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VW Group to split brands under four holding companies

The Volkswagen Group is planning a tremendous shift in its internal structure that will decentralize operations by splitting its 12 brands into four different holding companies. Here's the breakdown. Things will be split logically, considering the inter-sharing of parts, platforms, and engines. The Volkswagen brand, Seat, and Skoda make up a passenger vehicle division led by former BMW man Herbert Diess. Audi, which is tightly intertwined with Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, will be managed by current Audi exec Rupert Stadler. Porsche and Bentley, which are already quite close, will be joined by Bugatti and run by Matthias Mueller. Finally, a commercial vehicles division will include Volkswagen Commercial, Scania, and Man. Former Daimler exec Andreas Renschler will take care of the big vehicles. The massive move, according to Automotive News Europe, is part of an internal VAG effort to move away from the structure established by ousted Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who favored a compact, but highly centralized, management structure to oversee the independent actions of the company's brands. Criticism of Piech's arrangement stemmed from the company's slow responses to changes in the market, ANE reports. The new structure should make for a more efficient, streamlined company that's better able to make crucial decisions. What are your thoughts? Should VAG decentralize, or did Piech have the right idea? Have your say in Comments.

Volkswagen Jetta getting new 1.4L turbo four

In yet another example of engine downsizing, Volkswagen has announced it is slotting a new 1.4-liter turbo four into the Jetta. The smaller, forced-induction engine will replace the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four in the Jetta S and the 1.8-liter turbo four in the Jetta SE, bringing with it direct injection and improved fuel economy. The 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is from the EA211 family. It's made of aluminum and features a compact single-scroll compressor, an intercooler integrated into the injection-molded induction pipe, exhaust manifold integrated into the head, variable intake and exhaust valve timing, direct fuel injection, dual overhead cams driven by a toothed belt, and a 10.0:1 compression ratio. All that adds up to 150 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, mated in the Jetta to either a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. Fuel economy figures have yet to be certified, but are projected to come in at around 39 miles per gallon on the highway with the automatic, representing 13- and 7-percent improvements over the units it replaces. The EA211 is Volkswagen's new global small gasoline engine family, manufactured principally by Skoda in the Czech Republic. It's set to replace the old EA111 series, offering higher efficiency in a more compact and adaptable package. The Jetta Hybrid already uses essentially the same engine paired with an electric motor, and is being adapted to three-cylinder formats as well. INTRODUCTION OF NEW 1.4T ENGINE REINFORCES VOLKSWAGEN'S LEADERSHIP IN TURBOCHARGED, DIRECT INJECTION TECHNOLOGY Aug 4, 2015 Fitment of EA211 engine in Jetta models extends implementation of intelligent downsizing to 97 percent of Volkswagen vehicles sold in the U.S. market Traverse City, MI — Volkswagen pioneered the use of small displacement; highly efficient turbocharged and direct-injection engines in the U.S. Volkswagen first used this combination of turbocharging and direct injection in this market in its TDI® Clean Diesel engines in the Passat in 1996 and extended it into the gasoline field in the 2006 Jetta GLI and GTI models. Since then, the Volkswagen EA888 four-cylinder engine has set the benchmark for small-displacement turbocharged engines, beginning with the 2009 CC, while the EA288 TDI has set the standard for diesel engines in the North American market since it first appeared in the 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel.

Join Autoblog editors for a full video tour of the 2019 Detroit Auto Show

The 2019 North American International Auto Show might have been a little more quiet than past years, but there were still some pretty major reveals, including the Toyota Supra, new Ford Explorer, Shelby GT500, Subaru WRX STI S209 and Kia Telluride. We also saw some lovely concepts like the Nissan IMs and Lexus LC Convertible. Senior Editor Alex Kierstein, Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Green Editor John Beltz Snyder join me, Associate Editor Reese Counts — with Social Media Manager Michael Dylan Ferrara behind the camera — on a long walk through the show. We discuss cars, poke around the stands, dress a bloody wound and answer your questions in the Facebook comments. For more Detroit coverage, you can check out Autoblog's picks for the best in show, listen to our podcast or look at the best images from all the reveals. Finally, don't forget to watch Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore hand over our 2019 Technology of the Year award. Related Video: Green Detroit Auto Show Acura Cadillac Chevrolet Ford GM Hyundai Infiniti Kia Lexus Nissan RAM Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Truck Convertible Coupe Crossover Hatchback Minivan/Van SUV Videos Sedan facebook 2019 detroit auto show live