Hot minivans drive Christmas bonus in Windsor

Last Updated: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 | 10:41 AM ET

CBC News

Chrysler has asked workers at the Windsor assembly plant, shown here in 2008, to work through their usual Christmas shutdown this year to meet high demand for the Dodge Grand Caravan. (Dave Chidley/Canadian Press)
High demand for minivans may make for a merrier Christmas in Windsor, Ont., this year.
Chrysler has announced it wants to keep production of its minivans moving right through the Christmas period.

'It should be a little bit of a boost to the economy of Windsor at a time obviously I would suggest we critically need a boost in our economy.'— Rick Laporte, CAW Local 444

Image via WikipediaNormally, there is a one-week shutdown at the Windsor assembly plant, which produces the Dodge Grand Caravan, Chrysler Town and Country and Volkswagen Routan.

Chrysler said it is anticipating high demand for its redesigned minivans.

Holiday pay plus double time

The company plans to run 12-hour days the week of Dec. 27, and the union doubts Chrysler will have trouble finding workers ready to cover the shifts.
"Those workers would be paid their holiday pay plus double time for being at work," said Rick Laporte, president of CAW Local 444, which represents the workers.
Laporte said the extra work is good news for all of Windsor.
"I would suggest to you it means more Christmas presents under the tree, more money spent in our economy, and it should be a little bit of a boost to the economy of Windsor at a time obviously I would suggest we critically need a boost in our economy."
Chrysler will start production of its new model minivans at the Windsor assembly plant later this fall.
It already has plans to build an additional 60,000 of the vehicles to meet expected demand.

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Five Popular German-Made Cars

Travel and Explore Germany

When you think German, you think quality, and that's what we all want from our next car. German cars comes in all shapes, sizes and price tags, with some of the top selling models on the market to meet and exceed most budgets. If you want some of that German engineering parked in your own driveway, try one of these top picks for German handling and stability.
1. Porsche 911
In the popularity stakes, the Porsche 911 has to come in at first. This beautiful beast of a car is made by the Volkswagen group. Debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, it has evolved over the years, often being modified with various porche parts by competition teams and since has won numerous world champion sports car races. In Germany, the 911 is a top seller, outdoing the Boxster, Cayman and Cayenne.
2. VW Jetta
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeThe second place winner also comes from the Volkswagen company with their tried and true Jetta, available in four or six cylinder models. Choose from a Jetta body type in sedan or wagon style for snappy German engineering to suits most budgets. A unique feature in the four cylinder Volkswagon cars in the added horsepower with a 2.5 liter engine. They have near the power of a six cylinder, yet get the fuel economy closer to a four cylinder, situated just right somewhere in the middle engine ground.
3. Audi A3T 2.0 Premium
The A3T 2.0 Premium is mid-sized and affordable luxury from the experts at Audi, offering a spacious hatchback A3T model with plenty of room for luggage, groceries and sporting equipment. This four cylinder engine gets great gas mileage and has earned itself a five-star consumer rating for handling and dependability.
4.Image via Wikipedia VW Routan
When only a passenger van will do, VW offers a roomy and elegant way to travel with the newly developed Routan. The 3.7 liter V6 engine cranks up plenty of power, and the interior styling and ambience has come a long way from the classic VW Bus. Priced competitively with a Toyota Sienna, the Routan is German excellenceat the price you want to pay.

Image by Michi1308 via Flickr5.BMW 135 i
Quality assurance is a done deal with any make and model from BMW. Low on maintenance and high on road performance, BMW's bottom priced vehicle has no shortage with German excellence and trendy styling, including striking automotive backlit buttons and fascias. The sporty 135i coup comes equipped with a hefty 3.0 liter engine and standard features that exceed most of its competition. Not too cheap, yet affordable if you want it, the BMW 135i is an investment into roadside safety and award-winning looks.

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Our Cars: 2010 Volkswagen Routan - Fully Loaded Braking Blues

Motor Trend Magazine

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As far as First World problems go, moving is pretty high up in the standings. One of few that rank higher is helping someone else move, which has the pitfalls of moving all of your stuff plus the downside of not having a new place to live in afterwards. Aside from generally being a huge pain, moving also requires a suitable vehicle.  Usually a pickup or rented moving van, depending on distance and amount of stuff necessary. I split the difference, opting to use our long-term 2010 Volkswagen Routan since he doesn't own any large furniture.

