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Volkswagen Group launches Truck and Bus GmbH

Volkswagen is not only one of the largest automakers in the world – it's also one of the biggest producers of commercial vehicles. Not just vans like the Caddy and Crafter, but proper trucks and buses. And now it's reorganizing them all under the newly incorporated Truck & Bus GmbH. The new division brings VW's two truck manufacturers MAN and Scania under one roof. MAN is, after all, wholly owned by Volkswagen, and in turn holds over 75 percent of the shares in Scania (as well as MAN Latin America). Along with Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, they make the Volkswagen Group one of the largest truck manufacturers in the world, behind Daimler and Volvo (the truck manufacturer is separate from the automaker). Although VW Commercial Vehicles will apparently not form part of Truck & Bus GmbH (since it makes smaller vans more than trucks and buses), it will also report to Andreas Renschler, the Volkswagen board member in charge of the company's work vehicle operations. Renschler previously served in a similar role at Daimler. In a bit of a reversal – or a sign of things to come – Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn (who just survived a failed overthrow attempt by ousted chairman Ferdinand Piech) will sit as chair of the supervisory board of Truck & Bus GmbH. Wolfsburg, 05 May 2015 Volkswagen creates integrated commercial vehicles group • Truck & Bus GmbH to become holding for commercial vehicle brands • Prof. Martin Winterkorn: "MAN and Scania will together become global champion" • Board Member for Commercial Vehicles Andreas Renschler: "MAN and Scania brands retain their independence" • Works Council Chairman Bernd Osterloh: "The holding strengthens employees' participation rights" Volkswagen is creating the integrated commercial vehicles group and thus putting in place a structured framework for business with mid-sized and heavy trucks and buses. Truck & Bus GmbH is to become the new Volkswagen Group holding for the MAN und Scania commercial vehicle brands. This was decided yesterday (Monday) by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG. To this end, the shares in Scania AB held by Volkswagen AG will be transferred to Truck & Bus GmbH. The wholly-owned Volkswagen subsidiary already holds 75.28 percent of the voting rights in MAN SE. Truck & Bus GmbH will establish processes specific to the commercial vehicles business, thus leveraging the full synergy potential between the brands.

Volkswagen reportedly to name Matthias Muller CEO

Porsche chief executive officer Matthias Muller is expected to be named CEO of Volkswagen AG, the Wall Street Journal and other sources reported Thursday morning. Muller, 62, has led Porsche since Oct. 1, 2010, and jumpstarted the sports-car brand's expansion around the world. He replaces Martin Winkerkorn, who stepped down Wednesday amid the company's worsening diesel scandal. At least three more executives are also expected to be fired, including Volkswagen's US chief and the heads of Audi and Porsche research and development. Both brands are divisions of VW. A US spokesman wouldn't confirm the reports. An official announcement is expected at VW's board meeting on Friday. Muller's ascension caps a stunning week of turmoil for Volkswagen, which manipulated software to make its diesel-powered vehicles appear cleaner during testing that they are in real-world driving. The charges were revealed last week by the EPA, which cited the work of researchers at West Virginia University. About 482,000 vehicles are affected in the United States, which will be subject to recall, and VW estimates about 11 million of its vehicles around the world have the rigged software. The well-regarded Muller was viewed as a front-runner for the job even before Winterkorn stepped down. Before helming Porsche, he oversaw all vehicle projects globally for VW from 2007-2010. Previously, he was in charge of the Audi and Lamborghini product lines, and earlier in his career was responsible for the Audi A3 program in the 1990s. He joined Audi in 1977. He's trained as a toolmaker and studied information technology in Munich. His last name is sometimes spelled Mueller in English. Muller faces immediate challenges as he takes over VW's sprawling 78-year-old industrial empire, including recalls and regulatory actions around the world. In the US alone, the company faces a fine of up to $18 billion. VW, an industrial symbol of Germany, is also far larger than any unit Muller has run in his career. While Porsche sold 189,849 vehicles in 2014 globally, it's one of many VW brands. Collectively they sold 5.04 million vehicles through the first six months of this year, making Volkswagen the world's largest automaker. Related Video:

VW readying two-row CUV concept for Detroit

We're likely getting yet another glimpse of Volkswagen's future crossover at the upcoming 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, in January. According to Automotive News, two anonymous sources within the automaker indicate a CUV concept will be shown there. The concept is said to be a five-passenger preview of the brand's future seven-seat model. Previous versions of the crossover have carried the name CrossBlue (pictured above), but there was no indication whether or not that would continue. The original three-row concept debuted at the 2013 auto show in Detroit, and VW followed it up with the CrossBlue Coupe Concept in Shanghai later that year. In early 2014, the company announced the CUV would go into production sometime in 2016, along with plans to invest $7 billion in North America over the next five years. During the summer, the automaker made things even more official when it declared plans to invest $900 million to build a 538,000-square-foot expansion into its Chattanooga, TN, factory to assemble the new model. Production of the crossover was slated to begin by the end of 2016, at the time. According to Automotive News, even more changes in VW's CUV lineup are on the way. The Tiguan is reportedly getting an update next year that could be joined by coupe and long-wheelbase variants, as well.