Stop having babies: Volkswagen asks Chrysler to stop building Routan for a month

Posted: Jan 30, 2009
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Well it seems like people listened to Brooke Shields when she said not to have babies for the sole purpose of purchasing a Volkswagen Routan. According to The Windsor Star, in a letter posted on CAW Local 44′s website, workers this week will not be building the Routan minivan when they return to work on Feb 2.

Local 444 president Rick Laporte said that Volkswagen has asked Chrysler Canada to stop building the Routan, which is based on the Chrysler Town and Country, due to an inventory build-up. The Windsor Assembly has been pumping out about 300 Routans per day for Volkswagen in the past five months. About 29,000 Routans have been put into V-dub dealerships.

However, Volkswagen only sold 3,387 copies of the model in 2008 and just 899 in December alone.

Guess the Routan Boom has come to an end.

2009 Volkswagen Routan:

 Volkswagen Routan  Volkswagen Routan  Volkswagen Routan  Volkswagen Routan  Volkswagen Routan    

 

Source: The Windsor Star (via KickingTires)


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  • Emro

    at least all the dealerships now have their new customer shuttles…

  • zermatt

    And I thought that a Routan was part of the equipment used for colonoscopies.

    The van in the picture looks like it would be about as fun to drive as a colonoscopy . Maybe Routan is a good name after all.

  • Pat

    I saw the Routan in person recently…not a bad looking minivan…although it's still a Chrysler Town & Country

  • steveo

    watz up with the 'German Engineering' bit in the commercial? There is nothing German in the Routan other than a mild face lift and V-dub interior, the car is as American as apple pie. This reminds me of the old saying 'beauty is only skin deep but uglyness is to the bone” The Routan is and always will be a Chrysler minivan, there is not even a VW engine in the car!

  • Emro

    at least all the dealerships now have their new customer shuttles…

  • zermatt

    And I thought that a Routan was part of the equipment used for colonoscopies.

    The van in the picture looks like it would be about as fun to drive as a colonoscopy . Maybe Routan is a good name after all.

  • Pat

    I saw the Routan in person recently…not a bad looking minivan…although it's still a Chrysler Town & Country

  • steveo

    watz up with the 'German Engineering' bit in the commercial? There is nothing German in the Routan other than a mild face lift and V-dub interior, the car is as American as apple pie. This reminds me of the old saying 'beauty is only skin deep but uglyness is to the bone” The Routan is and always will be a Chrysler minivan, there is not even a VW engine in the car!