CLICK TO VIEW GALLERY
He may not own any furniture, but he does own entirely too many clothes, as is evidenced by the filled-to-the-brim minivan you see here. Somewhere behind that pile is a twin-size mattress and nearly a dozen trash bags filled with clothes. Thankfully, the flat-bottomed Routan had enough space for everything, though some creative packing was necessary.
The downside of the Routan in heavy-laden situations is its brakes. Like the mechanically identical Chrysler Town & Country and Dodge Grand Caravan, the Routan is underbraked. Unladen, it needs 136 feet to stop from 60 mph and it does not inspire confidence as it decelerates. Loaded up, it gets considerably worse. On the plus side, the 4.0-liter V-6 didn't have any problems moving the now two-and-a-half-plus ton van along.
Is the Routan the best choice possible for a moving van? Probably not, but its an adequate and stylish one. Now to find some superglue to reattach bottom of the driver-side A/C vent to the dash...

VW ROUTAN Dora And Boots

Future products: U.S. model is VW's big news

Autoweek

By DIANA T. KURYLKO, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS


The redesigned Touareg SUV goes on sale in November. A diesel engine will be available.
An ambitious plan to increase Volkswagen brand sales in the United States to 800,000 by 2018--up from 213,454 last year--begins with a mid-sized sedan to be built starting early next year in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Later, the new factory will add the Polo small car or a mid-sized SUV--possibly both.
Here is a rundown of VW's product plans through 2013.
E-Up!: An electric-powered version of the Up! minicar will be sold in the United States in 2013. The Up! family--which consists of a hatchback, minivan and sedan--goes on sale in Europe in 2011. The U.S.-bound electric version is expected to be the minivan….
New Beetle: The small car, built in Puebla, Mexico, will be restyled and re-engineered next year. VW is addressing its shortcomings, such as limited interior room. A convertible will debut in 2012, and a hybrid is likely.
Jetta: A redesigned version of the Mexico-built sedan goes on sale this fall. VW has made the Jetta bigger and lowered the price so it competes directly with the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla. A hybrid is expected in 2012.
…
Mid-sized sedan: Sales of the Chattanooga-built four-door sedan will begin in the spring at a starting price of about $20,000. VW wants the new mid-sized sedan to compete with the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The front-drive car will be larger than the CC and Passat sedans and will share 30 to 40 percent of its parts with the redesigned Jetta.
CC: The coupe-styled four-door sedan based on the Passat will be freshened in 2011.
Passat: The Passat has been dropped in the United States because, VW executives say, the German import is smaller, yet more expensive, than the new mid-sized sedan.
Phaeton: The new-generation Phaeton, which shares a platform with the Bentley Continental GT coupe and Flying Spur sedan, debuts this year in Europe and China. VW executives promise a return of a premium sedan to the United States, though at a considerably lower price than the $65,000-plus vehicle that was yanked off the market in 2006.
Eos: The hardtop convertible will be freshened in 2011. …
Tiguan: The compact crossover will be redesigned in 2012. A longer, seven-seat version may be added.
Touareg: The redesigned SUV goes on sale in November with both V6 gasoline and diesel engines. The 3.0-liter V6 gasoline hybrid goes on sale at year end. VW says the hybrid's fuel economy is about 40 percent better than that of the gasoline SUV. The Touareg continues to share its platform with the Porsche Cayenne.
Routan: The 2-year-old minivan will be freshened late this year. The Routan is a rebadged Chrysler Town & Country--only the body panels and interior trim are different--and is assembled by Chrysler Group.
The changes likely will mimic those of the Town & Country, which is getting a new Pentastar V6 engine and a new front end to comply with European pedestrian safety requirements. The interior also will be altered.

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Which Vehicle Classes Are Strongest Sellers in CPO Market?

