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Volkswagen decides to keep Lamborghini and Ducati, transfers Bentley to Audi

Investors in the market for a high-end Italian manufacturer that peddles performance will need to keep looking. Volkswagen announced it will hang on to Lamborghini and Ducati in the foreseeable future. Executives in Wolfsburg, Germany, are making far-reaching changes to the Volkswagen Group to reboot it with a big focus on technology. Credible rumors claimed that the people in charge of the carmaker wanted to carve out Lamborghini — which owns Ducati — and ultimately list it, or at least a chunk of it, on the stock market in order to fast-track the group's electrification strategy. Going electric is expensive, so selling Lamborghini would have helped fund the expansion, and high-octane supercars don't easily go hand-in-hand with zero-emissions cars. "Volkswagen needs to change from a collection of valuable brands and fascinating combustion-engine products that thrill customers with superb engineering to a digital company that reliably operates millions of mobility devices worldwide," summed up Herbert Diess, the group's boss, during a September 2020 meeting. His team ultimately decided not to fully divest both brands. It's too early to tell whether part of Lamborghini will be listed on the stock market, as some insiders have suggested, or if those plans are off the table, too. Changes are coming to Bentley as well. While it's not being spun off either, it will fall under the Audi umbrella starting on March 1, 2021. Volkswagen explained linking the two companies will "allow for synergies to be achieved as part of the electrification strategy of the two premium brands," a statement which suggests they will share a growing number of components during the 2020s. Unverified rumors claim that Bentley will notably get its own version of an ultra-luxurious electric SUV code-named Landjet that Audi is currently developing. We've reached out to Bentley for more details, and we'll update this story if we learn more. Bugatti's future wasn't mentioned in the release; unconfirmed reports suggest it will be traded for a stake in Croatian start-up Rimac. Volkswagen's supervisory board also reaffirmed its support for Diess, who was appointed CEO in 2018 and who has played a significant role in the company's transformation. Finally, the board approved the development of what a statement refers to a future leading electric vehicle sold by the Volkswagen brand that will be developed and manufactured in Wolfsburg.

Audi trademarks SQ2, SQ4, Q9 and F-Tron nameplates

Audi is planning a whole raft of new models for the near future, and now we have further insight into what at least some of those models might be. The German automaker has reportedly filed trademarks for a series of model names, including SQ2, SQ4, Q9 and F-Tron.
Following in the footsteps of the SQ5 performance crossover, the SQ2 and SQ4 nameplates would seem to indicate that Audi is planning performance versions of its upcoming compact crossovers. The Q9 would suggest that a larger crossover is in the works to slot in above the already gargantuan Q7. And the F-Tron name could be used for a fuel-cell version of the A7 or other models, following a similar naming pattern to the e-tron range of electric vehicles.
Of course Audi could simply be filing these trademarks as a safeguard and may not actually build any of these models. But one way or another, it indicates a certain measure of intent exists as Ingolstadt gears up to expand its lineup with 11 new models in the next few years.

Audi's new 1,000-hp hybrid pulls like a freight train

Audi's latest plug-in hybrid handles like it's on rails, and pulls like a freight train. That's because it's a train, and literally rides on rails. The vehicle in question is a locomotive which the German automaker developed for its main factory in Ingolstadt incorporates over 11 miles of railroad tracks, along which are transported parts and completed vehicles to be moved around the site. To carry out those duties, Audi teamed up with French manufacturer Alston to deploy a new hybrid locomotive on premises. The locomotive features a plug-in hybrid propulsion systems capable of running on electric power alone for two hours at a time, and can be plugged in to recharge during down-time. The upshot is that it not only pollutes less overall, but can be run inside warehouses more safely. When the power runs out, the electrical system is backed up by a diesel engine. Audi reports that 15 trains arrive at the factory every day. It employs 17 locomotive drivers on site. And each locomotive runs for 3,800 hours each year. Whether we can take Audi at its word when it comes to diesel emissions or not, the company claims that the new hybrid locomotive cuts its carbon emissions by half, taking 60 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere each year. 10/30/15 Ingolstadt Hybrid locomotive at Audi plant in Ingolstadt This Audi drives on rails: A 1,000 horsepower plug in hybrid locomotive manufactured by Alstom replaces the plant locomotives previously used at the Audi plant in Ingolstadt as of today. This means that components and finished Audi models will now reach the plant's loading stations in a more climate friendly way. "Our goal is all-round sustainable logistics," stated Johann Schmid, head of the Audi plant railway in Ingolstadt. "The new railway technology allows more economical, energy-efficient and low-emission rail transport. In connection with the latest chassis technology, the plug-in-hybrid locomotive sets new standards in shunting and rail transport." The complete automobile plant in Ingolstadt includes 18 kilometers of railways. Every day, 15 goods trains arrive at Ingolstadt North railway station for Audi – loaded with pressed parts, engines and transmissions, as well as cars from other Audi sites that are ready for delivery to customers. And cars produced in Ingolstadt also start their journey to customers by rail. 17 Audi locomotive drivers work at the plant railway. One of their tasks is to allocate the wagons to the various plant buildings.