Volkswagen T-Roc, Brand's Best-Selling Car In Europe, Hit By Production Pause

The lack of engine parts is forcing VW to halt production for several weeks.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Aug 31, 2023 at 2:43am ET

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Data compiled by market analysts at JATO and Dataforce put the T-Roc in first place in terms of sales among all Volkswagen models sold in Europe in the first half of 2023. Not only that, it was the most popular car overall on the Old Continent in July. So far this year, the compact crossover is comfortably ahead of the once-dominant Golf, which is rather shockingly nearly at the bottom of the top 10.

With that in mind, it's easy to imagine why VW isn't exactly thrilled to temporarily pause production of the T-Roc at the Autoeuropa factory located in Setubal in Portugal. The issue stems from a shortage of engine parts, according to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). The news agency got a hold of an internal memo sent to 5,000 workers at the plant located near Lisbon. The compact crossover – which also comes in a convertible body style – will go on a hiatus for several weeks, beginning at some point in the first half of September.

2022 Volkswagen T-Roc facelift

VW put together 231,100 T-Roc units last year and spy shots have revealed it's testing the second-generation model. The Wolfsburg-based automaker has gone on record to say the new T-Roc will be among the company's last new cars to offer combustion engines, along with the Passat that debuted this week. The next Tiguan coming later this year falls into the same category, along with the seven-set Tayron coming at a later date.

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DPA thinks other models will be hit by the parts shortages. It is believed floods in Slovenia have impacted a supplier that makes engine parts for the T-Roc. With the C-segment crossover utilizing the MQB platform underpinning many other VW Group products, there's a real risk other models could suffer the same fate.

The T-Roc's hatchback and wagon cousins, the Golf and Golf Variant, are expected to get a nip and tuck in 2024 when the equivalent Skoda Octavia will also go through a mid-cycle update. It's only a matter of time before the SEAT/Cupra Leon and Audi A3 will be facelifted as well.