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Volkswagen looking to acquire Proton, Lotus?

Let's say you're an automaker bent on world domination looking to grow your sales. That's going to have you looking at Asian markets, because that's where some of the biggest growth has been, and that's exactly what Volkswagen is doing as it considers making another run at Malaysia's Proton.
Reuters reports that Volkswagen is interested in at least a partial stake, if not a controlling interest in Lotus-parent Proton as a way to continue a production presence in the region without having to build its own factory.
Volkswagen already builds the Passat in a DRB-HICOM facility in Pekan, Malaysia, and plans are in place to build the Jetta and Polo there, as well. With both southeast Asia and its relationship with Proton figuring so importantly in Volkswagen's plans for expansion, buying into Proton can help ensure stability. Volkswagen is being tight-lipped about the whole idea, but CEO Martin Winterkorn did recently say, "it's our clear goal to continue the successful (expansion) course of past years with great dynamics and stability," which sounds an awful lot like deals are on the table to smooth the path to further growth.

VW recalls 420,000 vehicles for driver's airbag failure

Volkswagen is issuing a recall for 420,000 vehicles in the US because of a potential failure of the driver's side airbag. The campaign affects German-made examples of the 2010 Passat; the 2010-2013 Eos and Jetta; the 2010-2014 CC, Tiguan, and US-produced units of the Passat; the 2011-2013 Jetta SportWagen; and the 2011-2014 Golf and GTI. There are no reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue. Specifically, this problem comes because the steering wheel clock spring can be contaminated by debris, which moves the part's guide loops out of position. This can cause a tear in the electrical cable that controls the driver's airbag. If this happens, a warning light would illuminate, but the safety device would not deploy in a crash. VW is still identifying all of the affected VINs and developing a fix. The company plans to notify owners once everything is known. Related Video: VOLKSWAGEN ISSUES VOLUNTARY RECALL Aug 14, 2015 Herndon, VA - Volkswagen considers the safety and satisfaction of its consumers and passengers a top priority. As such, Volkswagen of America today notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it will be issuing a voluntary safety recall affecting the steering wheel clock spring on approximately 420,000 Volkswagen vehicles in the U.S. Certain 2010-2014 Model Year Volkswagen CC Certain 2010-2013 Model Year Volkswagen Eos Certain 2011-2014 Model Year Volkswagen Golf/GTI Certain 2010-2013 Model Year Volkswagen Jetta Certain 2011-2013 Model Year Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen Certain 2010 Model Year Volkswagen Passat (German Production) Certain 2010-2014 Model Year Volkswagen Passat (U.S. Production) Certain 2010-2014 Model Year Volkswagen Tiguan On certain vehicles, the steering wheel clock spring could become contaminated with long hair or long fibers which may cause a displacement of the internal guide loops. When the guide loops are dragged out of position, they may apply tension to the internal flat cable and cause it to tear. Should the cable tear, the electrical connection to the driver's front airbag may be lost, causing the airbag monitoring indicator light to illuminate. In a crash that warrants a driver front airbag deployment, the airbag will not deploy, leading to a risk of driver injury.

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler: Ducati is not for sale

"Ducati is not for sale." Those words, attributed to Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, are about as clear and definitive as can be, and they reiterate a previous statement about the potential sale of the premium Italian motorcycle brand that was made in March of this year. "[Ducati and Lamborghini] belong to Audi and, together with us, have an excellent future," said Stadler. Thing is, Audi, as well-off and established as it may be, still falls under the Volkswagen umbrella. And, as you're surely aware, things haven't exactly been smooth sailing for the VW Group over the last several months. The German automaker has squirreled away billions of dollars in anticipation of the legal fallout that's sure to come from the falsification of vehicle emissions data, and that's going to leave the company strapped for cash. All of that bad news led to speculation that VW could sell off some of its non-core businesses. What of the future of the Scania and Man heavy truck brands? Those don't currently appear to be on the auction block, either. VW's continued involvement in the HD truck segment was announced as part of the brand's TOGETHER - Strategy 2025 plan, in which Volkswagen outlined plans to push further into vehicle electrification and vehicle autonomy. Related Video: News Source: Asphalt & RubberImage Credit: Malte Christians/AFP/Getty Earnings/Financials Audi Lamborghini Volkswagen Motorcycle Performance Ducati Scania