Volkswagen: Sales, Marketing, and Financial News
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
Purchase Confirmed
Confirming earlier reports, Volkswagen announced on Friday that it will buy assets of German coachbuilder Karmann. Volkswagen also announced that its new Karmann subsidiary will produce at least one new model for the German car maker.
Rumors of VW’s interest in Karmann surfaced in October, following shortly after the Osnabrueck, Germany-based coachbuilder’s bankruptcy filing. VW and Karmann were said to be far off on a selling price, but the two sides apparently made good. VW failed to release any financial details, but did confirm that it will acquire land, machinery and equipment from Karmann.
VW plans to begin vehicle production at Karmann’s Osnabrueck factory by 2011, but has yet to reveal what model will be produced there. VW plans to hire 200 new people at the Osnabrueck facility by 2010, with that number climbing to 1,000 by 2014.
Karmann is best known for producing the VW-based Karmann Ghia, which was produced from 1955 to 1974. Karmann has worked with a number of car makers over the years, including Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Renault, Ford and BMW. Karmann was last rumored to be developing an all-electric vehicle for VW.
Rumors of VW’s interest in Karmann surfaced in October, following shortly after the Osnabrueck, Germany-based coachbuilder’s bankruptcy filing. VW and Karmann were said to be far off on a selling price, but the two sides apparently made good. VW failed to release any financial details, but did confirm that it will acquire land, machinery and equipment from Karmann.
VW plans to begin vehicle production at Karmann’s Osnabrueck factory by 2011, but has yet to reveal what model will be produced there. VW plans to hire 200 new people at the Osnabrueck facility by 2010, with that number climbing to 1,000 by 2014.
Karmann is best known for producing the VW-based Karmann Ghia, which was produced from 1955 to 1974. Karmann has worked with a number of car makers over the years, including Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Renault, Ford and BMW. Karmann was last rumored to be developing an all-electric vehicle for VW.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 168,919
Likes: 23,738
VW of America names Browning as new CEO
From Autoblog: http://www.autoblog.com/2010/09/13/o...ng-as-new-ceo/
Yesterday, we reported that Volkswagen was planning to name Jonathan Browning as its new CEO of United States operations. At 11:00 AM today, VW did just that – Browning will officially assume the role on October 1st of this year.
Browning has held many executive sales and marketing positions within the automotive industry. He was recently tasked with managing the national sales team for all of the Volkswagen Group brands. Now, Browning will be a driving force behind the automakers push to become a leading brand in the United States.
VW Group recently invested $1 billion dollars in a new Chattanooga assembly plant and is also planning a large marketing campaign to rally sales around the redesigned Volkswagen Jetta. The target sales goal for 2018 is 200,000 Audi models and 800,000 Volkswagen models – high goals, indeed.
Congratulations to Mr. Browning and the Volkswagen Group.
Browning has held many executive sales and marketing positions within the automotive industry. He was recently tasked with managing the national sales team for all of the Volkswagen Group brands. Now, Browning will be a driving force behind the automakers push to become a leading brand in the United States.
VW Group recently invested $1 billion dollars in a new Chattanooga assembly plant and is also planning a large marketing campaign to rally sales around the redesigned Volkswagen Jetta. The target sales goal for 2018 is 200,000 Audi models and 800,000 Volkswagen models – high goals, indeed.
Congratulations to Mr. Browning and the Volkswagen Group.
I feel the need...
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 14,957
Likes: 515
From: Motown
VW's 200-Model Empire Competes With Itself as Ford, GM Shrink
Volkswagen AG’s goal to surpass Toyota Motor Corp. in sales and profitability by turning out more models and building cars on shared underbodies is stoking unwanted competition among its own brands.
VW’s strategy allows Europe’s biggest carmaker to build a wider range of models across brand lines at a cheaper price by using the same engines and components. It also means customers may opt to spend less money and buy a car from the Skoda and Seat units instead of the more expensive VW brand.
“I specifically came here to look for a VW but Skoda is so much cheaper,” said Manfred Hennerkes, a factory mechanic at Siemens AG, taking a seat in a Skoda Superb at the carmaker’s showroom on Berlin’s Unter den Linden boulevard. “I don’t care about the nameplate, it’s essentially a VW for great money.”
VW, which is merging with Porsche SE, is seeking to overtake Toyota by 2018 by expanding sales and a line-up of about 200 models across its nine brands. It’s a strategy that contributed to record losses at U.S. rivals General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. before they reversed course to reduce the number of brands and shed divisions.....
VW’s strategy allows Europe’s biggest carmaker to build a wider range of models across brand lines at a cheaper price by using the same engines and components. It also means customers may opt to spend less money and buy a car from the Skoda and Seat units instead of the more expensive VW brand.