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

By Joe Overby, Staff Writer
September 17, 2010
BANDON, Ore. — While each market performs somewhat differently, some certified pre-owned vehicle categories tend to be hot sellers, whereas others are perhaps not so popular.
So what has Art Spinella, of CNW Research, discovered? He found that near-luxury, luxury and hybrid CPO models have been healthy as of late, while smaller, budget cars have been the slowest to move.
That said, CPO trends do vary on a regional basis, he pointed out. …
And, of course, different automakers are seeing somewhat varying trends within their own certified operations, though some similarities exist.  
Toyota, for one, has certainly experience segmentation in its CPO figures, said Jason Cropper, who is the Toyota Certified Used Vehicle Operations manager.
Specifically, Cropper said the Camry has been continuing its dominance in CPO sales, actually increasing its share from a year ago.
The automaker is also seeing the small SUV segment grow stronger, as well.
…"Similar to what the industry is seeing on the new-vehicle side of the business, we also see increased volume in the small SUV segment, which for us is the RAV4," he added. "RAV4 as a percentage of our total TCUV volume was up to 8 percent, while other SUVs and light trucks actually contracted as a percentage of our total TCUV volume."
As far as the reasons for why some vehicles sell better than others, Cropper pointed to consumer demand and the effect of the changing dynamics the new-vehicle market is having on inventory on the certified side. …
Offering the perspective of Volkswagen, Rob Martin, CPO manager for VW sales operations, explained: "We continue to see strength in the Jetta and Passat, but we are also seeing the start of our newer model vehicles entering the CPO fleet, including Tiguan and Routan.
"This is encouraging and by having vehicles to sell in other segments, the Volkswagen brand hopes to continue our growth in market share," Martin continued. …

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Minivan Ratings | Minivan vs SUV | Best Minivan Deals

Monthly Car Lease

Minivan vs SUV

By the time my oldest child entered high school, my wife and I had really grown tired of driving a minivan around town. We had just assumed that we had outgrown Minivans. We stopped buying them after trading in the 2000 model Chevrolet Venture in 2007. … We seemed too old for it.

I believe that a great deal of us feel this way as we get into our late 30s or 40s and are no longer lugging strollers, walkers, bikes, carriers and toddler toys wherever we go. So, while the feeling is mutual, is the disdain for minivans rational from a practical standpoint? The next logical progression for a parent who has seeming outgrown minivans is of course, the SUV. While I loved the Hyundai Veracruz SUV that we leased for two years, I had a hard time justifying the extra cost of the all-wheel drive and diminished gas mileage. What I do miss, however, is the extra cargo and passenger space the Veracruz provided.

Passenger and cargo room are certainly things you get from a minivan and they are great on vacations. Now that the kids are grown, perhaps you enjoy road trips and are realizing how convenient it would be to have two automatic sliding doors for easily lifting your cooler and luggage items in and out of your vehicle? Or, perhaps you'd like to throw a bike in back and still have room for the dog? The truth of the matter is that there is pretty much nothing an SUV can do that a Minivan cannot do.

… It really amazes me how many people will pay good money for an SUV with front wheel drive only. There is definitely some psychological materialism involved in the decision to buy a vehicle that looks like an SUV, but is more expensive and less practical than a Minivan. So, with the high popularity of SUVs, you might expect to find better leasing and financing offers for them. This is not the case.

Best Minivan Deals

Minivans have gotten better. Dual sliding doors are practically standard on most models and the seats are designed in such a way they either fold down into the floor board or cleverly flat in such a way you can turn them into great cargo haulers. Also, most of them produce good power and reasonable gas mileage.

I was happy to see that Toyota, Honda, Chrysler, Mazda and Volkswagen ALL have attractive offers on their Minivan models, whether it's a Lease or a Low-Interest Loan. Chrysler, for example has 60 month 0% APR / 72 month 1.9% APR specials on the popular Town and Country. Nothing, however, beats the 2010 Volkswagen Routan which can be purchased at 0% APR, Nothing Down for up to 72 Months. That is a sensational value. The VW Routan is a actually designed by Chrysler, then modified by VW to give it a sleeker appearance and sportier, more euro-like handling on the road. I think it looks pretty cool. Who says a Mini-Van cannot be sexy?

