VW ID.Code Concept.
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The new ID. Code Concept is VW’s preview of its new design language for the Chinese market.
While it does look nice, modern, and very clean, it also looks very generic. Like so many Chinese designs these days. Besides the VW logo, it just looks like it could be from any of the dozens of current Chinese brands.
VW claims this is part of their new “In China, for China” strategy. And I guess that means having their cars look like Chinese cars from now on. Making your Chinese market models look like Chinese cars could seem like a smart idea, at first. Although VW tried that in the US. Over the years, they’ve been making their US offerings look and feel more and more like American cars and less and less like German ones. Which didn’t really work well.
I wonder if the result will be the same in China. It seems VW buyers are getting VW cars to get a “German car experience” in the first place. If that experience ends up being diluted to the point where no one can tell it’s not a Chinese car, wat’s the point?
It seems Volvo’s Chinese owner Geely understands this much better and has been making sure new Volvos still drive, feel, and look like European cars.
Maybe VW will achieve a similar level of comprehension one day…
isn’t CODE the emergency room term for a body that’s flatlined? Perfect for VW.