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Tag: Volkswagen

  • Next-Generation Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Confirmed

    Next-Generation Volkswagen Golf SportWagen Confirmed

    The 2020 Volkswagen Golf which is all set to be unveiled next month will also get a long roof version in the near future. Though the company plans to discontinue the Golf SportWagen in certain markets, it won’t be altogether phased out and VW will continue to sell it in the European market. Volkswagen has confirmed the news in a press release which speaks about the meeting between the company and employees. “The entire production of the Golf variant will be relocated to the main plant here in Wolfsburg,” the company said in the press release.

    The Golf has been one of the most important models for the company and the next-generation model is expected to be ahead by leaps and bounds featuring new intelligent driver assistant technology and connected car tech. Jurgen Stackmann, Board Member For Sales at Volkswagen says, “The Golf is the bestseller and the benchmark in the compact segment, it is the favorite car for many people all over the world and comes top in tests. The new Golf will continue the success story, because it is fully connected, and comes equipped with modern driver assistance systems and an intelligent voice assistant. In a nutshell: We are digitalizing the Golf class.”

    The 2020 Volkswagen Golf will be launched with a range of engine options including a hybrid GTE iteration featuring the 12V mild-hybrid system. The 1.5-litre petrol will also be carried forward from the current generation while it will also get a brand new 1.0-litre, three-cylinder motor which will be coupled with an electric motor. According to news reports, the company will also introduce a new 1.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine on the Golf which will be joined by the 12V mild hybrid system.

  • Volkswagen Agrees To Australian Settlement Over Diesel Cheating

    Volkswagen Agrees To Australian Settlement Over Diesel Cheating

    Volkswagen said on Monday it had agreed to pay up to A$127 million ($87.3 million) to settle lawsuits brought on behalf of thousands of Australian customers caught up in its global diesel emissions cheating scandal.

    The German automaker said it would pay about A$1,400 each to owners of affected Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda EA189 diesel vehicles who opted into the lawsuit.

    “This is a significant step toward fully resolving the diesel lawsuits in Australia,” a Sydney-based Volkswagen spokesman said in an emailed statement.

    As part of the settlement, which was agreed on a “no-admissions basis”, Volkswagen will pay the legal costs of the claimants who filed several class-action lawsuits.

    “This is an important step in providing a measure of justice and redress to the thousands of Australian motorists who claim they were financially impacted by the diesel emissions issue,” principal lawyer at Maurice Blackburn, Julian Schimmel said.

    The settlement is subject to court approval.

    The settlement follows revelations in 2015 that Volkswagen was using illegal engine-control software to cheat pollution tests. The company has already paid billions of dollars in legal costs around the world.

    The Australian consumer watchdog in 2016 also sued the German carmaker alleging it intentionally sold more than 57,000 vehicles with software which deceived buyers about levels of toxic emissions.

    Volkswagen said it expected to settle that lawsuit shortly.

    In the United States, Volkswagen has already agreed to pay more than $25 billion in claims from owners, environmental regulators, states and dealers and offered to buy back about 500,000 polluting U.S. vehicles.

    In May, the group said it had set aside 5.5 billion euros ($6.1 billion) in contingent liabilities of which 3.4 billion euros had been earmarked to cover potential lawsuits.

  • Volkswagen Polo & Vento Facelifts To Be Launched Next Month

    Volkswagen Polo & Vento Facelifts To Be Launched Next Month

    Volkswagen India will be introducing the facelifted versions of the Polo and the Vento models on September 4, 2019. VW’s most popular models in the country are set to get subtle cosmetic changes for the new model year along with feature upgrades. The updated cars were spotted testing earlier this year too, and the changes will keep the model fresh, with the next generation Polo and Vento for India still some time away from launch. We recently told you that the new generation Polo for India will be based on the MQB A0 platform, which will also spawn the new Vento.

    Based on what we’ve seen on the previous spy shots, the Volkswagen Polo and Vento facelifts will sport a revised front that includes changes to the grille that takes inspiration from the GTI models, while the front and rear bumper have been tweaked as part of the update. The silhouette on both cars remains unchanged. The updated versions will also get new alloy wheels finished in grey. In addition, the Volkswagen Polo and Vento facelifts will get a number of mandatory features as standard including front seatbelt reminders, rear parking sensors, and speed alert system. Dual airbags and ABS are already standard across all variants. It needs to be seen if the infotainment system gets any changes on the cars.

