Karmann Won’t be Building 2011 VW Golf Cabriolet

As if things weren’t troublesome enough for German contract manufacturer Karmann after it ended production of the Chrysler Crossfire last year and the forthcoming termination of the Audi A4 Convertible this autumn and the Mercedes-Benz CLK Cabriolet in 2009, German newspaper “Handelsblatt” is reporting that VW has given them a big fat “nein” in concern of the 2011 Golf Cabriolet.

Karman has built every single previous generation Golf Cabriolet -some 675,000 units altogether. Like many other carmakers in Europe, VW has decided to take production of niche vehicles into its own hands, leaving contract manufacturers such as Heuliez, Bertone and Karmann struggling to find replacement business. According to company insiders, the new Golf Cabriolet will make its market debut about a year after the hatchback versions of the new Golf are introduced in Europe in early 2009.