SAIC Volkswagen Exports Chinese-Made Cars Under VW Badge
By Richy QiuInsightsVolkswagenSAICVolkswagenJettaUzbekistanChina AutoGlobal ExportJoint VentureAutomotive Strategy
SAIC Volkswagen just did something no joint venture has done before: it’s exporting Chinese-made cars under the Volkswagen badge — and VW China is running the show, not Wolfsburg. Last week in Tashkent, Volkswagen brand and Jetta brand officially entered the Uzbekistan market.
The launch event was attended by the German President and the Uzbek President. Two heads of state. This is the first time Volkswagen Brand China has independently managed an export market outside China. The initial lineup: Tiguan L Pro, Passat Pro, Teramont X, Teramont Pro, Tharu XR, Lavida XR — plus Jetta VS5 and VS7.
By year-end, SKD assembly begins at a partner facility in Tashkent, with annual capacity of 20,000 units and a dealer network scaling from 13 locations to 24 by 2028. Volkswagen Group is under pressure in Europe — capacity utilization issues, EV transition costs, margin compression.
In China, its JV operations face intense competition from domestic EV brands. Uzbekistan is the test case. If it works, the model scales. For global automotive strategists, this is worth tracking. The JV was invented to bring foreign technology into China.
