* FEATURE : Cycling in Chinese cities is anything but a leisurely ride Nov 2, 2009
It was 6:30am and we were hammering down an empty three-lane thoroughfare at 40kph when a black Volkswagen Passat behind us opened up with its horn. As it raced beside us we exchanged obscenities until the driver X a beefy man in the kind of crew cut thats popular with police, military and the mob X swerved in front and nearly knocked us down. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Sanyo Agrees to Supply Batteries for Peugeot Hybrid Cars, Nikkei Reports Nov 1, 2009
Sanyo Electric already supplies batteries for Honda Motor Co.s Insight hybrid and Ford Motor Co.s hybrids, and is expected to supply lithium-ion batteries to the Volkswagen Group and Toyota Motor Corp, the business daily said. To contact the reporters on this story: in Tokyo at. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
iRacing Simulation Gives NASCAR Hall of Fame Guests Authentic Driving Experience Oct 31, 2009
iRacing is the official simulation partner of the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Sports Car Club of America, Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup, Star Mazda Championship, Skip Barber Racing School and Australia's V8 Super School. In April, 2009 iRacing and NASCAR announced a partnership to develop NASCAR-sanctioned online racing series. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Volkswagen Said to Be Weighing Purchase of Karmann Assets, Not the Company Oct 31, 2009
Volkswagen may buy Karmanns German premises including assembly halls, manufacturing facilities and a paint shop in Osnabrueck about 170 kilometers (106 miles) west of the VW headquarters in Wolfsburg, said the people, who declined to be identified because the talks are confidential. Volkswagen negotiators requested Oct. 28 financial documents on Karmanns assets and explained that interest has shifted away from a fully-fledged takeover, two of the people said ... Volkswagen is stepping in... (Bloomberg -- Germany)
New Golf GTI is here! Oct 30, 2009
Volkswagen believes the latest-generation version of the iconic GTI could account for nearly one-in-three local sales of its popular Golf small car ... Volkswagen Australia sold nearly 9000 Golf GTI Mk5s since it debuted in early 2005, with a peak of 2453 in 2007 ... 25 per cent of Golf sales have been GTI, and we will keep that mix; I think it even goes a bit farther in the beginning of the [new model s] product launch to about 30 per cent. That is what we are projecting, says Volkswagen... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Volkswagen Reports 86% Slump in Q3 Net Profit Oct 30, 2009
FRANKFURT -(Dow Jones)- Germany's Volkswagen AG (VOW.XE) said Thursday that third-quarter net profit dropped 86% on the year to EUR172 million as the auto market downturn took its toll, but confirmed that it still expects to fare better than its rivals and gain market share during the crisis. "Volkswagen Group is holding its own extremely well despite the adverse conditions," Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said in a statement ... Volkswagen steered better through the industry gloom than most... (SmartMoney)
Baoshan Steel, Angang Profit Recovery to Stall as Oversupply Cuts Prices Oct 30, 2009
Volkswagen AG, the biggest overseas carmaker in China, sold a record number of vehicles in September in the country. The Asian nation may boost sales 28 percent to 12 million units, the National Development and Reform Commission said last month. (Bloomberg -- Australia & New Zealand)
U.S. stimulus buoys U.K.factory workers Oct 30, 2009
"We did find it quite ironic that the president of the United States stood at the Navistar plant proclaiming his passion to build fuel-efficient cars and trucks in the United States standing in front of a Modec vehicle, said John Waters, the chief executive of Anderson, Ind.,-based Bright Automotive, which has developed a prototype hybrid-electric delivery van. Bright is also vying for some of the billions of dollars that the administration has decided to spend to promote electric and... (MSNBC -- International)
Audi Q3 operating profit falls 54 pct Oct 30, 2009
Audi is a unit of Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest automotive group by revenue. 2009 Associated Press. (OregonLive, OR -- Business)
Asians top reliability lists Oct 30, 2009
DETROIT --- Asian automakers are still building the most reliable cars and trucks, with eight of the top 10 brands from Japanese and Korean companies, according to an annual survey by Consumer Reports. But several models from Ford Motor Co. are consistently scoring above Honda and Toyota, the perennial leaders. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Geely Named Favored Bidder for Ford's Volvo, Paving Way for China Takeover Oct 29, 2009
