Camaro exterior designer Sang Yup Lee moves to VW/Audi
December 25, 2009
Filed under: Audi, GM, Volkswagen, Design/Style
GM designer Sang Yup Lee has left for the enormous and vast wilds of the VW empire. Lee was the exterior designer of the 2010 Camaro, 50th Anniversary Stingray Concept, Buick Velite, and he worked on the C6 Corvette. Having spent time with him on a few occasions, we can also say he’s an all-around great guy.
His new position, as chief exterior designer at the Volkswagen/Audi Advanced studio in California, will begin next month. Lee will report to Executive Design Director Jens Manske, and is apparently is charged with ‘inspiring’ the merged design divisions. We look forward to a future of brawny, haunchy, badass VWs, even if only in concept form.
[Source: Car Design News]
Camaro exterior designer Sang Yup Lee moves to VW/Audi originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Dec 2009 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
REPORT: VW finished eating companies, will now focus on digestion
December 21, 2009
Filed under: Volkswagen, Earnings/Financials
We have a feeling historians will spending a fair portion of next few years finding new words to describe just how bad this year was for the auto industry. And then, at some point, they’ll get around to Volkswagen, a company that has been zagging while almost all others zigged. Over the last twelve months, VW has taken a stake in Suzuki, bought Karmann, won European Car of the Year, won the Dakar Rally, turned its eye to F1, released a litter of well received cars, put autonomous cars everywhere, thrown huge money at hybrids and electric cars, and made recycling fun. And it’s building a $125 million dealership in Manhattan. And then there was that whole Porsche thing. And it took the crown of No. 1 automaker. We could continue, but there’s a post to finish…
When it comes to mergers and acquisitions, remarks from company CEO Martin Winterkorn suggest that VW is finished doing its impression of 18th century England. “We are satisfied with the current line-up,” he has told Automotive News. “I don’t see any need (for further M&A activity).” That, in spite of his assertion that other companies “want to come under our roof.”
VW will focus on what is sure to be a busy year ahead, integrating Porsche and its interest in Suzuki, at the same time as it gears up Karmann’s factory for the Boxster, and builds its U.S. plant and prepares its new NMS model. Winterkorn is expecting VW’s market share to increase in 2010, which might solidify a place at the top position; although after the shellacking General Motors and Toyota took while they wore the crowns, we don’t know why VW would want the attention. And as for the end of M&A, perhaps Winterkorn hasn’t heard the rumor about Piech’s eyes on Ducati…
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
REPORT: VW finished eating companies, will now focus on digestion originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Honda wins Commercial of the Decade, but not for the ad you think [w/VIDEO]
December 18, 2009
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Honda, Saturn, Volkswagen
The mad men at Adweek recently voted for the Commercial of the Decade (Super Bowl commercials not included) and Honda took top honors over memorable ads from the last ten years by companies like Nike, Budweiser and Sony. That’s not a big surprise considering Honda often puts a huge amount of effort into its on-air spots. However, the Japanese automaker didn’t win for the commercial you might have expected: “Cog.” Though Honda’s famous commercial that breaks down a European Accord Tourer into a Rube Goldberg-esque machine was also a finalist, it was beaten by another Honda commercial called “Grrr” that’s narrated by Garrison Keillor of all people. You’ve probably never seen it, but you can after the jump.
Volkswagen also made the list of finalists, but the particular ad chosen out of all the comical VW ads we’ve seen was unexpected as well. Most surprising carmaker with a commercial in the finals: Saturn. Who knew…
Just for fun we’ve put all 27 commercials after the break with the auto-related ones at the top, so you can enjoy the swear jar, the creepy-funky Philips clowns, a “rabbit panther thingy with turbines on ice,” and the most sad-but-hilarious IKEA commercial we’ve ever seen. As a bonus we included the Gears of War commercial since we think it deserves a mention, and because it’s almost the weekend and it doesn’t always have to be about cars, does it? Follow the jump for the ad-fest.
[Source: Adweek]
Continue reading Honda wins Commercial of the Decade, but not for the ad you think [w/VIDEO]
Honda wins Commercial of the Decade, but not for the ad you think [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
REPORT: Suzuki CEO indicates joint projects with VW to start in January
December 17, 2009
Filed under: Budget, China, Suzuki, Volkswagen, India
Volkswagen and Suzuki won’t waste anytime at all in getting started on their assorted joint projects. Well, unless you count the holidays, which we’ll let slide. At the launch of the new Suzuki Alto, CEO Osama Suzuki told reporters that the newly tied-at-the-hip automakers will begin “Actual, detailed execution - with our people going there and their people coming here… after January.”
