And chants of “about time” were heard far and wide, as VW may finally make good on plans to launch a US-market pickup truck.
As Volkswagen faces increasingly turbulent competition in global markets, CEO Oliver Blume is pushing major restructuring efforts as the way forward. Earlier reports centered on what models and options it could cut from its portfolio. However, a new report from Reuters, citing German outlet Handelsblatt, notes VW could actually add a new pickup truck to its lineup as part of its revamped offerings.
More specifically, according to the reports, the automaker is planning to launch a new, US-built pickup truck before the end of the decade. Possibly as a move in that direction, VW is doing some executive shuffling in the process, moving Audi sales chief Marco Schubert over to the US to replace Kjell Gruner, who is leaving the company, as the new head of the company’s North American division.
To be sure, this isn’t the first time we’ve witnessed this potential story play out. Past versions have seen Volkswagen potentially tie-up with Ford on a new American-market truck, or bring its Amarok over to the US. The joint project on the current-generation Amarok, which is related to the midsize Ranger, has been fairly quiet as far as actually making it stateside these past few years. That door could finally open, or VW could decide to build a pickup on its own — that detail is currently unclear.
However the company goes about bringing a new truck to its US dealers, it will most likely assemble them at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant.
Over the past few years, Volkswagen has banked nearly all its fortunes in the American market on the Tiguan and Atlas SUVs. Even still, the brand saw an overall 13% drop in sales through 2025, though it has rebounded with the new Tiguan in 2026. Other models like the ID.4 and ID.Buzz are on ice after lackluster sales, while other models like the Jetta and Taos could see the chopping block as part of VW’s restructuring.
For the moment, Volkswagen is not offering an official comment on this report either confirming or denying its contents. That said, the midsize truck segment is a high-volume and high-margin segment, both of which Volkswagen needs to claw greater market share in North America in the coming years. As ever, as with past stories, we’ll have to wait and see. Among everything that usually makes its way through the rumormill, however, this one is fairly plausible.
