Volkswagen Brazil is being forced to sell its Fox range without an infotainment screen due to the semiconductor crisis. For those not familiar with the product, the Fox is the South American arm’s entry level product that employs the groups PQ24 platform, as used on the fourth-generation Polo.
As Motor1 investigates, the multimedia system has been removed as an option on the Fox’s configurator which Volkswagen Brazil accredits to the ongoing semiconductor supply crunch. As a result, a plastic cover has been applied to the dashboard where one would have found a 6,5-inch infotainment display connected to four speakers and two tweeters. The speakers remain in the car, regardless.
Volkswagen Brazil further confirms that as a result, the Fox has benefited from a reduction in purchase price. The brand further clarifies that customers may purchase a separate infotainment system from its dealer network and retrofit it to the dashboard and speakers.
The timing of this crisis is rather unfortunate as the Fox is scheduled to be discontinued along with the slightly larger Voyage sedan within the coming months.
In base Connect trim, the Fox now boasts a purchase price of R$61 690 (approximately R174 000). Included in this is a multipoint injection naturally aspirated 1,6-litre four-cylinder engine that delivers 77 kW and 153 N.m of torque sent to the fronts via a five-speed manual gearbox. This grants it a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 10,9 seconds and a top speed of 181 km/h.
While the infotainment system is lacking, the Fox is sold with keyless entry, cruise control, electronic brake distribution and air conditioning with dust and pollen filter. The Xtreme faux-crossover derivative boasts a bit more of a conclusive standard features list both inside and out but lacks the screen as well.
Volkswagen is one of many manufacturers that have suffered at the hands of the semiconductor crisis with some factories in Europe being forced into halting production to manage the strain on its operations.
