With the Jetta accounting for 40% of VW's North American sales last year, getting the new version right is hugely important for the company — especially in its current state of business dispepsis. As for the Jetta's wagon version, it seems the folks at Volks are taking their time to create a distinctive new generation, rather than kicking out a hastily rebodied version of the sedan.
VW executives recently admitted to Reuters that they have no idea when the wagon will be launched. Estimates vary from late 2006, with the first models arriving in early 2007, to a longer wait, possibly until 2008, to about five minutes before the Crab Nebula collapses in on itself. For one thing, a massive retooling effort is taking place at the company's Pueblo, Mexico plant, where all Golf models — North American and European versions alike — will now be built, along with the updated 2006 New Beetle. (European Golfs were formerly built in Wolfsburg.)
For another — and this is where things get interesting — the new wagon could be the long-awaited, all-wheel-drive "Crossgolf" that's been spotted several times in testing. Such a model would include 4Motion all-wheel drive (by Haldex) and a number of engine choices, including a 250hp 2.5-liter inline-five, the 2.0-liter FSI turbo inline-four, 100hp 1.9-liter TDI and 134hp 2.0-liter TDI.
To paraphrase Cheech and Chong, If they don't release it soon, we're gonna have to wait some more.
VW to Launch Jetta Wagon in 2007 or 2008 [Automobile.com]
Related:
Spy Photos: Cross Golf Spotted; Spy Photos: More on the Volkswagen CrossGolf; Volkswagen Releases First Pics of New Jetta; Volkswagen Could Produce Mild Hybrid Jetta; Volkswagen Jetta to Get GTI Power [internal]