VW may kill Jetta, Taycan, 718 among 10

Volkswagen is weighing the elimination of up to 10 models across its brands as part of a sweeping cost-cutting plan, according to a report from the outlet. The automaker, facing a financial crisis that has already prompted talk of cutting half its lineup and 100,000 jobs by 2030, is now reportedly working from a “concrete list of discontinued models.” The common thread among the cars on that list is simple: they aren’t profitable enough.

The cars span the Volkswagen Group empire, from economy hatchbacks to luxury crossovers and high-performance sports cars. By not developing successors for these vehicles, the outlet estimates VW could save roughly $7.4 billion by 2031. If earlier reports about cutting 50% of the total lineup prove accurate, many more models could join that roster later.

Jetta and the end of the sedan era

At the Volkswagen brand itself, the Jetta sedan and the Taos crossover are reportedly slated for elimination. The Jetta has been in production for nearly 40 years, but the broader shift away from sedans has made it hard to justify keeping it alive.

Reports also indicate the base-level Golf could return to the U.S. market, which would make the Jetta somewhat redundant there. The electric ID 5 — the coupe-styled version of the ID 4 — is also said to be on the chopping block.

Over at Audi, the cuts are less dramatic but still significant. Reporters indicate the Q5 Sportback and the Q6 E-Tron Sportback, both crossover coupes that are relatively new products, will likely be dropped. There is also word that the A1 Sportback and Q2 could disappear.

Other non-U.S. brands are affected too. The Cupra Raval EV is reportedly expected to last only a single generation. The Skoda Fabia, which has been on sale for roughly 30 years, is also set to end production — a more surprising move given its long history.

Porsche takes some of the deepest cuts

The most painful losses for driving enthusiasts are likely to come from Porsche. The slow-selling Taycan EV will die once its current generation runs its course. The combustion-powered Cayenne Coupe is also about to be phased out.

But the hardest blow may be the cancellation of the gas-powered 718 Boxster and Cayman, which were originally planned to complement their electric versions. The plan for the next-generation 718s has bounced between all-electric, both powertrains, gas-only, and back again. The article makes no mention of the 718 EV siblings being killed, so those may still go ahead — for now.

What is curious about the lineup is what’s not on it. Bentley and Lamborghini are expected to face no material changes.

Those brands have small lineups and high profit margins, so there’s less pressure to cut them, though Lamborghini did scrap its Lanzador EV and Bentley abandoned its plan to go all-electric by 2035. It is worth wondering whether the sheer speed of this planning means some models that get the axe now could return later if market conditions shift, but for the moment the group appears committed to paring down.

The Volkswagen Group that emerges in the 2030s will look very different from the one on the road today.

Time will tell exactly how different.