Volkswagen has celebrated a production milestone this week, with the 30 millionth Passat rolling down the assembly line. On April 3 at the brand's Emden facility in Germany, a Passat GTE 'Variant' wagon finished in Pyrite Silver metallic was the magic milestone unit...
Skoda will build three pure-electric models on the modular Volkswagen MEB platform by 2023, including a low-cost compact. According to Automotive News Europe, the range will be headed by a production take on the Vision IV concept unveiled at the Geneva motor show. A cheaper, simpler SUV will sit below it in the range, once again with styling inspired by the concept...
The new Scala hatchback could be the next model in the Skoda line-up to get the sporty RS treatment, according to a new report out of the UK. Speaking with Auto Express, Skoda's board member "with responsibility" for sales and marketing, Alain Favey, said that a Scala RS isn't confirmed for production just yet, but is under consideration...
Volkswagen Group's leadership has announced a ramping up of its already ambitious electric vehicle plans at its 2019 annual press conference. The German automaker now plans to launch 70 new electric cars by 2028, up from the 50 it had previously committed to. It now predicts it will make 22 million electric vehicles in the next decade, up from the previous forecast of 15 million...
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has beaten out Volkswagen Group and Toyota Motor Company for the 2018 passenger car sales crown, with a total of 10.76 million sales worldwide. According to figures released by the various brands, the combination of Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors accounted for 10.76 million passenger and light-commercial vehicles around the world, ahead of 10...
Bentley has been told by two of the Volkswagen Group's main shareholders it needs to stop the flow of red ink, although it's not clear what will happen if it misses the target. The call was made by the Porsche and Piech families, who not only own a significant portion of the company's voting stock, but also have two seats on its supervisory board...
Volkswagen could build some of its vehicles at Ford factories in the USA, Herbert Diess, the German automaker's CEO, has revealed. Diess spoke to reporters including those from Automotive News after a discussion with US President Donald Trump, members of his administration, and senior officers from Daimler and BMW...
Cupra, the newly spun-off performance division of Spanish manufacturer Seat, is planning an extensive model rollout in the coming years – according to a new report. Spanish publication Periodismodel Motor claims the go-fast sub-brand intends to launch an additional seven models before 2021, joining the current Cupra Ateca SUV...
Volkswagen may grant Ford access to the company's upcoming MEB electric car platform as part of wide-ranging collaboration talks between the two car makers. During a conference call discussing the German automaker's third quarter results, Frank Witter, the Volkswagen Group's chief financial officer (CFO), told Automotive News and other outlets, "Whether we might provide access [to MEB] to other brands outside of the VW Group is theoretically possible, but there is no decision"...
Ford and Volkswagen may join forces to develop passenger cars together as part of wide-ranging partnership talks between the two automakers. In an interview with Bloomberg Bob Shanks, Ford's chief financial officer, noted the companies are "having a very broad set of discussions about how we can help each other around the world"...
Volkswagen Group has brought its top-selling models into line with Worldwide Harmonised Light vehicle Testing (WLTP) regulations, after the tougher rules came into force on September 1. Reporting in Automotive News Europe says Volkswagen Group sales fell by half across the five biggest European markets, after a number of its top-selling vehicles didn't meet emissions standards under the tough new testing procedure...
Former Volkswagen CEO, Martin Winterkorn, and Bosch CEO, Volkmar Denner, are among witnesses refusing to testify in a trial against Porsche SE, the main shareholder of Volkswagen Group. The presiding judge of the regional court in Stuttgart, Fabian Richter Reuschle, said of the decision: “we have to accept that we cannot force them to incriminate themselves," according to reporting from Automotive News...
The Seat Arona looks set to be the next model in the Spanish brand's line-up to be fettled by its new Cupra performance sub-brand – according to a new report. Spain's Motor.es claims the hotted-up crossover is scheduled for release in 2020 as a 2021 model, around the same time the Arona will go through a mid-life refresh...
Seat has debuted its new 'Digital Cockpit' on the Arona crossover and Ibiza hatchback this week. Measuring 10.25 inches, the optional Seat Digital Cockpit "not only has a more modern and versatile design, but provides greater functionality, allowing drivers to view everything from classic information found on analogue dials, such as speedometer and tachometer, to full-colour maps and navigation"...
Volkswagen Group Australia has initiated its recall for over 100,000 vehicles across various model lines fitted with faulty Takata airbags, as part of the Australian Government's mandatory safety recall that requires all defective inflators to be replaced by 31 December 2020...
Ex-Volkswagen, Porsche and Audi research and development chief, Wolfgang Hatz, has been released from pre-trial detention under a strict set of conditions designed to stop him fleeing Germany. According to reports in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the ex-engine boss was bailed for €3 million ($4.7 million) earlier this week...
Volkswagen will close its factory in Wolfsburg for one or two days per week between August and late September, as it tackles problems caused by the new Worldwide Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Reports from Automotive News in Europe say Volkswagen told employees about the closures over email on Tuesday...
Volkswagen AG and Ford Motor Company have signed a memorandum of understanding ahead of a possible 'strategic alliance', which could see the two automotive giants team up to develop commercial vehicles. The pairing wouldn't involve any equity sharing or "cross-ownership stakes", ruling out the possibility of a massive automotive alliance in a similar vein to Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi or Peugeot Citroen (PSA)...
Remember last month when we wrote about the MY19 Volkswagen Golf GTI losing the manual option? The three-pedal casualties have continued elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group, with the Skoda Octavia RS also losing its stick-shift variants for 2019...
Audi has announced plans to sell 800,000 pure-electric and plug-in vehicles in 2025, as the brand doubles down on its commitment to electric mobility. Rupert Stadler, Audi AG board chairman, said the company wants to "revolutionise mobility" and become the top luxury manufacturer in the e-mobility space – not exactly unique goals, given both BMW and Mercedes-Benz are aggressively planning their own plug-in revolutions...