The oddball of the bunch is probably the Mazda 5 which is really more of a compact minivan with smaller engine and seating capacity. All Minivans seat 7 or 8 passengers, but the Mazda 5 only seats 6.

I have sorted out the best lease specials and 0% or low APR finance offers and listed them below in order from 1 - 6. These ratings are based on the return in value for the monthly payment. Leasing the Toyota or Honda certainly offers the lower payment, but there is no equity at the end of the term. As we mentioned in prior Lease vs Buy Car articles,  it's hard to beat a 0% or 1.9% 60/72 Month Finance Deal. So, before you make up your mind on a Minivan vs SUV, consider these 6 Special Purchase and Leasing Offers below.

Minivan Ratings

Mini Van                  Term  Payment
1 2010 Volkswagen Routan S 
                            72   $368.00   Buy at 0% for 72 Months (Good for all Models)
2 2010 Chrysler Town & Country

                                60   $422.00
Buy at 0% APR for 60 or 1.9% for 72 Months

    3 2010 Honda Odyssey LX

                                36   $249.00
36 Month Lease with $1999 Down


4 2011 Toyota Sienna LE 8 Passenger
                                36     $279
36 Month Lease with $2999 Down

5 2010 Kia Sedona LX 7 Passenger
                                60   $455.00
Buy at 2.9% APR for 60 Months


6 2010 Mazda 5 Sport Automatic
                                36   $299.00
36 Month Lease with $2894 Down

Chrysler dealers praise new, upgraded models, CEO

As said here many times before, the Routan is the Town & Country Chrysler should have built all along.

Image via Wikipedia

detnews.com | The Detroit News

Alisa Priddle / The Detroit News

Chrysler Group LLC's product renewal starts now, in a game of catch-up that coincides with the slow rebound of the industry.


Perhaps the biggest area of upgrades is in the passenger compartments, where hard plastic and cheap-looking interiors will be replaced by softer, higher-quality materials, visually appealing instrument panels and gauges, more-comfortable seats and steering wheels with integrated controls.

Image via WikipediaUpdated minivans also were shown Tuesday. The interior of the Town & Country is "so much better," said Hall. Some of the credit goes to the fact the Windsor, Ontario, plant also makes the VW Routan, and Chrysler "saw what VW was using and how to do it." The Dodge Grand Caravan was referred to as the "man van" to distinguish the two.

"I think the design changes will put the minivans back ahead of the competition," said Ken Lewenza, president of the Canadian Auto Workers. "For the last four or five years, we cheaped out. No more cheap plastic."

Image via Wikipedia

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The Five Most Discounted Cars - The Car Connection

The Car Connection

By Sean Tucker Contributor September 10th, 2010
Five thousand dollars off.  Seven thousand dollars off.  Twelve thousand dollars off.
They may sound ridiculous, but these figures are actually just the jumping off points for negotation on a handful of cars this month. Customer incentives and factory-to-dealer incentives (when the automaker provides the dealer with a bonus for selling the car -- which you can work into negotiations, knowing the dealership will get that money once you sign) lower the prices of some cars by thousands before you even begin discussions with a dealer.
While most cars are discounted slightly this summer, thanks to a slow economy keeping auto sales lower than expected, some are discounted much more heavily than others.  Our pricing partners at TrueCar.com have helped us to find the most heavily discounted cars--and there's more variety to the list than we had expected.  There may well be something in your price range.

2009 BMW M6
Enlarge Photo
BMW M6 -- $12,500 off
BMW has announced the end of production for the 6-Series, and the tuned version put out by the M division goes out with it.  …They're extraordinary cars, powered by a V10 that won the International Engine of the Year award twice -- and they've never been cheaper.

Infiniti launches the 2008 QX56 SUV
Enlarge Photo
Infiniti QX56 -- $7,000 off
… Rumors have suggested several times in the last year that Infiniti will cancel its huge QX56 SUV soon.  The company has denied the move each time, but it is having a hard time selling the big, ultra-luxury 'ute in today's economy.  …
2010 Chevrolet Impala
Enlarge Photo
Chevy Impala -- $5,000 off
Though it's a historically great nameplate, the current Chevrolet Impala is simply outshone by most of its large car rivals -- the Ford Taurus takes the prize in that class.  …

2009 Volkswagen Routan comes with college tuition voucher
Enlarge Photo
Volkswagen Routan --  $5,000 off
Volkswagen isn't known for heavy rebates, but the Routan is a special case.  Essentially a Chrysler Town & Country with a few exterior and interior modifications and a mildly-reworked suspension, the Routan has never really appealed to VW's core audience of buyers looking for upscale European models without BMW price tags.  [DMW note—VW is apealing to the under-30 generation, and more Routan owners are under-30 than any other vehicle except VW’s own Jetta.] In order to sell them, the company …rebates of up to $5,000.   …

2010 Volvo XC70
Enlarge Photo
Volvo XC70 -- $5,000 off
…  The XC70 has always been an ever-so-slightly raised V70 with all-wheel-drive, and the company plans to continue importing it.  It has all the utility Volvo wagon fans love, and it's a better fit for many families in the snow belt.  Still, Volvo is having trouble selling them next to more attractive XC60s, so the 70 is available at a substantial discount.

The Voice of Reason Regarding a VW Commercial

Image via WikipediaI have commented a number of times about the "Slug-Dub" commercials and the ire they trigger in some people. Some people just spit out their strained peas when they saw people hitting others while a Routan drove by and the theme from "The Andy Griffith Show" played.

Image via WikipediaThe response of some is as if Volkswagen is a vestige of the Third Reich attempting the Fourth Reich by instilling the spirit of fascism in America. For the record, it was Mussolini and the Italians who were Fascists--never mind VW, watch out that Fiat doesn't corrupt America through Chrysler! The Third Reich was the invention of the National Socialists under Hitler. I never meant to bring politics into this, but if you listen to the Tea Party, Obama is trying to nationalize socialism here. How ironic, since the Nazis looked down on those of African descent as much as Little Rock and Montgomery did in the 1950s.

For those who are counting, I apologize that I can't work in Stalin, the Yugo and Bosnia, the Hutus and Tutsis, or General Tojo who supported Mitsubishi and the parent companies of Mazda, Suzuki, and Subaru. I can only offend so many people or car companies at a time.

The real reason for this blog entry is the reaction generated by this Volkswagen Jetta commercial:


Jason S. Harry, professional truck driver/blogger posted When Special Interest "Shoot the Gap" . The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has posted a comment on their Facebook page taking umbrage to this commercial and allowing others to vent their spleen. Jason takes a very reasoned view of the VW vs Safety vs Professional Drivers vs OOIDA issue, and comes to the conclusion that the majority of viewers would not assume that VW was instructing people to drive dangerously. Unfortunately, the majority of commenters seem to want to send a blitzkrieg against Wolfsburg (ironic because blitzkrieg was a German-named tactic and the advertizing agency is based in New York and Los Angeles) for having the audacity to show something that 1% of all drivers have never thought of doing and how the vilified professional driver will get the blame.

Jason makes some very good comments about the responses OOIDA receives. I'm sure he's indicating that the majority of professional drivers are not as knee-jerk as the commenters, just as the majority of Jetta (or any other 4-wheeler) drivers are not so brain dead as to pull a stunt to deliberately put 3 vehicles and their occupants in peril.

It occurs to me that the highways would be a safer place if we could put all the knee-jerkers and brain dead 4-wheelers in one room (the Superdome would be adequate, I think) so that they could act out their own nationally socialistic fascism upon the each other. The winner gets to clean up the mess.

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Kelley Blue Book Review

Volkswagen Vans - Different Options To Choose From

Volkswagen Vans offers three different vans options to choice from. They all have style and great performance as rated by the customers that have purchased them.

kokobware.net

Volkswagen EuroVan

Image via WikipediaFrom 1993 to 2003 Volkswagen manufactured the Eurovan. Earlier versions has a low power engine but thee Volkswagen Vans changed it because of customer demand. All models came stand with air conditioning, power windows, and power door locks. They also had driver and passenger side airbags. This can be found at dealerships that sell used vehicles or from individual owners. Overall customers who purchased this van have loved it especially the later models.

Volkswagen Routan

Image via WikipediaThe first year of making this van was in 2009.  It is a seven passenger van that offers a lot for a busy family. The Routan is built just like the Dodge Caravan and the Town and Country by Chrysler. Actually the are all made at the same plant in Canada. This van has a European feel to it. It is still very stylish and full of features. This van has room for seven passengers and all their stuff. The Volkswagen Vans Routan has thirteen cup holders, this alone can almost decide if you may want to purchase this van. Plus there is a third row fold in the floor seat. Additionally included in all models are rear and front 12V power outlets for all your gadgets charging needs.

Volkswagen Vanagon

Image via WikipediaThis van was manufactured from 1988 to 1991. There were several versions to choose from during that time span. You had  the standard Vanagon, Vanagon GL, GL Camper, Carat,  Multivan, and finally the Wolfsburg Limited Edition. They all came with a 2.1 liter engine. These vans were considered the ultimate family vehicles with carpeting , air conditioning, front bucket seats, and a padded instrument panel. Most owners of these vehicles are in love with them. They are no manufactured any longer but can be found at used car dealers or purchased from previous owners.

No matter what you are looking for Volkswagen Vans has designed a van that can fit the needs of your family. Compare the models side by side. New or used you will not be disappointed by either vehicle.

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Baby This and That

A Creative Leak

Katie asked in the comments somewhere when I'm due, …
I'm due around Nov 3. If you ask me in person I'll say around Halloween. And the oldest daughter around here has a birthday the day before Halloween. So she's concerned.
What if I'm in the hospital on her birthday? Who will make her a cake? What about having a birthday party? All the attention is going to be on the baby and not on her birthday. Yes, she's said it. I cringe - but at the same time I applaud her honesty.
Cakes out of the freezer taste delicious. I'm sure she'll get a fabulous birthday cake. I've tried to assure her that she'll always be special and we won't forget her birthday. …
Maybe when the time comes, she'll change her tune a little. Maybe that depends on how close their birthdays are.
Moving on... someone took my picture the other day. I usually move out of range when the camera comes out. …
And in other preparations for Baby... we bought a minivan. A Volkswagen Routan. It's nice. It's comfortable. The kids like having more space than they had in the CRV. They still load up their more space with Stuff.

Driving it feels kind of like driving the Pilot. … One nice thing is the doors stay locked until the driver opens his/her door. One thing that bothers me a little is that the radio stays on until the driver opens his/her door. It's the little things in life I guess.

Here they make the VW symbol with their fingers. Some with more dexterity than others.
Posted by joanna at 5:13 AM

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Routan YTD August, 2010 Sales

This is not an official release from Volkswagen of America.

Volkswagen is not discontinuing the Routan. We will see how the current management positions the Routan--the van is frequently tied to the departed CEO Stefan Jacoby. However, the Routan's market share is in line with targets set at its introduction. See the article Get It Straight--the Routan Is a Phenomenal Seller on this blog for a discussion why the Routan would not be discontinued because of sales numbers.

Research by Truecar.com indicates that 23.3% of Routan owners are younger than 35. Only the Volkswagen GTI has more owners under 35 in the U.S. at 23.4%. It would appear that Gen Y views the Routan as the best choice if they have to drive a minivan. Once they buy it, they seem to love it, as seen by their entries on blogs and Twitter.

On February 6, 2008, Associated Press reported, in part: "[Volkswagen of America President and CEO Stefan] Jacoby said the minivan market still is approaching 1 million vehicles a year, and Volkswagen would like to capture 3 to 5 per cent of that." Jacoby has since left the company to go to Volvo, but the Routan is still doing what they expected it to do.

PRNewswire published the August and YTD sales figures of the auto-makers who sell in the U.S. From these reports, we glean the following data:

Brand YTD - 08/10
Chrysler   78,492
Dodge      66,897
Honda      71,584
Kia        15,511
Mazda      11,756
Nissan        173 (discontinued)
Toyota     62,211
Volkswagen 11,333


Total     317,788



Volkswagen's market share of van sales is 3.57%, up from July and still in the range Volkswagen of America was aiming for. This is, by the way, nearly twice their overall market share.