Volkswagen Group

Croatian electric hypercar specialist Rimac Automobili will be publicly listed within the next 12 months, according to a new report from German outlet Manager Magazin. The company is said to be aiming for an initial market capitalisation of approximately €5 billion (AU$8 billion), however the the distribution of stock – and the percentage of equity floated – is yet to be confirmed.

Volkswagen Group has announced it will seek damages from its former CEO, Prof Martin Winterkorn, after a six-year investigation. Wintekorn was named alongside former Audi CEO, Prof Rupert Stadler, by Volkswagen Group's Supervisory Board as allegedly being the two individuals responsible for the 'Dieselgate' saga, which has resulted in the company paying an estimated $46.5 billion in fines, compensation, and vehicle buybacks.

Australia is at risk of becoming an "automotive third world," a local spokesperson for Volkswagen has claimed. Europe, China, Japan and the USA – where the vast majority of the world's cars are built – all have significantly more stringent emission regulations than Australia. As such, local branches and distributors report it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify the importing of newer and more environmentally friendly model variants at the expense of overseas quotas.

The son of a disgraced former Volkswagen boss has emerged as one of the key players in developing a new 'miracle' battery which could transform the landscape of the automotive industry. According to Business Insider Germany, Martin Winterkorn Junior reportedly turned down a job at Apple to instead be part of a major project at QuantumScape – a US start-up which enjoys backing from the likes of Volkswagen and Bill Gates.

Jaguar Land Rover has filed a lawsuit to block certain SUVs from the Volkswagen Group from being imported into the United States, alleging the VW Group has used its patented all-terrain technology without permission. The technology in question is called Terrain Response, which is available on Land Rover SUVs like the Discovery Sport or Range Rover, or Jaguar SUVs like the F-Pace, and allows drivers to select from several drive modes optimised for various surfaces and conditions.