# Half (0.5) model years. Why?



## mkaresh (Oct 26, 2005)

When an American or Japanese manufacturer introduces a redesigned model early in the calendar year, they usually just start the next model year early. 
VW, on the other hand, opts for half model years. For example, the 2005.5 Jetta.
Does anyone know why they do this?
I can think of many reasons to start the model year early:
1. Consumers are much less likely to be confused by two different cars that share a model year.
2. It's much clearer to consumers that the car is redesigned.
3. The cars hold their value better when sold, because they appear to be a year newer.
4. No need to reprint all of the literature with a second model year in the fall. 
I have a lot more trouble thinking of reasons to go with half years instead. In fact, the only one I can think of is that it seems silly to be selling 2006 cars early in calendar year 2005. People start questioning the meaning of model years, as the manufacturer seems to be playing fast and loose with time.
I can see how the Germans in particular might have a problem here. But the advantages of the other approach are so much more numerous.
So, anyone know the real story?


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## vr6todd (Nov 3, 2004)

*Re: Half (0.5) model years. Why? (mkaresh)*

GM/Chevy did the .5 year thing in 99 with their pickups. The body style changed halfway through the model year.
With my dad's 99 C/K2500 I always have to specify.


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## Kliener Fuchs (Jul 10, 2005)

*Re: Half (vr6todd)*

Fords 65.5? Mustang?. (im sure they had a .5 year stang...)
unless your chevy with a GTO nobody wants. then you do everything you can to change it half way through the year so people start to buy them.


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## tjl (Mar 24, 2001)

*Re: Half (0.5) model years. Why? (mkaresh)*

Last I checked, VW used the "New" prefix to designate the later platform. E.g. 1999 Jetta (a3) and 1999 New Jetta (a4).
In the 1999 Jetta case, the New Jetta (a4) actually came out in late 1998, so they couldn't call them 2000 Jettas. The 1999 Jettas (a3) for the US were all actually made in 1998.
On the other hand, the 2005 New Jetta (a5) didn't come out until calendar year 2005, so that explanation doesn't hold for that change.
VW isn't the only one that had two generations of the model in the same model year:
2004 Kia Spectra: The early one was the old platform based on the 1998 Sephia, while the new Hyundai Elantra based one came out mid year. They didn't even put "New" in the model name of the new one.
2004 Ford F-150: For 2004, the new F-150 and the old F-150 from the 1997 design were offered. The old one was named F-150 Heritage.

_Quote »_People start questioning the meaning of model years, as the manufacturer seems to be playing fast and loose with time.

VW has had a long history of making mid-model-year changes. They even bragged about it in an old Beetle ad in the 1960s, where they basically said, "we made an improvement, and we didn't wait until the next model year to put it in the car". Though of course, the Beetle didn't change platform during its production from 1938 to 2003. More recently, you might find that the later 2001 Golf and Jetta got side curtain airbags and a longer life timing belt and tensioner in the TDI engine that early 2001 Golf and Jetta did not get. 2002 mid year saw the addition of the in-dash CD player, and changing the VR6 engine from the 12-valve model to the 24-valve model.
Interestingly, GM did in one case skip a model year by using the next model year for an early calendar year introduction. This was the non-existence of the 1983 Chevrolet Corvette. The last c3 Corvettes were 1982 models; the c4 Corvette was introduced in early 1983 as a 1984 model.
In a few cases, vehicles' production was halted before the last model year even started to be sold, because the vehicles were slow enough sellers that they just built up a year's worth of inventory for the last model year before retooling the factory. From what I've read, the VW Eurovan and Saturn L-series were examples of this.


_Modified by tjl at 9:55 AM 11-7-2005_


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## ludwghfn (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: Half (0.5) model years. Why? (mkaresh)*

The New Jetta was introduced as a 2005 model. Later, it was shipped as a 2006 model. The new Jetta was never designated a .5 model year by VOA.


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## gltuner (Oct 7, 2004)

_Quote, originally posted by *Kliener Fuchs* »_Fords 65.5? Mustang?. (im sure they had a .5 year stang...)
unless your chevy with a GTO nobody wants. then you do everything you can to change it half way through the year so people start to buy them.


64.5 was the first mustang year.


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## mkaresh (Oct 26, 2005)

*Re: Half (ludwghfn)*

So there are no 2005 Jettas of the old body? I did not realize this, and might now treat what many think is a 2005.5 as simply a 2005. Thanks for the info.


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## tjl (Mar 24, 2001)

*Re: Half (mkaresh)*


_Quote »_So there are no 2005 Jettas of the old body?

There was a short model run of 2005 Jettas (a4) before the 2005 New Jettas (a5) came out. At least in the US.


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## mkaresh (Oct 26, 2005)

*Re: Half (tjl)*

That's what I thought. My life is once again more complicated.


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