Last year, GM and Volkswagen vehicles still accounted for more than 90 percent of SAICs sales. Geely first approached Ford about buying Volvo in the summer of 2008, people familiar with the matter have said. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Sales race ahead for Audi Oct 29, 2009
The division of Europe's biggest car group, Volkswagen, has a production facility in Changchun. Audi said it had delivered 118 196 cars in China this year, a 22 percent increase over last year's levels. (Business Report, South Africa)
Rally Master Pro Hits iP... Oct 29, 2009
FISHLABS is also known for extremely successful ad games on iPhone for clients like Volkswagen and Barclaycard, having dominated the App Store download charts in almost every country for weeks. Furthermore, the superior quality of FISHLABS' productions is demonstrated by numerous awards, such as Best Mobile Game 2008 (Rally Master Pro) and third-best mobile game 2008 (Snowboard Hero) according to Pocket Gamer Analysis. (IGN Wireless Games)
AutoNation to buy Honda, Acura dealerships Oct 28, 2009
AutoNation's other Spokane dealerships offer new vehicles from Toyota, Chevrolet, Subaru, Volkswagen, Audi, Mazda, Scion and Mitsubishi. AutoNation shares closed down $1. (South Florida Business Journal, FL)
Chrysler ranks last in predicted reliability Oct 28, 2009
A new Honda Insight is 27 times less likely to have a problem than the biggest dog in the pack, the Volkswagen Touareg, Consumer Reports says. Here's the brand ranking, best to worst. (AZCentral -- Business)
Fideo, a.k.a. the Climate Criminal Oct 28, 2009
Meanwhile, in less surprising news, cats (long known as the handmaidens of Satan) have roughly the ecological paw print of a Volkswagen Golf. Authors Robert and Brenda Vale don't actually suggest you eat your dog. (Townhall.com)
Asians top auto reliability survey Oct 28, 2009
Honda's Insight hybrid was the most reliable vehicle in the survey, while the luxury SUV Volkswagen Touareg was the least reliable. The survey gauges how dependable 2010 model cars and trucks will be based on reliability in the past. (Republican-American)
LG Electronics Signs Audio Deal With Volkswagen Oct 27, 2009
SE) said on Sunday it has signed a deal with Germany's Volkswagen (VOW.XE), Europe's largest auto maker, to supply car audio systems worth about $370 million for seven years beginning in 2012. "LG will be one of the largest suppliers of audio systems for three different automobile brands under the Volkswagen Group--Volkswagen in Germany, SEAT in Spain and koda in the Czech Republic," the company said in a statement. (SmartMoney)
* German consumer confidence falls for first time in a year Oct 27, 2009
Revenue at Volkswagen AGs Audi luxury cars division will probably fall less than expected this year, and its German sales will return to light growth next year, Audis sales chief Peter Schwarzenbauer said last week. The stimulus to consumption from low inflation will also lose its positive impact in the near future, GfK said. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
IGN.ImageLoader.delayByView("hub_spotlight4", "http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/item/573/5734532/NFSshift_081309_spot.jpg"); Oct 26, 2009
IGN: Need for Speed Shift Preview. SECTIONS CHANNELS ; GET GAMES. (IGN Wireless Games)
* World Business Quick Take Oct 26, 2009
AUTOMOTIVE LG to supply Volkswagen. LG Electronics Inc, South Koreas second-biggest electronics maker, signed an agreement for US$370 million to supply car audio systems to Volkswagen AG for seven years from 2012 ... LG will supply the systems to Volkswagens three brands in Germany, Spain and the Czech Republic, the Seoul-based company said in a statement yesterday. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Volkswagen Revs Up a New Sales Engine: Your iPhone Oct 26, 2009
On Wednesday Volkswagen launched its new 2010 GTI hatchback not via a television or radio commercial or an auto show floor presentation, but in Apple's App Store, thus becoming the first car company to announce a new car exclusively through a mobile device, according to the company ... "We're going to essentially take our message directly to the customer," said Tim Ellis, vice president of marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. Wednesday night at a New York press event directly across the... (Yahoo News -- Technology)
BASF, Siemens, Centrotec, VW, Kontron, BMW, Merck, Wacker: Equity Preview Oct 26, 2009
BMW, Siemens, Volkswagen, Wacker, BASF: German Equity Preview - Bloomberg ... BMW, Siemens, Volkswagen, Wacker, BASF: German Equity Preview. (Bloomberg -- Germany)
