End of the road: Volkswagen will stop making iconic Beetle September 14, 2018 Volkswagen has announced it is to stop making its iconic Beetle car next year, ending nearly seven decades of production. The American branch of the international car manufacturer has said that the Mexican manufacturing plant that makes the iconic vehicle will cease production of the Beetle in 2019. Two special editions of the car will be released next [...]
Volkswagen’s board backs extension of chief exec Martin Winterkorn’s contract September 3, 2015 Volkswagen yesterday proposed the extension of chief executive Martin Winterkorn’s contract until the end of 2018, proving that he has the company’s backing following a high-profile power struggle with former chairman Ferdinand Piech, who was ousted earlier this year. The executive committee of the supervisory board of the German car manufacturing giant unanimously voted in [...]
Robot kills worker in Volkswagen car factory July 2, 2015 A worker in a Volkswagen factory in Germany has died after being crushed to death by a robot. The 22-year-old man died in hospital after the accident at a plant in Baunatal, 100km north of Frankfurt, spokesman Heiko Hillwig confirmed last night. He was working as part of a team of contractors installing [...]
Volkswagen Foundation – No. 17 December 18, 2014 Germany – £136.2m With overall funding of around £118m a year the Volkswagen Foundation (Volkswagen Stiftung), based in Hanover, is Germany’s largest private science research funding foundation. Since it was founded more than 50 years ago, the foundation has given more than £3.3bn to support over 30,000 projects. While the foundation shares a [...]
Car review: Volkswagen’s new Passat 2.0 TDI SE is beaking into the family car elite November 24, 2014 Volkswagen’s new Passat challenges its premium rivals in a bid to become the vehicle of choice for families. It’s tough to break into the “elite” family car market. Audi, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Lexus have got it pretty well sewn up. In fact, nobody else really comes close. But I drove a [...]
Car review: The new Audi TT feels more like a top-end VW than a thrusting sports car September 16, 2014 What’s your take on the Audi TT? A brilliant interpretation of Bauhaus design language? An unusually attainable, good looking sports car? Or so commonplace it barely even registers? The original TT was something special. No car manufacturer had built such a bold interpretation of the coupe away from a motor show concept. And no one [...]
Porsche and Audi power a rise in revenue for car giant Volkswagen April 29, 2014 PORSCHE and Audi sales have lifted quarterly earnings for their parent company Volkswagen as car buying across Europe strengthens, the German firm said yesterday. More than 38,000 motorists drove away a new Porsche in the first three months of the year, or 4.5 per cent more than the same period last year. Porsche’s revenues rose [...]