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    The Volkswagen Polo completed 10 years in India this year and has largely remained the same barring the cosmetic upgrades and feature additions from time to time. The Vento too has gone through a similar process during its life in the country. With Skoda in charge of the VW Group in India, the company’s focus is on bringing the new range of SUVs first as part of the Volkswagen 2.0 plan, which will be followed by the new Polo and Vento that are likely to arrive by 2021. We do expect to hear a few official announcements at the Auto Expo next year.

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  • Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Revealed

    Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Revealed

    Volkswagen is all set to bring in the first crossover convertible in the compact SUV class and it’s the T-Roc that’s going to get this treatment. The T-Roc cabriolet will add to the diversity of the booming SUV segment across the world and of course breathe in some fresh air in that segment. The T-Roc is a popular car and ever since its launch globally, Volkswagen has sold 3.60 lakh units of the car. The Cabriolet is based on the T-Roc Crossover and gets a high-quality soft top which opens in nine seconds, even when driving at speeds of up to 30 kmph. What’s more, the crossover utility vehicle boasts all of the familiar strengths of Volkswagen SUVs: elevated seating along with numerous customization options. The crossover convertible will be showcased at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show and will launch subsequently in global markets.

    The T-Roc Cabriolet stands out with its distinctive body style. The strikingly wide front end, prominent lines and tight proportions bring out the SUV looks. The team under Head of Design Klaus Bischoff gave the crossover Cabriolet a powerful yet refreshing appearance. “The T-Roc Cabriolet carries the freedom of design into the driving experience itself. We have redefined the CUV as an emotive lifestyle product that combines power and style in a unique way”, says Bischoff.

    Positioned within the segment under the Tiguan, the T-Roc and the T-Roc Cabriolet both share its design basis: the modular transverse matrix (MQB). The T-Roc Cabriolet is 4,268 mm long, with a wheelbase of 2,630 mm. The vehicle is 1,811 mm wide (without exterior mirrors) and 1,522 mm high. The driver and front passenger are seated at a comfortable 599 mm over the tarmac.

    Inside, the two-door model, the drivers, and passengers can expect a high degree of flexibility and generous open spaces. The same goes for the 284-liter luggage compartment, which is something to be proud of in the compact crossover segment. The versatility of this vehicle concept is also underscored by an optional towing bracket. The soft top itself consists of the linkage, the headliner, an all-over cushioned mat and the outer cover. A total of four cross braces and the front cross strut (the first large cross-member behind the windscreen frame) are mounted between the longitudinal frame of the soft top linkage. The soft top is attached to the cross struts by bolted-on fabric holding rails. This ensures that the soft top does not inflate, even when driving at high speeds. Not only does this have a positive impact on the aerodynamics, but also on the noise levels in the vehicle interior. The interior is quiet thanks to both the sophisticated design of the soft top, as well as to the specially developed window and door seals.

    Passengers in the T-Roc Cabriolet are well-protected thanks to the roll-over protection, which is located behind the rear seats and is extendable and reversible. The system used in the T-Roc springs upwards in the area of the rear headrests within fractions of a second, in response to exceeding a defined lateral acceleration or vehicle tilt.

    The T-Roc Cabriolet gets an option of the next-generation Infotainment system (MIB3), thanks to which it is permanently online – enabling it to offer completely new services and functions. The new system has an online connectivity unit, including an integrated eSIM. This means the Cabriolet can, if desired, be permanently online as soon as the driver has registered it in the Volkswagen system. Information is displayed on the Infotainment system screen, which measures up to 8 inches. When this is used in combination with the optionally available Active Info Display, with its 11.7-inch screen, a completely digital cockpit landscape can be created – what we call the Digital Cockpit. There is also the option to round off the functional equipment with a 12-channel sound system from US-based manufacturer BeatsAudio, with a system output of 400 watts, enhancing the driving experience when the soft top is open.

    Customers can choose between two efficient turbocharged petrol engines with 113 bhp and 147 bhp. The manual six-speed gearbox comes as standard with the 1-liter 3 cylinder unit while the more powerful 1.5-liter gets a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The open-top T-Roc is produced at Volkswagen’s Osnabruck location, a plant with a long history of making convertibles. Indeed, the convertible variants of the Beetle and the Golf were also built here.