Audi Likely to Beat Sales Forecast, Increase German Deliveries Next Year Oct 25, 2009
Volkswagen rose as much as 2 percent to 118. 85 euros and was at 118. (Bloomberg -- Europe)
JPMorgan Takes Lead in Revival of European Asset-Backed Securities Market Oct 25, 2009
Lloyds, Volkswagen and Nationwide are the only three issuers to sell asset-backed bonds with portions offered publicly to investors this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. To contact the reporter on this story: in London at. (Bloomberg -- Europe)
Spain to extend new-car subsidies Oct 25, 2009
Spain's auto manufacturing sector is the third-biggest in Europe, although it has no national automaker except Seat, which is owned by Germany's Volkswagen. It is also a major exporter, with its 18 factories belonging to some of the world's biggest automakers. (India Times)
Full Story » Oct 24, 2009
Volkswagen Revs Up a New Sales Engine: Your iPhone by PC World: Yahoo ... Volkswagen Revs Up a New Sales Engine: Your iPhone ... On Wednesday Volkswagen launched its new 2010 GTI hatchback not via a television or radio commercial or an auto show floor presentation, but in Apple's App Store, thus becoming the first car company to announce a new car exclusively through a mobile device, according to the company. (Yahoo News -- Technology)
* EU manufacturing expanding at fastest pace in 22 months Oct 24, 2009
Volkswagen AG, the biggest overseas carmaker in China, sold 150,000 cars last month, a monthly record, as sales for the first nine months were up 37 percent. Volkswagen is investing 4 billion euros (US$6 billion) to expand capacity in China through 2011 ... China is the steam engine of the world economy, Volkswagen sales chief Detlef Wittig said on Sept. 25. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Rawlings Up Close and Personal Oct 24, 2009
It must have been 2 AM and, not knowing exactly how I got in the car, I found myself riding in a right-hand-drive Volkswagen Beetle on the streets of Accra. The driver pulls up and says here, you drive. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Audi Says Sales to Beat 2009 Target, Resume Growth in Germany Next Year Oct 23, 2009
Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Volkswagen AGs Audi luxury division will probably beat its 2009 sales forecast and increase deliveries in Germany next year, according to Peter Schwarzenbauer, the brands sales chief. Global sales may exceed a target of 900,000 vehicles that was reiterated on Oct. 9, Schwarzenbauer said in a telephone interview. (Bloomberg -- Germany)
VW Launches Car With iPhone App: Play the Game, Win a Car Oct 23, 2009
Volkswagen Launches New Car With Real Racing iPhone Game ... To launch its new 2010 GTI hatchback, Volkswagen is relying on a free iPhone game, Real Racing GTI. (Volkswagen) ... Available in starting today, Volkswagen of America, Inc.'s Real Racing GTI App challenges players to race virtual GTIs around a racetrack. (ABC News)
Billboard Magazine Launches in Brazil Oct 22, 2009
Billboard Brazil has a monthly circulation of 40,000, and the first issue consists of 84 pages with advertisements from major brands including Volkswagen, Nokia, Nextel, Sony Music, Warner Music and Nestle. Billboard magazine is also currently published internationally in Russia and Turkey. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Missed out on Clunkers? There are still breaks Oct 22, 2009
For the 2009 model year, credits between $800 and $1,800 can be claimed for certain Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen models. For 2010 models, specific Audis and Volkswagens qualify for credits between $1,150 and $1,700. (MSNBC -- Business)
Foreign automakers skip Tokyo car show Oct 22, 2009
Conspicuously absent were GM, Ford, Volkswagen and BMW ... Conspicuously absent from the Tokyo show were German automakers Volkswagen AG and BMW AG as well as U.S. manufacturers General Motors Co. and Ford Motor Co.. (MSNBC -- Business)
China charges forward as economy booms Oct 22, 2009
Wolfsburg, Germany-based Volkswagen AG, the biggest overseas carmaker in China, sold a record 150,000 vehicles in the nation in September. Urban fixed-asset investment climbed 33. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Business)
Houston to host AutoRama 50th anniversary Oct 22, 2009
Featured cars will include the legendary Zinger Corvette and Volkswagen, the Hudson Hornet from the hit movie Cars, El Tiki from the pages of Ol Skool Rodz and the Ratical Rod street coupe. The top show cars in North America will also be on display as part of the Championship Finals. (Houston Business Journal, TX)
