There’s a long interview this morning in a German business newspaper with the head of Scout Motors, and it is dense with information. Some of it is pretty well known, like that 87% of deposit holders opted for the extended-range hybrid. The fact that Scout is considering an IPO wasn’t, I believe, previously disclosed, although it makes sense. Most other outlets seem to be running with the IPO news, but The Morning Dump is more concerned with the vibes at Volkswagen Group of America. The vibes, the article alleges, are not good. A lack of compelling product, a bunch of losses, and leadership changes have taken a toll. Of course, Scout remains a potential bright spot, but that’s a quasi-separate company. The mood is probably better at the office of the California Attorney General after getting a large settlement from GM following the illegal release of driving behavior and information to third-party firms. Up the road in Fremont, I presume a sort of bittersweet feeling pervades as Tesla produces the last Model S and Model X models. The mother of all bummers has hit the Chinese market as higher gas prices haven’t resulted in enough electric car sales to counteract the drop in ICE-powered vehicles. Do Chinese consumer just not want to buy as many cars anymore? What Does Volkswagen Have To Be Excited About? I feel the strong need to preface every discussion of VW with the admission that there are numerous Volkswagen fans amongst our staff and readership, to say nothing of all the VWs that Jason and Mercedes own. Perhaps we’re collectively harder on the company’s decision-making because of this affection. Or, maybe, VW is just a mess. If you’re not a Handlesblatt subscriber, it’s a German business newspaper that’s sort of like The Wall Street Journal.