Photo: KSP via electrek.co
You have to love a brand with self-confidence and a sense of humor. Volkswagen is new to the electric car game, but it’s already confident in that it will take over the market, obliterating competition.
Last month, Volkswagen started production on the 2020 ID.3, a compact hatchback with plenty of whistles and a relatively small price. Also last month, Tesla won several industry awards in Switzerland, including Car of the Year 2020.
Electrek reports that a 12-member jury awarded the title to Tesla for its Model 3, while Tesla also took home Favorite Car of the Swiss and The Greenest Car in Switzerland. Because VW doesn’t have an electric car out yet, it wasn’t even in the competition, let alone in the top 3.
But that’s not to say it didn’t find a way to insert itself into the conversation, in the most tongue-in-cheek manner. The same media outlet notes that VW took out a paid print ad in 2 publications, Schweizer’s Illustrierte and L’Illustré, seemingly to congratulate Tesla. Before you go all mushy inside, don’t: this wasn’t exactly a congratulatory message as it was a veiled threat.
“Swiss car of the year 2020. Was it too easy, Tesla?” the ad reads, next to the photo of the ID.3. “Dear Tesla Model 3, I congratulate you on winning. Next year’s competition will be stronger. See you next year. Greetings from the ID.3.”
In other words, aw, you’re cute for winning this year, but only because you had no real competition. That’ll change in the year to come.
That Volkswagen is confident in the first model from the ID family is not a secret, and this seems to confirm it. Automakers rarely pick up public fights with competitors like this, because the potential risk of having it blow up in their face is too big. Just think of it, in real life, too, you don’t go bragging about besting someone unless you’ve done your research and you know for a fact that you can. Otherwise, you would look like a fool when you fail and the entire world would know it.
Does Volkswagen seem foolish to you?
Electrek reports that a 12-member jury awarded the title to Tesla for its Model 3, while Tesla also took home Favorite Car of the Swiss and The Greenest Car in Switzerland. Because VW doesn’t have an electric car out yet, it wasn’t even in the competition, let alone in the top 3.
But that’s not to say it didn’t find a way to insert itself into the conversation, in the most tongue-in-cheek manner. The same media outlet notes that VW took out a paid print ad in 2 publications, Schweizer’s Illustrierte and L’Illustré, seemingly to congratulate Tesla. Before you go all mushy inside, don’t: this wasn’t exactly a congratulatory message as it was a veiled threat.
“Swiss car of the year 2020. Was it too easy, Tesla?” the ad reads, next to the photo of the ID.3. “Dear Tesla Model 3, I congratulate you on winning. Next year’s competition will be stronger. See you next year. Greetings from the ID.3.”
In other words, aw, you’re cute for winning this year, but only because you had no real competition. That’ll change in the year to come.
That Volkswagen is confident in the first model from the ID family is not a secret, and this seems to confirm it. Automakers rarely pick up public fights with competitors like this, because the potential risk of having it blow up in their face is too big. Just think of it, in real life, too, you don’t go bragging about besting someone unless you’ve done your research and you know for a fact that you can. Otherwise, you would look like a fool when you fail and the entire world would know it.
Does Volkswagen seem foolish to you?
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