Do you know that certain products are born and die quickly. Other products seem to defy the product life cycle enduring for decades or even generations. Skillful product life cycle management can keep them fresh, relevant and appealing to customers. Here is an example of a long time market winner with plenty of staying power. Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule. In year 1949 the original Volkswagen Beetle came to America. With its simple bug-like design and economical operation, the Beetle was the antithesis of Detroit鈥檚 chrome-laden gas guzzlers. Young baby boomers in thousands were buying their first cars during 1960s. With this, the demand for the Beetle exploded and the anything-but-flashy Beetle blossomed. It became the most popular car in American history with sales peaking at 423,000 cars in 1968. However by the late 1970s the boomers had moved on, bug mania faded and Volkswagen dropped Beetle production for the US. Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule.
Several decades later Volkswagen decided to rekindle the life cycle of this little car and in 1998 they introduced a new Beetle. The reborn Beetle resembles the original, tapping the strong emotions and memories of times gone by. However the new Beetle is packed with all the modern features that car buyers demand such as four air bags, power outlets for cell phones, high-tech multi speaker stereo and other options like power windows, cruise control. A power sunroof makes it very different car than the old Bug. Initial advertising for the new Beetle played strongly on the car鈥檚 former life while at the same time refreshing the old Beetle heritage. One ad said 鈥淗ere is your chance to buy it back鈥? Another one said 鈥? to 60? 560 million to bring back the Beetle, paid big dividends as demand quickly outstripped supply. Even before the first car reached the Volkswagen showrooms, dealers across the country had long waiting lists of people who had paid for the car without ever seeing it. Even kids who were too young to remember the original Bug, loved the new one. Sales of new Beetle for the first nine months exceeded the projected sales for the first year by more than 25 percent. A trend analyst said 鈥渢he new Beetle is different, yet deeply familiar - a car for the times鈥? The success story of Valkswagen continues with the new Walkswagen Passat Car. Volkswagen has presented the new generation of one of the worlds most successful cars.
Mercedes-Benz debuted a redesigned G-Class SUV, significantly updating the interior with new technologies. The vehicles were made to climb steep ramps as flames shot up from the ground and confetti cannons blasted. As one finally stopped, Schwarzenegger emerged from a passenger seat. Ford unveiled its own nostalgic offering, showing off a new mid-sized Ranger pickup, redesigned and reintroduced to the North American market. It also offered a new sports trim of its Edge SUV, as well a third iteration of a "Bullitt" special edition of its Mustang sports car. Actor McQueen drove a 1968 Mustang in the thriller film "Bullitt," creating an indelible link between the car and American pop culture. His granddaughter Molly McQueen emerged from the latest special edition, comparing it favorably with the original. In a break from most of the big launches, Volkswagen highlighted a sedan, releasing its updated version of the Jetta, the German automaker's top-selling vehicle in the US. 18,545 won especially loud applause at a glitzy launch, and was a counterpoint to the pricey SUVs and trucks that can easily cost twice that amount and more. VW North American chief executive Hinrich Woebcken told reporters after the launch.
On the sidelines of the flashy announcements, industry insiders were taking a wait-and-see attitude toward talks to revamp the North American Free Trade Agreement, which has generated fears of huge tariffs on Mexican-made imports to the US. Negotiations have been ongoing for months at the insistence of US President Donald Trump, who has threatened to abandon the agreement if a beneficial deal is not struck. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. Ray Tanguay, automotive advisor to the Canadian government, highlighted his country's close ties to the Michigan car industry, and cautioned that losing NAFTA could cost American car buyers higher prices. Analysts were less certain about potential impacts. Cox Automotive economist Jonathan Smoke. 1.5 trillion in tax cuts were expected to be varied by region and income level. 150,000 a year, said Smoke. Highlighting the tax changes, which reduced corporate rates, Chao pointed to Fiat Chrysler's decision to move production of its Ram trucks from Mexico to an assembly plant near Detroit. 1 billion and add 2,500 jobs. But analysts said many households still don't have a clear sense of how much they will benefit from the complex changes to tax laws. Rebecca Lindland of Kelley Blue Book told AFP.