“I specifically came here to look for a VW but Skoda is so much cheaper,” said Manfred Hennerkes, a factory mechanic at Siemens AG, taking a seat in a Skoda Superb at the carmaker’s showroom on Berlin’s Unter den Linden boulevard. “I don’t care about the nameplate, it’s essentially a VW for great money.”
VW, which is merging with Porsche SE, is seeking to overtake Toyota by 2018 by expanding sales and a line-up of about 200 models across its nine brands. It’s a strategy that contributed to record losses at U.S. rivals General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co. before they reversed course to reduce the number of brands and shed divisions.....
How do you say General Motors in ze Deutsche?
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
Volkswagen to purchase Ferrari?
Porsche’s cupboard may be stocked full of sports car brands – the German automaker currently owns Lamborghini, Bugatti and will soon hold the reins to Porsche – but the company is reportedly considering buying Ferrari from Fiat.
According to reports out of Germany, VW chairman Chairman Ferdinand Piech is strongly considering purchasing the Ferrari sports car brand from Fiat. The 73-year old executive has already expressed interest in Fiat’s Alfa Romeo brand, and now his attention appears to be turning to Ferrari.
Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has previously stated that the Ferrari brand as a whole isn’t for sale, but Marchionne didn’t rule out a partial sale of the division. Fiat could sell shares of Ferrari through an initial public offering, but would likely retain at least a 51 percent stake in the marque.
That partial stake could quench Piech’s appetite, and VW certain has the cash reserves to pull off the move. Ferrari’s estimated value is somewhere between $3.1 billion and $4.8 billion, which is well within VW’s $27 billion bank account
According to reports out of Germany, VW chairman Chairman Ferdinand Piech is strongly considering purchasing the Ferrari sports car brand from Fiat. The 73-year old executive has already expressed interest in Fiat’s Alfa Romeo brand, and now his attention appears to be turning to Ferrari.
Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has previously stated that the Ferrari brand as a whole isn’t for sale, but Marchionne didn’t rule out a partial sale of the division. Fiat could sell shares of Ferrari through an initial public offering, but would likely retain at least a 51 percent stake in the marque.
That partial stake could quench Piech’s appetite, and VW certain has the cash reserves to pull off the move. Ferrari’s estimated value is somewhere between $3.1 billion and $4.8 billion, which is well within VW’s $27 billion bank account
I don't want to imagine that!
Just speaking from my experience. I have owned a 1997 gti vr6, a 2002 gti 1.8t and a 2002 audi s4. They all required monthly visits to the shop. I luckily dumped them before the warranty ran out. My family has also owned 5 additional Audi products throughout the years and they all were a headache. We had a file cabinet full of service records. My Pops made the mistake of getting a new 2009 a6 3.0t against my advice and he regrets his decision. They have not improved their quality at all. Still makes his monthly visits to the dealer for the same issues. OH well... you live and you learn.
Fahrvergnügen'd
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 13,494
Likes: 1,569
From: Maryland
Just speaking from my experience. I have owned a 1997 gti vr6, a 2002 gti 1.8t and a 2002 audi s4. They all required monthly visits to the shop. I luckily dumped them before the warranty ran out. My family has also owned 5 additional Audi products throughout the years and they all were a headache. We had a file cabinet full of service records. My Pops made the mistake of getting a new 2009 a6 3.0t against my advice and he regrets his decision. They have not improved their quality at all. Still makes his monthly visits to the dealer for the same issues. OH well... you live and you learn.
Should I never consider those brands again?
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 85
From: Minneapolis, MN
This would ruin Ferrari and everything it stands for! I hated when they bought Lamborghini, Assholes got rid of the LAMBORGHINI doors on all V10 models... well they made a V10 model which is Ridiculous! The name Lamborghini stood for over done and ridiculousness... I would hate to see what VW would do to Ferrari!
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
This would ruin Ferrari and everything it stands for! I hated when they bought Lamborghini, Assholes got rid of the LAMBORGHINI doors on all V10 models... well they made a V10 model which is Ridiculous! The name Lamborghini stood for over done and ridiculousness... I would hate to see what VW would do to Ferrari!
Lambo doors are plaid out.
Banned
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,825
Likes: 198
I had a 2005 S4 and it was flawless. I had a Honda that rusted out, a Dodge that wouldn't turn off, a Ford that snapped a brand new timing belt, a Buick that caught fire, a Pontiac that wouldn't start, and a Mazda that ate wheel bearings.
Should I never consider those brands again?
Should I never consider those brands again?
Had 2 Audis and were in the shops quite few times...not huge deals (mostly) but the repair bills were horrendous for what the problem were...
My sister in law wanted that "cute A4" despite me and my brother in law trying to convince her to get an Infiniti G35.....after one year it had a valvetrain problem (serious stuff) luckily covered under warranty....after that few electronic annoyance here and there....
I have friends in Europe that had to change quite few turbos in their VW and Audi diesel models...