That first project will be a new small car that will be sold in developing countries, which may or may not be outsourced from Suzuki’s Indian Maruti operations and is rumored to cost between $4,300 and $5,400.
Volkswagen has much less experience in building small cars than Suzuki, which is a leader in Japan’s tiny Kei car class, and in making money with such low prices.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]
REPORT: Suzuki CEO indicates joint projects with VW to start in January originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
REPORT: VW would have to shift 100,000 Amarok pickups to justify bringing them to North America
December 16, 2009
Filed under: Truck, Volkswagen, Diesel
Want a new Volkswagen Amarok pickup truck? Well then, now would be the time to let VW know about your interest. Speaking to our man Mike Levine at PickupTrucks.com, Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of Volkswagen of America, says that the automaker would need 100,000 takers per year in order to make any money on the Amarok here in the States.
That would be a daunting task for the automaker as the only non full-sized truck that sold that many units last year was the Toyota Tacoma (102,327 units), and the next highest seller was the the Great Grandaddy of the Compact Truck Segment, the Ford Ranger (just 51,097 units).
What’s more, the compact truck market is declining, VW doesn’t have many dealerships in truck-happy areas of the nation and the so-called “chicken tax” would add a 25% tariff to the Argentina-built Amarok. Add in the fact that Jacoby says there are more pressing vehicular needs that the German automaker needs to concentrate on. In other words… don’t get your hopes up.
Gallery: Volkswagen Amarok
[Source: PickupTrucks.com]
REPORT: VW would have to shift 100,000 Amarok pickups to justify bringing them to North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Volkswagen Passat CC R-Line now on sale - in Europe
December 16, 2009
Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Sedan, Europe, Volkswagen, Design/Style
Volkswagen just opened the order book on the Passat CC with the R-Line package in Europe. We saw this car at the Frankfurt Motor Show and were completely smitten with it. Taking the regular CC’s swoopy coupedan shape and adding the R-Line package makes it just about perfect. What stops it from being perfect is the fact that the R-Line package doesn’t add any oomph. Just like Audi’s S-Line, its alterations are mainly cosmetic.
The R-Line package adds an aero kit, surprisingly modest “Mallory” pattern 17-inch wheels, R-Line emblems, smoked taillights, R-Line aluminum sill plates, a unique three-spoke multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel, front foglamps, and the Park Pilot system.
It becomes the eighth R-Line model in Volkswagen’s lineup and will add 2,200 euro to the price of your CC - about $3,200 in Yankee bucks. Full press release after the jump and plenty of live and press pics below.
Gallery: Frankfurt 2009: 2010 Volkswagen CC R
Photos by Jonny Lieberman / Copyright (C)2009 Weblogs, Inc.
Gallery: 2010 Volkswagen Passat CC R-Line
[Source: Volkswagen]
Continue reading Volkswagen Passat CC R-Line now on sale - in Europe
Volkswagen Passat CC R-Line now on sale - in Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
North American Car and Truck of the Year awards get shortlisted - Who are your winners?
December 16, 2009
Filed under: Buick, Chevrolet, Ford, Subaru, Volkswagen
The finalists for the coveted 2010 North American Car and Truck of the Year awards have just been released ahead of next month’s ceremony in Detroit.
Slated to be unveiled on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show on January 11, the nominees have been whittled down from 25 contenders to the following vehicles: In the car category, the Buick LaCrosse, Ford Fusion Hybrid and Volkswagen Golf will be waiting nervously in the wings, and in the truck category, the Chevrolet Equinox, Ford Transit Connect, and Subaru Outback will vie for the title.
The awards are the result of the deliberations of 49 North American automotive journalists and the winners will succeed last year’s winners, the Hyundai Genesis sedan and Ford F-150 pickup. Check out a high-res gallery of this year’s finalists below, peruse the official press release after the jump, and then let us know which vehicles you think deserve to take home the hardware in Comments.
[Source: North American Car & Truck of the Year]
North American Car and Truck of the Year awards get shortlisted - Who are your winners? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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