China's `Growth on Steroids' Risks Next Slowdown as Lending Binge Subsides Oct 22, 2009
Volkswagen is investing 4 billion euros ($5 ... China is the steam engine of the world economy, Volkswagen sales chief said in a Sept. 25 interview in Frankfurt. (Bloomberg)
X Prize thins field for $10M, 100MPG green car award Oct 21, 2009
An example of an alternative class entry comes from the West Philly Hybrid X Team whose two-seater, biodiesel hybrid sports car will run on a Volkswagen TDI 1. 9 liter engine and an Azure Dynamics electric motor driving the rear-wheels of the vehicle. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Technology)
VW to buy 49.9 percent of Porsche by end of the year Oct 21, 2009
Volkswagen, the biggest European automaker, said Tuesday it would buy 49 ... FRANKFURT (AFP) - Volkswagen, the biggest European automaker, said Tuesday it would buy 49 ... The increase stake purchase "reflects the positive development of ... discussions between Volkswagen and Porsche," it added. (Yahoo! Asia News)
VW to buy half of Porsche by 2010 Oct 21, 2009
Europe's largest carmaker, Volkswagen, has said it is to buy 49. 9% of sports car maker Porsche by the end of 2009 for about 3. (BBC News -- Europe)
As Toyota tips, VW steers for the top Oct 21, 2009
As Toyota sputters, Volkswagen steers for top ... Volkswagen AGhas set an ambitious goal to becomethe world's top automaker ... It may be one of the worlds most unlikely theme parks, yet each year close to 2 million people pore through Autostadt, the German auto city that celebrates the achievement of Europes largest automaker, Volkswagen AG.. (MSNBC -- Business)
Honda Motor May Sell Electric Cars in Japan, Europe, President Ito Says Oct 20, 2009
5 percent to 2 percent at Volkswagen AG and 0. 6 percent at London- based consulting firm Global Insight. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
News Analysis: S Africa needs more FDI for economic recovery Oct 19, 2009
But in terms of sustaining an industry, the measures have mostly worked in the past, as shown by the continued presence of BMW, Volkswagen, Toyota and others. Under President Jacob Zuma's government, industrial policy has become more fluid and unpredictable, or just slow to emerge. (Xinhuanet, China)
Coolest factory tours Oct 19, 2009
See how Volkswagens, Harleys, Tabasco, and champagne are made. If you're in Germany, take the Volkswagen Factory Tour in Autostadt, Wolfsburg. (MSNBC -- Travel)
He's bound for Baja As he turns 70, Orange County supervisor will race across Mexican desert Oct 18, 2009
He has chosen the experience of racing through the Mexican desert in an extremely modified Volkswagen over getting a new pair of socks. The supervisor, who will turn 70 in January, will commemorate his birthday by competing in the Baja 1,000, the world's longest point-to-point race. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Mr Ghosn bets the company Oct 18, 2009
Volkswagen, Europe s biggest carmaker, talks of 1. 5-2. (The Economist)
Tuks student kidnapped Oct 17, 2009
Last Upd: 05:13pm 16 Oct 2009. R3,000 free @ Prestige Casino. (iAfrica.com)
Veterans' home qualifiers' chances get better after vote Oct 17, 2009
Chairman Bill Willing, of Anaconda, used the analogy of developing scores for an automobile with points for two cars being equal, one being a Cadillac and the other a Volkswagen. "We will choose the Cadillac for our veterans," he said. (Montana Standard, MT)
Germany's Coming Energy Revolution Oct 17, 2009
Carmaker Volkswagen (), together with ecologically friendly energy utility Lichtblick, wants to install 100,000 directly in consumers' homes. Demand for the system has been strong from day one. (BusinessWeek)
SAIC, GM in Talks on Cooperation in India: Source Oct 16, 2009
The GM-SAIC partnership is one of the most successful tie-ups between a foreign and local automaker, helping both be dominant players in a market where Volkswagen AG , Toyota Motor , Ford Motor are also competing fiercely. SAIC, the maker of Roewe sedans popular with the young Chinese business elite, forecast a more than 70 percent jump in its net profit in the first nine months, after reporting a 47 percent rise in vehicle sales. (ABC News -- Business)
European carmakers stress power for 2010 Oct 16, 2009
The mainstream European auto manufacturers have more power and economy in store for the 2010 model year. Here are some of the highlights from the Continent. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Toyota's tiny footprint Oct 16, 2009
Volkswagen T4 Carravelle 2. 5 Tdi 113000. (iAfrica.com)
Ban on modifying vehicles baffles Oct 16, 2009
