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Coronavirus prompts VW to stop production throughout Europe

FRANKFURT — Volkswagen Group, the world's biggest carmaker, is suspending production at factories across Europe as the coronavirus pandemic hits sales and disrupts supply chains, the company said on Tuesday. The German carmaker, which owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat and Skoda brands, also said that uncertainty about the fallout from coronavirus meant it was impossible to give forecasts for its performance this year. "Given the present significant deterioration in the sales situation and the heightened uncertainty regarding parts supplies to our plants, production is to be suspended in the near future at factories operated by group brands," Chief Executive Herbert Diess said on Tuesday. Volkswagen's powerful works council concluded it was not possible for workers to maintain a safe distance from each other to prevent contagion and recommended a suspension of production at its factories from Friday. Production will be halted at VW's Spanish plants, in Setubal in Portugal, Bratislava in Slovakia and at the Lamborghini and Ducati plants in Italy before the end of this week, Diess said. Most of its other German and European factories will prepare to suspend production, probably for two to three weeks, while Audi said separately it would halt output at its plants in Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Mexico. Volkswagen's vast factories in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in Puebla, Mexico, and plants in Brazil were not affected, but that would depend on how the coronavirus spreads, VW said. Volkswagen has 124 production sites worldwide of which 72 are in Europe, with 28 in Germany alone. "2020 will be a very difficult year. The coronavirus pandemic presents us with unknown operational and financial challenges. At the same time, there are concerns about sustained economic impacts," Diess said.   Production in China resumes Volkswagen Group sold 10.96 million vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Toyota based on the latest figures from the Japanese carmaker. Globally, VW employs 671,000 people and it delivered 4.86 million vehicles to European customers in 2019. Only last month the car and truck maker based in Wolfsburg, Germany, predicted that vehicle deliveries this year would match 2019 sales and forecast an operating return on sales in the range of 6.5% to 7.5%. "The spread of coronavirus is currently impacting the global economy. It is uncertain how severely or for how long this will also affect the Volkswagen Group.

Volkswagen Group sales down 15% in pandemic year, but EV sales up 214%

FRANKFURT, Germany — German automaker Volkswagen said its global sales fell 15.2% during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic but showed significant recovery toward the end of the year. The company more than tripled its sales of battery-only vehicles. Global sales for all of Volkswagen's brands amounted to 9.3 million vehicles. The fourth quarter showed a smaller decline of 5.7% and within that quarter the month of December was still further improved, showing a shortfall of only 3.2% from the same period the year before. Volkswagen said Wednesday that sales fell the most in Western Europe, by 21.6%, while China, the company's largest single market, was down 9.1% Sales of battery-only cars jumped 214% to 231,600 from 73,700 across all the company's brands. The company's electric sales leaders included the Volkswagen ID.3 compact, with 56,500, the Audi E-Tron SUV with 47,300, and the high-end Porsche Taycan with 20,000. Volkswagen said that its sales fell by less than the overall market, meaning it had slightly expanded its market share. “The COVID-19 pandemic made 2020 an extremely challenging year,” said group sales chief Christian Dahlheim. “The Volkswagen Group performed well in this environment and strengthened its market position." Volkswagen Group's brands include Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, SEAT, and Skoda as sell as truck makers MAN and Scania.

This Lamborghini could become the most expensive car ever sold on Bring a Trailer

The collector-car auction site Bring a Trailer has seen some wildly high sales results recently, including a 2000 Honda Civic Si for $50k, a 1997 Acura Integra Type R for $82k, and a '71 Datsun 240Z for $310k. Now, a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 up for auction right now could set a new high-water mark for the most expensive car ever to sell on the site. Any Miura is a blue-chip collectible, a seminal supercar that was designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone and considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cars of all time. The transverse-oriented, mid-mounted, quad-cam V12 is fed by four Weber carburetors and was said to be capable of propelling the Miura to 170 mph. This one appears to be a compelling, restored example. As a P400, it is an early series car (the P400 S and SV followed). The audacious lime green paint is a color change from the original white and is paired with a blue interior that records show to be the original hue. The car has been shown at the Quail in 2016, has run the Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance in 2018, and won an award at Concorso Italiano in 2016. Bidding at the time of writing is $800k with 10 days still to go. In order for this Lambo to ring the bell as the most expensive BaT sale ever, it will have to top the current champion, BaT's own 1956 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing that was the first car sold via the site's premium listings. A no-reserve sale, it brought $1,234,567. Yes, we see what the bidder did. Current Miura values would appear to give this P400 a shot dethroning that Gullwing. Hagerty assigns the 1968 Miura P400 a value of $1.1m in #1 condition. Recently, Gooding and Co. sold a 1969 Miura P400 S at Scottsdale in January for $1,242,500. A never-restored 1969 P400 S sold for nearly $1.6m at RM Sothebys London sale last fall, while a non-running 1968 P400 sold by RM earlier this month in Europe for $800,000. It looks like it will be a close call for this Miura to achieve top honors at BaT. But whatever it sells for, the new owner may want to send a professional car hauler rather than simply bringing a trailer. Although the most ballsy move would be to fly in and drive it home. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.