Volkswagen - automotive industry company news 
US: Chrysler's Eastwood ad attracts talk, not clicks - Edmunds
7 February 2012
Chrysler's two-minute Sunday night Super Bowl half-time ad featuring Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood may have prompted much chatter on- and off-line Monday about Chrysler’s follow-up to last year's 'Imported from Detroit' ad starring Eminenm but analysts at Edmunds.com reckon it did very little to "move the needle in consumer interest in Chrysler".
US: Super Bowl truck ad pits Ford against GM
6 February 2012
A row between General Motors and Ford over a Chevrolet truck television ad aired during weekend Super Bowl football game coverage in the US has attracted considerable media coverage both there and abroad.
CHICAGO PREVIEW: Updated global debuts list
6 February 2012
Various concepts and production models are due to be revealed at the Chicago auto show's 8 & 9 February media preview days. Our list continues to be updated as manufacturers confirm further debutantes.
FRANCE/ITALY: January car sales sharply down in France and Italy
3 February 2012
The year of 2012 is off to a poor start in terms of European car sales if the January results from France and Italy are anything to go by.
INDIA: Audi to assemble Q3 and Q7 SUVs - reports
3 February 2012
Volkswagen unit Audi India is adding an extra assembly line at its Aurangabad plant in Maharashtra to build the luxury Q7 SUV and the upcoming entry level Q3, which is expected to be launched in June-July this year, according to local reports.
INDIA: Audi to expand models and dealers this year
3 February 2012
Audi will launch seven new models in India and add 10 dealers to its current network of 15 this year.
COMMENT: Where does the Chinese car industry really stand?
2 February 2012
Investment banker Meyrick Cox describes the development of the Chinese auto industry, its structure and offers a view on the challenges it faces in the future.
GOLDING’S TAKE: Marchionne tells rival car makers to behave
2 February 2012
Sergio Marchionne was in ebullient form when he hosted the telephone conference call to explain the Fiat/Chrysler financial results announced yesterday (1 February).
US: January light vehicles sales surprise
2 February 2012
January US light vehicle sales were stronger than anyone expected.
ALGERIA: Top level delegation meets to discuss new Renault plant
2 February 2012
Algerian and French politicians have agreed to continue discussions concerning the potential establishment of a Renault assembly factory in the North African country that could see up to 150,000 units produced per year.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Skoda builds car #14 million
2 February 2012
Škoda produced its 14 millionth car - a Laurin & Klement Superb special edition - at its Kvasiny plant earlier this week. The milestone vehicle is for a German customer.
CHINA: SAIC sales outperform the market
31 January 2012
SAIC has forecast a rise of more than 40% in 2011 net income because of high demand for German and American marques made at its Shanghai joint venture factories.
RUSSIA: Daimler and Renault to raise local JV stakes
31 January 2012
Newswire reports on Tuesday (31 January) said Daimler and Renault are ready to take controlling stakes in their Russian partners, citing state conglomerate Russian Technologies which holds stakes in the automakers.
GERMANY: VW Transporter SKD assembly in Indonesia begins
31 January 2012
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has begun assembly of the T5 Transporter from SKD kits through local importer Garuda Mataram Motor.
GERMANY: VW board to discuss Porsche deal
31 January 2012
Volkswagen's supervisory board is to discuss plans to acquire the remaining 50.1% of Porsche SE'S sports car business at a meeting on 14 February.
JAPAN: Toyota confirms loss of top carmaker spot
25 January 2012
Toyota Motor confirmed Wednesday that its world group sales fell below the 8m mark in 2011, losing the firm its number one spot in the global carmakers' league.
INDIA: Maruti Alto world's best selling small car
25 January 2012
India's largest-selling car, Maruti Suzuki's Alto, has emerged as the best-selling small car in the world for the second straight year in 2011, outpacing Volkswagen and Fiat models.
GERMANY: VW launches five-door Up
23 January 2012
Volkswagen has launched a five-door version of its new Up city car, saying the new model has the same space for rear passengers as the three-door.
