Jonathan Browning has been replaced as CEO of Volkswagen Group of America with Michael Horn, most recently head of the brand's after-sales division and the former head of VW in Europe, according to the Associated Press.
VW says Browning is leaving "for personal reasons and returning to the U.K." And it's a shame, because Browning has always come across as a nice, smart guy in a tough business.
But the sales numbers this year have been undeniable: Volkwagen Group, comprising VW, Audi and Bentley, has seen its sales dip 0.6% through the first 11 months of the year compared to last year, according to Autodata. That alone might not sound like a terrible record unless it is weighed against overall industry sales in the U.S. that have risen 8.4% over the same period.
The VW brand alone is down more than 5% while its top Japanese rivals are up.
Also, there were VW's lofty predictions. At one point, VW was predicting it would boost its sales volume in the U.S. from 324,400 in 2011 to 800,000 by 2018. As of last month, it had 517,886 for the year, Autodata says.
Last year, Browning told the Detroit Free Press: "We need a core of products to drive our volume."
VW successfully introduced a new Passat sedan that sold at a lower price and was aimed at making the brand a bigger player in the midsize segment.
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