2004 Vw Jetta Gl 2.0 - Clean Title!!! Only 92k Miles!!! Beautiful!!! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Volkswagen Group's Vision 2030 strategy could bring revolution to the brands

One would expect a corporate plan called "Vision 2030," looking 11 years ahead through wildly tumultuous times, to involve great change and numerous forks in numerous roads. According to Automobile's breakdown of Volkswagen's path forward, though, the plans contain some lurid potential surprises. The ultimate aim is return on investment, and that means ruthless reorganization of a conglomerate with eight primary car brands, two car sub-brands, and Ducati motorcycles. The first two Vision 2030 cornerstones Automobile mentions are near boilerplate: Production network restructuring, and "streamlining of key technologies." The latter two are the ones that could upend what we know as the Volkswagen Group: focusing on the Group's core brands — meaning Audi, Porsche, and VW — and transitioning to EVs, autonomy, and other mobility solutions. Based on the report, a quote from Audi's CTO referring to the Audi brand could cover how the Group plans to handle all of its brands: "We need to find a sustainable solution for the indefinite transition period until EVs eventually take over." The boutique divisions adjacent to carmaking, Ducati and Italdesign, look likely to be spun off. For the halo car brands — Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini — apparently shareholders want double-digit returns on investment, and the trio doesn't have long to hit the target. One eyebrow raiser is when the report states, "Bugatti is tipped to be gifted to [ex-VW Group Chairman] Ferdinand Piech." Piech fathered the Veyron during his tenure at VW, and it was thought he commissioned the La Voiture Noire, but he's lately stepped so far back from VW that he sold all his shares in the Group. Automobile quoted a senior strategist as saying of money-losing Bentley, "Why invest on a backward-looking enterprise when you can support a trendsetter? A proud history and excellent craftmanship alone don't cut it anymore." We guess no one at Ferrari, McLaren, or even Porsche got that memo. Bentley is reportedly close to being put in time out, and if brand CEO Adrian Hallmark can't right the Crewe ship, the hush-hush Plan B is to prop the Flying B up enough to lure a buyer. As for Lamborghini, caught between two masters at Audi and Porsche, even record-breaking numbers at the Italian supercar maker barely staved off sacrilege. It's said that VW brand CEO Herbert Diess considered putting a 5.0-liter Porsche V8 into the Aventador successor.

J.D. Power customer survey of dealers counts Cadillac, Buick as big winners

Cadillac and Buick have taken the trophies in J.D. Power's latest Customer Service Index Study examining satisfaction with dealer service. Surveying more than 90,000 owners and lessees of 2009-2013 model-year cars, the study found that those with pre-paid maintenance packages were ten percent more likely to buy their next car from the same brand.
Dealer satisfaction scores have improved overall, Cadillac nabbed the luxury segment ahead of Audi and Lexus, taking the crown that Lexus held last year. Buick keeps the mass-market dealer satisfaction win in the family, finishing ahead of Volkswagen and last year's winner GMC. The study also found that service department use of tablets increased customer satisfaction, as did "best practices" like "providing helpful advice." Who knew?
You can find details on those and more findings in the press release below.

German authorities investigate Winterkorn

Former Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn is potentially walking away from the embattled automaker with a $32-million pension, but his retirement might not be quite so relaxed because German prosecutors in the city of Braunschweig (also called Brunswick) are now investigating his role in VW's diesel emissions evasion. The lawyers want to know whether he committed fraud, and a conviction could mean up to 10 years in prison, according to the Associated Press. However, this process is still in its earliest stages, and Winterkorn is long way from sitting in a courtroom. With other high-profile corporate cases in Germany as a guide, a trial could be years away. Lawyers haven't even questioned the former CEO, yet. In Germany, people are free to file criminal complaints, and prosecutors then decide whether a full investigation is necessary. According to the AP, Braunschweig has received about 12 grievances so far, including one from Volkswagen. The law in the country also doesn't allow charging businesses with wrongdoing, only people. Winterkorn resigned from his role at the top of VW last week, just a day after issuing a video apology for the automaker's actions. Former Porsche boss Matthias Muller has succeeded him. Along with having a new person in charge, the automaker's Supervisory Board instituted a thorough corporate reshuffle to put more focus on various regions and give brands additional power by early next year. Related Video: