VW Newsroom: VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES RETURN OF GOLF NAMEPLATE FOR U.S. MARKET

Just the final nail in the coffin for the Rabbit. Already disclosed some days ago, this release seals the Rabbit's fate here in the U.S. Honestly, I wondered about the genius of such a move back in 2006. In a fit of nostalgia, I looked up the April 12, 2006 post I had on the name change and came away with this gem of a quote:

“The reintroduction of the Rabbit represents Volkswagen’s commitment to this market and is a nod to the passionate North American enthusiasts who have an emotional connection with the Rabbit name,” said Volkswagen’s Director of Brand Innovation, Kerri Martin, “Volkswagen customers want a relationship with their cars. Names like The Thing, Beetle, Fox, and Rabbit support this,”

Let's contrast that statement, with the new one that VW made today:

Volkswagen of America, Inc. welcomes back the Golf nameplate with the arrival of the sixth generation Golf.

“The Golf is an iconic nameplate for the Volkswagen Brand and it is known throughout the world,” said Mark Barnes, COO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “The Golf is Volkswagen’s best selling global nameplate with more than 26 million units sold in over 120 countries.”

“Making the change back to Golf is an important step in realigning with our global heritage” Barnes added.

VW Newsroom: VOLKSWAGEN ANNOUNCES RETURN OF GOLF NAMEPLATE FOR U.S. MARKET