Volkswagen streamlines model lineup: Which cars could disappear

The large SUV can no longer be newly configured. There are no indications of a new generation so far. The electric coupe-SUV also only sells in a small market niche and could be replaced in the future by an electric Tiguan. The family van rolled off the production line for the last time in April 2026.

In the long term, an electric successor could replace it; for now, the Passat and Caddy remain the most important family models with combustion engines. Although Volkswagen is increasingly focusing on small electric cars in Europe, the Polo with a petrol engine is still expected to be offered well into the 2030s. A diesel, however, will not return.

Audi: A1 and Q2 without successors, A8 facing an uncertain future

The cuts are equally significant at Audi. At the Ingolstadt-based company, the A1 and Q2 are already history and will not receive successors. Instead, an electric A2 e-tron is set to strengthen the entry-level segment in the future. According to industry experts, the Sportback versions of the Q3 and Q5 are also under review, as is the future of the luxury sedan A8.

There are also no current plans to bring back the already discontinued sports cars TT and R8. Going forward, Audi intends to focus more strongly on the US market and further expand its profitable SUV business. This noticeably shifts the brand strategy of the Ingolstadt-based company toward overseas markets and high-margin vehicle segments.

Cupra, Seat, and Škoda: Winners and losers within the group

Within the group, the young performance brand Cupra is considered a winner. With the new electric small car Raval, the next model is already poised for launch. By contrast, the now aging Cupra Ateca and the Cupra Leon could be dropped from the lineup. Experts consider it possible that Seat will position itself in the future as a budget volume brand with combustion engines and hybrid models – similar to Dacia. The group is pushing back against rumors of Seat's discontinuation.

Porsche: 911 stays, Taycan variants wobbling

At Škoda, the Scala is considered a possible candidate for discontinuation, while the Fabia and Kamiq could be replaced in the long term by the electric Epiq. At Porsche, on the other hand, the legendary 911 remains a guaranteed profit-maker. The future of individual Taycan versions such as the Cross Turismo and Sport Turismo is uncertain, however. The Panamera and the planned large electric SUV are also considered shaky candidates. The electric Cayenne Coupé, by contrast, is still too new, while the combustion-engine coupe could become dispensable in the long term.

Overall, it is becoming apparent that the Volkswagen Group will undertake a fundamental consolidation of its offering in the coming years. The reduction of variant diversity by three quarters is regarded internally as one of the most profound cuts in the company's recent history. Observers see the move as a necessary response to changed market conditions, but also as the end of an era in which automotive variety was still considered a competitive advantage.

Official announcements regarding individual model discontinuations are expected in the coming months. Industry observers expect that model lines with low production volumes or no electric perspective will be the first to be considered for discontinuation. In the medium to long term, the reduced lineup is likely to align the group with its new production target of around nine million vehicles per year.