My father in law E-Class did need replacement of the alternator and power steering within 2 years of life...then several electronic glitches, windows refusing to close, etc.......
We make fun of one of my co-worker that is in the shop more often than not with his 335i...
I may continue.....
I had a Nissan Maxima that in almost 8 years did not even need new brakes and did not burn one single light bulb...my Hondas, similar experiences...
My wife Subarus had zero, again zero repair costs (4 cars so car).
Do I know someone with Japanese cars that have been in the shops...yes of course....however less frequent, at higher rmileage and, most important of all, failures that gave a generous gracious warning (transmission starting to go bad, leaky gasket, etc...) and never left stranded anyone.
The worst POS I ever owned was a Chrysler 300M...not it was not an isolated lemon...the engineering and design of that car was utter crap with subpar components....maybe now Chrysler makes the ultimate reliable cars (not according to my mechanic and other real life experiences) however I will not take my chance on another Chrysler product again for a very long time...the 300M was their flagship and it was almost grotesque how bad the quality was.....my previous mechanic confided to me that he paid in advance his house mortgage repairing and replacing Chrysler transmissions....I remember when, just arrived in Northamerica, I did ask what was the best reliable car I could buy...he did look at me and told me...I go against my interests (smiling) get a Honda or a Toyota....enough said...instead down the road I did took my chance on a GM and a Chrysler....and I did quickly learned my lesson....
Not all Japanese cars are that high...Mazda and Mitsubishi are not on par with the Jap big 3 (Toyota, Honda, Nissan)
Same for the Germans.....some people swear at their trouble free experiences (my father Mercedes of old time had legendary reliability), I'm glad for them.....me, considering mine and my friends and acquaintances experiences, I will take my hard earned dollars elsewhere....
Experiences form opinions...
Some people in the industry says that the Germans were not able to handle as well as the Japanese the transition to ever increasing electronic presence in cars.
Last edited by saturno_v; Nov 12, 2010 at 05:33 PM.
I had a 2005 S4 and it was flawless. I had a Honda that rusted out, a Dodge that wouldn't turn off, a Ford that snapped a brand new timing belt, a Buick that caught fire, a Pontiac that wouldn't start, and a Mazda that ate wheel bearings.
Should I never consider those brands again?
Should I never consider those brands again?
If any one of those brands consistently gave you problems over the period of about 15 years, then yes, I would never consider consider that brand again. Every car is going to have an issue every once in a while but I was starting to feel like the Audi dealer was my second home. I have had my TL for over 4 trouble free years now. It has been the best car I have owned thus far.
Senior Moderator
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 81,385
Likes: 3,068
From: Appleton WI
The sizzle in the Steak
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 71,436
Likes: 1,877
From: Southern California
Senior Moderator
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 47,710
Likes: 801
From: Toronto, Canada
http://www.leftlanenews.com/report-m...f-ferrari.html
Someone has to stop this. Considering Italian politicians were bitching about the Ferrari result in F1 
I don't think they'll stand by and watch this happen.
Seemingly confirming earlier rumors, Fiat CEO Sergio Machionne reportedly told investors last Friday that the Italian automaker is planning to sell at least part of its ownership in the Ferrari sports car brand.
Rumors surfaced earlier this month that Volkswagen was considering purchasing the Ferrari brand from Fiat, with a recent analysts meeting apparently confirming those reports. Morgan Stanley analyst Stuart Pearson, who attended the meeting, revealed to clients on Monday that Fiat is planning an initial public offering of Ferrari stock.
“We left Turin with the clear message that Fiat and Chrysler will become one company,” Pearson said. “A Ferrari initial public offering and potential Marelli disposal may need to come first, according to management.”
A Credit Suisse analyst was quoted as saying, “Marchionne identified a Ferrari initial public offering and Magneti Marelli disposal as potential sources of cash, without giving a timeframe.”
Although it looks as though Ferrari is officially on the auction block, it is believed that Fiat will retain at least a 51 percent controlling stake in the company. The Ferrari brand is believed to be valued at $3.3 billion.
Rumors surfaced earlier this month that Volkswagen was considering purchasing the Ferrari brand from Fiat, with a recent analysts meeting apparently confirming those reports. Morgan Stanley analyst Stuart Pearson, who attended the meeting, revealed to clients on Monday that Fiat is planning an initial public offering of Ferrari stock.
“We left Turin with the clear message that Fiat and Chrysler will become one company,” Pearson said. “A Ferrari initial public offering and potential Marelli disposal may need to come first, according to management.”
A Credit Suisse analyst was quoted as saying, “Marchionne identified a Ferrari initial public offering and Magneti Marelli disposal as potential sources of cash, without giving a timeframe.”
Although it looks as though Ferrari is officially on the auction block, it is believed that Fiat will retain at least a 51 percent controlling stake in the company. The Ferrari brand is believed to be valued at $3.3 billion.
I don't think they'll stand by and watch this happen.
