DETROIT — I’ve been to a slew of auto shows in Toronto, Tokyo, China and here in Detroit.
But at today’s Volkswagen press conference in Motor City, on the stage where automakers typically get an easy ride as they show off their newest hunks of shining metal, VW executives sounded less enthused about their products and more attentive to their apologies.
Last year was a nightmare for the German automaker.
After word got out that Volkswagen lied to regulators about emissions on some of its diesel vehicles, the company replaced its CEO, apologized for what happened and promised to make amends.
Early Monday morning in Detroit, VW North America President Michael Horn repeated that message.
“We want to make it right in the American way,” he told an audience of hundreds of journalists, industry watchers and competitors watching him from the floor of Cobo Hall on media day at the North American International Auto Show.
Horn told the audience that Volkswagen is launching an extensive (and expensive) media advertising campaign to makeover its image and showcase the products he said consumers have valued for years.
But whether you think Volkswagen’s deception was or wasn’t a big deal (I’ve met many in the industry who say the substance of VW’s false claims were not substantial) there’s no denying the company got caught red-handed manipulating the truth.
And it’s not easy to snap your fingers and get your reputation back.
The man promoted to steer Volkswagen after the diesel debacle is Matthias Mueller, the trim, white-haired 62-year-old former head of Porsche.
Not called on to speak at the Detroit press conference, I pushed past other reporters, caught up with Mueller and began asking questions about the company’s position.
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O’Shea: Why is it so important to apologize for what Volkswagen did?
Mueller: We did a huge default and we stick to that and I think it’s polite to say excuse us on behalf of Volkswagen and we are looking forward to the future and we have to win back the trust of our customers. We are doing that today and tomorrow and the day after tomorrow and then we will be looking forward to a great future.
O’Shea: What is so different about this new Volkswagen?
Mueller: We will change our behaviour, our structures, our rules, our processes.
O’Shea: How many apologies will it take before people believe you?
Mueller: I suppose we should close that issue as soon as possible, thank you.
But it won’t be that easy, and Volkswagen knows 2016 will be another challenging year.
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