- VW ID Buzz buyers overwhelmingly want two-tone cars.
- Single-color units of the Buzz are harder to sell in the U.S. than dual-color, according to VW’s senior VP of sales.
- The automaker is incentivizing dealers to move cars by paying for half the cost to wrap them in a fun color.
The Volkswagen ID Buzz is a fun magnet. The quirky little ball of nostalgia isn’t particularly practical, but by golly it’s a head-turner. Well, in the right configuration, that is.
The suits in Wolfsburg recently realized that the two-tone paint scheme has Buzz buyers in a chokehold. In fact, the dual-color variants are selling so well that VW is even incentivizing dealers to split the cost of a wrap to help move more volume of the eccentric electric bus.
Photo by: Suvrat Kothari
Hein Schafer, Senior VP of sales in the U.S. for Volkswagen, says that single-color Buzz models have a hard time selling when up against the two-tone variants. And we can clearly see why: it’s a fun car that deserves a fun exterior.
VW currently offers eight dual-tone colors for the Buzz from the factory. Three of those color choices are monochromatic color combinations (black or a shade of gray), but the rest are colorful and full of life. However, if you opt to be vanilla and go with one of VW’s three solid single-color choices, you’ll be choosing from a monochromatic-only palette: black, white, and silver. Yawn.
Here’s the thing, though. Production restrictions of the Buzz have resulted in more solid colors being shipped across the pond to U.S. dealers. And as VW has figured out, that’s contributing to slower turn time for units on the lot.
Here’s what Schafer told Automotive News about the paint color affecting the sales:
“The single-tone vehicle doesn’t sell as quick as the two-tone car,” Schafer said.
Production restrictions in Germany meant VW of America had to take more single-tone vehicles in either white, black or silver, Schafer said. The automaker partnered with a wrap provider and is offering dealers an incentive to turn single-tone vehicles into two-tones, Schafer noted.
One VW retailer said a wrap to turn a single-tone ID Buzz into a two-tone costs shoppers about $3,000. The dealer then applies for the incentive and is paid $1,500 by VW.
“As soon as the dealers dress them up and wrap them, we see them moving again,” Schafer said.
Schafer didn’t say how much longer the more boring Buzz colors sit on the lot, but I’m sure that’s not the only thing that is contributing to slower sales times. It’s not like folks are chomping at the bit to buy a Buzz thanks to the van’s lackluster specs and high price tag. Once the initial hype died down, VW stocked up its dealers in the Western U.S. with enough Buzzies to satisfy demand that will slowly trickle eastward.
As a Redditor put it: “They need to wrap it in a decent battery with 300-mile range in AWD mode.”
Personally, I think the Buzz is awesome. Sure, it’s not the longest-range EV. It’s not the fastest or cheapest, either. Hell, it’s even one of the models responsible for helping to drive up the average transaction price of the entire EV segment. But that doesn’t make it a dull vehicle—unless, of course, you go with a grayscale color.
Folks are personalizing the EV out the wazoo. From fancy stripes to VW harlequin tributes, Gulf livery and swanky ’70s-era flower power wraps. I’m going to be real: it’s cool to see folks excited about owning a VW again. It’s been a while since the Vee-Dub era of customization has had everyday owners turning into enthusiasts. So I, for one, welcome this trend back.
