A new facility at San Francisco Bay’s Port of Benicia will support distribution of vehicles to Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley and Porsche dealers.
by Staff
February 22, 2018
2 min to read
The Port of Benicia on San Francisco Bay is the home of a new facility supporting vehicle delivery to Northern California Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley and Porsche dealers. Photo courtesy Volkswagen Group of America
SAN FRANCISCO — Volkswagen Group of America has begun delivering vehicles through a port of entry in Northern California that’s expected to improve vehicle delivery times in the area, the company announced.
The company has opened a $1.3 million investment in a facility at the Port of Benicia, a privately operated port at the head of San Francisco Bay that’s owned by APS West Coast, Inc. AMPORTS, a leader in the vehicle processing industry, operates the terminal facilities.
Ad Loading...
Volkswagen’s facility will support 81 Volkswagen, Audi, Bentley, and Porsche dealers in northern California. The company is creating 38 new jobs.
Volkswagen-branded vehicles imported through the facility include the long wheelbase 2018 Tiguan, e-Golf, 2019 Jetta compact sedan, and 2019 Arteon four-door coupe that debuted in February. Audi vehicles imported will include the A4, A5 Sportback, Audi Q5, and Audi Q7.
“In utilizing the Port of Benicia, we will be able to bring Audi, Bentley and Volkswagen products closer to our California customers and provide enhanced customer service in this key market,” said Anu Goel, Volkswagen’s executive vice president for aftersales and services.
The 645-acre facility provides 140,000 square feet of vehicle processing facilities, and is expected to process 42,000 vehicles in its first year and 220,000 vehicles over the next five years. A distribution facility the company has operated at the Port of San Diego since 1990 currently supports more than 160 Volkswagen and Audi dealers in the western U.S.
Building on a previously announced $26 billion U.S. investment, Hyundai said it will grow its North American lineup and U.S.-based production and parts sourcing.
Sony-Honda venture cancels two planned models, the first of which had been pegged for a mid-2026 California delivery debut. The brand’s direct sales had been challenged by the state’s auto dealers, but the venture cites Honda’s EV retreat.
Softening prices, rising credit availability and higher tax refunds could be behind February’s sales pace rise and accompanying dip in inventory, according to Cox Automotive.
The agency sent warning letters to dozens of auto groups about what it described as illegal practices and urged them to ensure their pricing policies enable transparency with consumers.
New-vehicle sales fell year-over-year for the fifth month in a row in February, making retail deliveries the slowest they’ve been since 2023, according to a CarGurus report.
The automaker says its California skunk works is already finding efficiencies to lighten traditionally heavy electric vehicles for lower cost, plus extended range.
GM says it sells the cheapest electric vehicle in the U.S. market. It explains how it made improvements to the entry-level EV while keeping its price down.
