Volkswagen sales up strongly in 1st half
Volkswagen sales up 5.7 percent in June, 16 percent in 1st half as China, US sales improve
BERLIN (AP) -- Volkswagen AG says it sales were up 5.7 percent year-on-year in June and surged 16 percent for the whole of the first half -- helped by strong growth in the key Chinese market and the U.S.
The company said Friday that the Volkswagen group -- which includes brands such as Audi, Skoda and Seat -- delivered 644,000 vehicles last month, up from 609,900 a year earlier.
January-June deliveries rose to 3.58 million from 3.1 million.
First-half sales in China rose 45.7 percent to 950,300 and U.S. deliveries were up 29.2 percent at 175,300.
Board member Christian Klingler says he is "optimistic" about the full-year outlook.
But he adds: "The results of the first half-year cannot be projected for the full year. The economic situation remains uncertain."
Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Volkswagen-sales-up-strongly-apf-896977666.html?x=0&.v=1
VW CEO Targets U.S. With Jetta Hybrid, Electric Cars
July 20 (Bloomberg) --
Volkswagen AG unveiled plans for a range of hybrid and electric vehicles that Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn says will account for 3 percent of the German
carmaker's global sales by 2018.
VW will introduce either the Up! city-car or the Golf compact, its best-selling model, as an all-electric vehicle in the U.S. by 2013. Before that, the automaker plans to sell a gas-electric hybrid version of the Touareg sport-utility vehicle later this year, followed by a Jetta hybrid in 2011.
Europe's largest carmaker spends more than 5 billion euros ($6.5 billion) a year on vehicle research and development. Winterkorn, who will test drive a revamped Jetta compact sedan near San Francisco today, reiterated his goal of surpassing Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest auto manufacturer, in profitability and deliveries by 2018.
"VW is trying to prove that being a latecomer isn't necessarily a bad thing," said Christian Aust, an analyst at UniCredit in Munich who rates the stock "buy." "They've rarely been the first mover, but have often entered the market with mature products. They've got a strong development department and their comfortable market position in Europe helps."
General Motors Co. is planning to build 10,000 units of its new Chevrolet Volt electric car next year, and Nissan Motor Co. will begin selling its all-electric Leaf compact. Tesla Motors Inc. sells the $109,000 Roadster, an electric sports car powered by 1,000 pounds of lithium-ion battery cells.
'Ambitious'
Toyota bought a $50 million stake in Tesla in May as the carmakers plan to cooperate on developing battery-powered cars.
"Our goal is clear and ambitious," Winterkorn said yesterday at VW's research laboratory in Palo Alto, California. "Volkswagen will be the automaker to mass produce the electric car for everyone."
An electric version of the Lavida model will also be tested in China as preparation for a broader launch, VW said.
Volkswagen will test the second generation of the Golf TwinDrive, a plug-in hybrid that can run about 50 kilometers on electric drive, in Berlin later this year, Winterkorn said.
The U.S. will be an "important" market for electric vehicle for Wolfsburg, Germany-based VW, which will make research on electric cars a "top priority," Winterkorn said.
Tiguan, Passat
Volkswagen's preferred shares rose as much as 85 cents, or 1.1 percent, to 75.48 euros and traded at 75.10 euros as of 10:44 a.m. in Frankfurt, valuing the carmaker at 33.7 billion euros.
VW aims to almost to triple its share in the U.S., the world's second-biggest auto market, to 6 percent by 2018 and boost deliveries to 1 million cars, including 200,000 Audi luxury vehicles.
In the first six months, VW boosted U.S. deliveries by 30 percent to 126,000. Jetta sales increased 19 percent to 55,258 cars, accounting for 44 percent of the total. Other models that posted gains included the Tiguan, Passat CC and Rabbit.
Winterkorn, 63, is banking on localization of models and giving up VW carmaker's premium-pricing strategy in the U.S. to compete with small-car leaders Toyota and Honda Motor Co.
VW unexpectedly named Mark Barnes and Michael Lohscheller on June 24 to run the U.S. operations on an interim basis, saying the company was holding contract talks with U.S. chief Stefan Jacoby, a VW veteran of 25 years. The negotiations focused on Jacoby's obligations to VW before he takes over as CEO at Volvo Cars, people familiar with the matter said June 25.
U.S. Chief
Winterkorn plans to appoint a chief for the unit soon, he said yesterday, without elaborating.
Jacoby's exit coincides with the final phase of introducing a new Jetta compact, VW's best-selling American model, and as VW prepares to open a factory in Tennessee and present the first car built exclusively for the U.S. market.
Volkswagen is targeting a second consecutive year of record deliveries as it adds about 70 models, including upgrades in 2010. VW, which increased first-half deliveries 15 percent to more than 3.5 million units, sold 6.29 million cars and sport- utility vehicles in 2009.
"Our efforts to become the world's No. 1 also involve the U.S. as we have chances to achieve considerable growth here," Winterkorn said. "It's our goal to make Volkswagen the leading volume brand here too."
--With assistance from Cornelius Rahn in Frankfurt. Editors: Kenneth Wong, Chad Thomas
Routan and GTI named most appealing in segments
HERNDON, Va. (July 15, 2010) – Volkswagen of America, Inc. today announced that two of its vehicles, Routan and GTI, received most appealing in segment awards from J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. Volkswagen also earned high rankings for Golf (2nd in compact car), Jetta (3rd in compact car), Tiguan (2nd in compact crossover/SUV) and Passat (3rd in midsize car).
"Volkswagen is thrilled to have the Routan and GTI recognized as the most appealing in segment," said Mark Barnes, Interim President and COO, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We captured a number of new customers in the past year so these awards are especially rewarding.”
