What’s in a reputation? Volkswagen, if the infamous automobile firm is to be believed, is hoping to seek out out.
The maker of the brand new ID.4 EV let slip, apparently by mistake, Monday that it supposed to rebrand its U.S. operations as “Voltswagen of America” in a nod to its goal of manufacturing 1.5 million electrical automobiles a 12 months by 2025.
Regardless of the proximity to April Fools’ Day and plenty of skepticism on-line, the automobile firm claimed the change is actual in a Tuesday press release.
“We may be altering out our Okay for a T, however what we aren’t altering is that this model’s dedication to creating best-in-class automobiles for drivers and folks in all places,” mentioned Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Voltswagen of America.
Even with the press launch, many see the whole factor as simply too… dumb to be actual.
“The announcement is combo of April Fools joke and the launch of a brand new advertising and marketing marketing campaign,” read one of the numerous such skeptical responses.
The extra I take into consideration “Voltswagen” the extra I feel that it’s the Fahrvergnügen of 2021.
The announcement is combo of April Fools joke and the launch of a brand new advertising and marketing marketing campaign
— Sam Abuelsamid (@samabuelsamid) March 30, 2021
Is that this Voltswagen factor actual or a piss-take?
— chris harris (@harrismonkey) March 30, 2021
We reached out to Volkswagen straight by way of electronic mail to find out its response to folks blowing this rebrand off as an early April Fools’ joke. We additionally tried to get the corporate to substantiate, to us straight, that that is actual.
We acquired no instant response.
There was a right away response, nonetheless, to the corporate’s official announcement on Twitter.
“Right here for the inevitable ratio,” learn one reply. “It is a rubbish thought.”
Right here for the inevitable ratio. It is a rubbish thought.
— Stef Schrader (@stefthepef) March 30, 2021
“I feel we’re taking a look at an IHOB scenario right here…” read another, referring to the nice IHOb debacle — whereby IHOP briefly modified its identify to IHOb in a branding stunt — of 2018.
Whether or not this seems to be an early April Fools’ joke or a real rebranding effort to exhibit Volkswagen’s dedication to electrical automobiles, it would actually fail to drown out the affiliation many shoppers have of the corporate — one which includes lying about emissions and poisoning the world within the course of.