Volkswagen thinks its cars are better off here than the showrooms

April 8, 2025 journo

Tens of thousands of foreign-made cars are reportedly being held in US ports following US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on auto imports last week.

Volkswagen-owned Audi responded to the 25 per cent tariffs by keeping cars that arrived in the US since April 2 off the market, Reuters reported.

The outlet quoted a spokesperson who said Audi had notified dealers of the import freeze, as multiple companies scramble to figure out how the tariffs will affect them.

Volkswagen-owned Audi responded to the 25 per cent tariffs by keeping cars that arrived in the US since April 2 off the market. (PA Images via Getty Images)

All of Audi’s cars are produced overseas, mostly in Europe, one of the central targets of Trump’s trade ire.

But the G5 is made in Mexico, which was one of the targets of Trump’s first announced tariffs.

Reuters reported that Audi had 37,000 cars, enough for about two months’ worth of sales, in its US inventory.

All of Audi’s cars are produced overseas, mostly in Europe, one of the central targets of Trump’s trade ire. (CFOTO/Future Publishing via Gett)

US President Donald Trump today announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs for dozens of nations in a "Liberation Day" speech at the White House.

The full list of Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs

The 25 per cent tariff on auto imports has been one of the most high-profile of Trump’s suite of levies announced last Thursday.

The United Auto Workers union, and many of its members, have publicly agreed with Trump’s decision.

But about 900 UAW members will start paying the price for those tariffs starting Monday.

That’s how many hourly workers at five US Stellantis plants will be laid off for two or three weeks because their jobs producing powertrains and stampings for plants in Canada and Mexico have been temporarily idled due to the tariffs.