The European tuned, seven-passenger Routan ranked highest in the midsize van segment. The award-recognized GTI was named the most appealing sport compact car. Volkswagen customers cited the vehicle's exterior, fuel economy, the vehicle's interior and driving experience as key strengths for the brand's vehicles. Volkswagen owners also identified gas mileage, quality, reliability, interior comfort and exterior styling as key purchase drivers.
The APEAL Study examines how gratifying a new vehicle is to own and drive, based on owner evaluations of more than 80 vehicle attributes. The 2010 APEAL Study is based on responses gathered between February and May 2010 from more than 76,000 purchasers and lessees of new 2010 model-year cars and trucks who were surveyed after the first 90 days of ownership.
“Volkswagen drivers know what they want in a vehicle – the APEAL Study results show that we continue to deliver high quality cars that are fuel efficient and fun to drive,” added Barnes.
City lobbies VW for engine plant
By: Mike Pare July 10, 2010
Chattanooga officials are pressing their case to Volkswagen that a new engine plant would fit at Enterprise South industrial park, an official said Wednesday.
"We've openly expressed our interest and enthusiasm for that possibility with Volkswagen," said J.Ed. Marston, the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce's vice president of marketing. "You can make a strong business case for having it here."
The engine of a Volkswagen Phaeton is on display during the shareholders' meeting in Hamburg, Germany, on Thursday, April 19, 2007.(AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer)
But it's an open question whether placing an engine factory here goes with VW's North American strategy, Mr. Marston said.
Volkswagen's top worldwide production official said Wednesday that Mexico is an option.
Jochem Heizmann, a member of VW's management board who oversees group production, reaffirmed the carmaker's interest in an engine factory in North America. He said a decision is expected soon.
"The new plant is to supply our factories in Puebla (Mexico) and Chattanooga with the latest generation of engines from 2013," Dr. Heizmann said in a statement in Mexico.
He and Mexican President Felipe Calderon opened a new section at VW's Puebla plant where assembly of the new Jetta will take place. VW plans to invest $1 billion in Mexico in the next three years.
Auto analyst Jeannine Fallon of Edmunds.com said there's certainly a savings in transportation costs in putting an engine plant near VW's Chattanooga factory.
"There'd be a lot of money saved in that process," she said.
But, Ms. Fallon said, Mexico has less expensive labor.
"That may be a serious discussion to be considered here," she said.
VW STRATEGY
Volkswagen aims to triple North American sales to 1 million vehicles by 2018.
Still, Mr. Marston said, city and Hamilton County governments and the state have been "great partners" with the Chamber in wooing companies with financial incentives.
To attract VW's assembly plant to Chattanooga, local and state governments are providing an estimated $577.4 million in tax breaks and other financial incentives.
The plant is slated to make a new midsize sedan, creating more than 2,000 VW jobs with production to start early next year. Engines for the new midsize sedan are initially to come from plants in Mexico and Germany, according to VW.
Mr. Marston said local tax breaks to companies don't cost citizens anything but rather add revenues because of increased hiring.
"If you don't get the project, there are no new tax revenues," he said.
Source: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/jul/08/city-lobbies-vw-for-engine-plant/?business
Volkswagen develops Race Touareg 3 for the 2011 Dakar Rally!
July 6, 2010
New design, proven technology: Volkswagen is developing an evolution model of the Race Touareg that has been victorious twice in a row for the 2011 Dakar Rally in South America.
In January 2011 the Wolfsburg-based car manufacturer will field four Race Tourareg 3 vehicles with fundamentally updated aerodynamics at the desert classic through Argentina and Chile. The cross-country rally vehicle follows the latest production model change and picks up concrete characteristics of the avant-garde shape of the Touareg II. As a result, the new Race Touareg incorporates its outstanding vehicle dynamics qualities in an even more athletic outer skin than before, with proven and extremely successful technology underneath: the TDI engine with an approximate power output of 300 hp as well as the suspension and chassis basically remain untouched.
"The evolution of the vehicle into the Race Touareg 3 represents the next logical step we're taking towards our big aim of achieving the hat-trick at the Dakar Rally," says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen. "With new aerodynamics this Race Touareg will look even more spectacular than before, while quoting aspects of the design language of the new production Touareg and, in addition, receiving further detailed optimizations. Its core is well proven because we continue to bank on the consistently optimised technology package that has been giving the Race Touareg first-rate performance and maximum reliability."
Evolution in steps: Race Touareg 3 with a new face
Newly designed and updated: the Race Touareg 3 is by no means a completely new development. It continues to be based on the basic engineering design of the Race Touareg 2 that was introduced in 2005. Since then the cross-country rally prototype with its innovative TDI engine has gone through an evolution in the area of the powertrain and suspension across several steps. In the step towards the Race Touareg 3 the main focus is on the new outer skin.
Tests with the Volkswagen Race Touareg 3 in the deserts of Morocco at the end of July will literally ring in the hot phase of the development programme. The extensive tests including the simulation of several rally distances will be followed by the official unveiling of the vehicle in August. In autumn the Race Touareg 3 will have its baptism of fire in competition with others: the Silk Way Rally through Russia which starts in St. Petersburg and ends in Sochi (11-18 September 2010) is regarded as a serious dress rehearsal for the legendary Dakar Rally (01-16 January 2011).
Check Out the Photos! http://www.worldcarfans.com/110061526840/vw-race-touareg-spotted-in-the-alps---version-3-on-the/lowphotos#7
Source: http://www.worldcarfans.com/110070627210/volkswagen-teases-race-touareg-3-for-2011-dakar-rally