It will also lead to a rise in the price of vehicles on the department's approved list of vehicles for the taxi recapitalisation programme that are converted locally by Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen (VW), Iveco, Fiat and Nissan, but will have to be imported fully built-up. The planned prohibition was communicated to transport industry stakeholders in a letter dated September 25, signed by the Department of Transport's acting chief director road traffic regulations John Motsatsing. (Business Report, South Africa)
Scoobie, where are you? Oct 15, 2009
Contact: McCarthy Volkswagen Mastercars 021 930 2585. MERCEDES-BENZ C180K CLASSIC. (iAfrica.com)
You May Have This One Wrong -- Here's Why Oct 15, 2009
It pained me to discover that, beyond the occasional Ford Focus and Toyota Camry, Volkswagen has all but cornered China's second- and third-tier markets. Or so it appeared to one American on the street in Shenzhen. (MSNBC -- Business)
Vehicle makers plead for state flexibility over plant threshold Oct 15, 2009
David Powels, the managing director of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA and managing director of Volkswagen South Africa (VW), said a discussion was taking place with the department on this issue. He said so far only two South African motor manufacturing plants, VW and Toyota, were expected to meet or exceed the 50 000 a year threshold in the current global and domestic automotive market environment. (Business Report, South Africa)
Battle of the ultrapremium automakers Oct 14, 2009
German maker BMW made a strong bid and thought it was the new owner, but then came a counteroffer from Volkswagen, which BMW declined to match. In a series of twists and turns, VW eventually wound up with Bentley, while its German rival gained control of Rolls. (MSNBC -- Business)
Volkswagen defies recession; Group's communications, the trump card Oct 14, 2009
Unlike many of its rivals, Volkswagen Group has defied the global recession to post a 6 ... When the VW group ac 00004000 quires Porsche next year, its 10-brand stable will include Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini , Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Skoda ... We have had a history of good advertising , built over 30 to 40 years, says head of Volkswagen UK marketing, Rod McLeod. (India Times)
Ford posts record China vehicle sales Oct 14, 2009
Ford posts record Q3 China vehicle sales- International Business-News-The Economic Times. International Business. (India Times)
GM cruises in with Rs 10.99 lakh Cruze Oct 13, 2009
99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), placing the model below competitors like Honda Civic, Toyota Altis, Skoda Laura and Volkswagen Jetta. The Cruze that comes in two variants sports a 2-litre diesel engine and the company said it has plans to introduce a petrol as well as an automatic version after some time. (India Times, India -- Intl Business)
GM unravels Chevrolet Cruze priced at Rs 10.99L-12.45L Oct 13, 2009
GM unravels Chevrolet Cruze priced at Rs 10. 45L- Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times. (India Times)
China's September Car Sales Surge 84% on State Stimulus, Economic Rebound Oct 13, 2009
Volkswagen AG boosted nine-month China sales to 1. 06 million vehicles, beating the 1. (Bloomberg -- Asia)
Stern go-kart challenge awaits Filgueiras in Italy Oct 13, 2009
He could debut in his Volkswagen Golf sports car in a six-hour race in the Formula and Automobile Racing Association (FARA) Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 7 and 8 and could run his open-wheel, snowmobile-engine equipped, 130-mph F-500 car in an FARA event at Homestead in December. Speaking of Homestead, Eric and his dad, Manny, met with legendary team owner Roger Penske last weekend at the South Florida track. (Florida Today)
Latest money news Oct 12, 2009
EUROPE'S biggest car maker, Volkswagen, will invest heavily in China in a bid to keep the competition at bay in the industry's most important growth market. TWITTER, the micro-blogging platform that has attracted millions of users but has yet to make money, has changed its operating terms to potentially open up the free service to advertisers. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Volkswagen targeting middle-class values Oct 12, 2009
Volkswagen's U.S. chief executive, Stefan Jacoby, sat on the front end of "Max," the black 1964 Beetle with the smart-alecky German accent that figures prominently in the automaker's latest TV ad campaign ... So in repositioning its brand for mass appeal, Volkswagen is thinking it may have to jettison Max and its niche image ... Germany's Volkswagen is "an icon brand" and "there are a lot of great stories and memories" about the Beetle, Jacoby said. (Honolulu Advertiser)
