/km for the whole range. Initially the Polo Bluemotion 2 trim level was at 104g/km.

The sub-120g/km Bluemotion Golf is arriving into the market now, with Passat, Golf estate and Jetta models also on the way by this summer, and a Sharan Bluemotion to follow.