US: GM top automaker again
20 January 2012
General Motors reclaimed the title of world's biggest carmaker title in 2011 after Toyota production was reduced as a result of the 11 March earthquake and tsunami in Japan and the Thai floods late in the year, effects of which are still ongoing.
ANALYSIS: European sales down, VW remains top brand
20 January 2012
The Volkswagen Golf remained Europe’s best-selling car in 2011, despite a drop in sales of 1.6% in 2011 compared to 2010, analysts JATO Dynamics said. The VW Polo retained second place for December and for the year, with sales up 2.9% and 0.5% respectively, while Ford’s Fiesta held third place both in December and for the year.
MALAYSIA: DRB-Hicom to review Proton’s strategy
19 January 2012
Malaysia’s DRB-Hicom has begun a review of Proton’s operations and strategy after it acquired the Malaysian government’s 42.7% stake in the national carmaker. The company is also expected to acquire other minority holdings in Proton to consolidate its control.
SLOVAKIA: VW production remains on track
19 January 2012
Volkswagen is still in track to build 400,000 cars this year at its Slovak plant despite gloomy economic forecasts.
GERMANY: VW launches recall for diesel fuel line fix
18 January 2012
Volkswagen is recalling 300,000 vehicles equipped with its two-litre diesel engine over potentially leaking fuel lines in the fuel injector system.
GERMANY: VW parts chief moves to car sales role
18 January 2012
Jan Utermarck, currently in charge of international coordination of the Volkswagen Group’s parts logistics network, has been named to head CIS/Middle East/Africa sales at VW Passenger Cars from 1 February.
BELGIUM: EU car market down 6.4% in Dec (includes 2011 sales data)
17 January 2012
Data released by ACEA shows that new cars sales in the EU dropped by 6.4% in December to 953,108 units. Over the year 2011, demand for new cars decreased by 1.7%, bringing the total number of units registered to 13.11m units.
INDIA: VW group sales rise 109% in 2011
16 January 2012
Volkswagen group marked its 10th year in India with 109.3% growth to sales of 111,623 vehicles across three brands in 2011 compared with 53,341 in 2010. Market share rose to 4.9% from 2.5%.
MALAYSIA: Government sells Proton stake to local importer
16 January 2012
Malaysian state investment arm Khazanah Nasional had sold its 42.7% stake in struggling national automaker Proton to leading car distributor and importer DRB-HICOM.
JAPAN: Volkswagen eyes 18.5% 2012 sales boost with new models
16 January 2012
Volkswagen wants to increase sales in Japan this year by 18.5% over 2010 to 60,000 vehicles thanks to new models.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Skoda sells record 879,200 units in 2011
16 January 2012
Skoda global sales rose 15.3% year on year in 2011 to a record 879,200 units.
THE WEEK THAT WAS: Detroit, sunny Detroit
13 January 2012
Triple-D week for me, this, first time in Detroit, first time at the Detroit show, first time on Delta. Despite the dire predictions of certain sages I know, it was all good.
Related research
Volkswagen AG - Strategy, SWOT and Corporate Finance Report
Datamonitors' Volkswagen AG’s SWOT, Strategy and Corporate Finance Report, is a source of comprehensive company data and information. The report covers the company’s structure, operation, SWOT analysis, product and service offerings, key financials and corporate actions, providing a 360° view of the company.
Volkswagen AG - Strategy and SWOT Report
Datamonitors' Volkswagen AG’s SWOT, Strategy and Corporate Finance Report, is a source of comprehensive company data and information. The report covers the company’s structure, operation, SWOT analysis, product and service offerings, key financials and corporate actions, providing a 360° view of the company.
Volkswagen AG (VOW) - Financial and Strategic SWOT Analysis Review
This comprehensive SWOT profile of Volkswagen AG provides you an in-depth strategic SWOT analysis of the company’s businesses and operations. The profile has been compiled by GlobalData to bring to you a clear and an unbiased view of the company’s key strengths and weaknesses and the potential opportunities and threats. The profile helps you formulate strategies that augment your business by enabling you to understand your partners, customers and competitors better.