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  • Volkswagen Confirms Participation At The 2020 Auto Expo

    Volkswagen Confirms Participation At The 2020 Auto Expo

    After missing out on the Auto Expo in 2018, Volkswagen India has confirmed that it will participate in the 2020 Auto Expo which is all set to be held from February 7 2020. We’ve already told you about the dates of the 2020 Auto Expo but Volkswagen promises that there’s a lot that it will bring to the Expo. Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said, “You will see Volkswagen at the Auto Expo in 2020. You will experience a completely different Volkswagen and that I can assure you really stay tuned to it because we will have a lot of fun on this show. Volkswagen will be seen in all its glory and we at Volkswagen are very excited about it. So it will be really different”

    2020 marks the beginning of the India 2.0 strategy for the Volkswagen Group. The India 2.0 strategy will see major changes within the Volkswagen Group, and is part of the company’s consolidation efforts across multiple markets. In India, the Skoda-led VW Group will introduce its first ‘Made in India’ and ‘Made For India’ offering around 2020, which will be a Hyundai Creta rivaling midsize SUV. The Skoda and VW SUV will be built on the MQB A0-IN platform, a domesticated version of the company’s modular architecture. The company has also confirmed that all future model will be based o on the MQB platform. The automaker also plans to export vehicles built in India on the said platform and is currently evaluating the feasibility.

    Part of the strategy also includes production rising more of the small displacement TSI petrol engines in India, including the new global 1.0 3-cylinder engine that will go into the new SUV. In fact Maier believes that the car may launch as petrol only, though the final choice of fuel types will be made based on unfolding policy and market trends. The 1.0 TSI would also go into other products of course; making economies of scale kick in on a wider basis.

    The India 2.0 plan also keeps future electrification in mind, something the new MQB A0 based models would also provision for. The investments will also cater to a significant ramp-up of Skoda and VW’s existing countrywide network. This would be crucial towards achieving the market share target for the VW Group, according to Maier. VW currently operates 121 dealerships in India, while Skoda’s network is 70 strong.

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  • Volkswagen Second-Quarter Operating Profit Up 30% As SUV Push Pays Off

    Volkswagen Second-Quarter Operating Profit Up 30% As SUV Push Pays Off

    Volkswagen Group shares rose 2 percent after the carmaker posted a 30 percent rise in second-quarter operating profit despite a drop in vehicle sales as rising demand for sports utility vehicles and premium brands boosted margins. Volkswagen bucked a trend of falling demand for passenger cars by launching a range of higher-margin sports utility vehicles at a time when demand for sedans is falling. Daimler, Aston Martin, and supplier Continental warned on profits this week. “Very solid and clean set of numbers, marginally ahead of consensus,” Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois said about Volkswagen’s earnings in a note on Thursday.

    The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company’s operating profit rose to 5.13 billion euros ($5.71 billion), up from 3.94 billion euros in the second quarter last year. It was boosted by the absence of a diesel charge VW booked in the year-earlier period.

    Volkswagen reiterated it expects vehicle deliveries in 2019 to exceed a prior-year figure and for revenue in the passenger cars and commercial vehicles divisions to grow at least 5%.

    VW said it continues to expect an operating return on sales in the passenger cars area and the group of between 6.5% and 7.5%. It reiterated that after special items, it expects the operating return on sales to be at the lower end of the expected range for the group and the passenger cars business area.

    Peugeot said on Wednesday it had delivered an operating margin of 8.7 percent in the first half of 2019, without releasing a more detailed breakdown of quarterly results.

    By contrast, Volkswagen Group’s operating return on sales rose to 7.2% in the first half, up from 6.8% in the year-earlier period.

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  • Volkswagen To Build New Plant In Turkey

    Volkswagen To Build New Plant In Turkey

    German carmaker Volkswagen is planning to build a multi-brand production plant in Turkey, a German trade magazine reported on Friday without citing sources.

    Automobilwoche said Volkswagen supervisory Board on Thursday made the decision to build a plant near the city of Izmir, adding that Volkswagen’s subsidiary Skoda will be one of the brands to be produced there.

    In April, Czech daily Hospodarske Noviny reported that Skoda was choosing between Bulgaria or Turkey as the site for a planned new plant.

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  • Volkswagen Says 50% Of Sales In China Will Be NEVs By 2035

    Volkswagen Says 50% Of Sales In China Will Be NEVs By 2035

    By 2035 half of Volkswagen’s sales in China will be new energy vehicles (NEVs), CEO Herbert Diess told a conference in Boao, China, on Tuesday, according to a company statement.

    Volkswagen intends to offer 14 electrified models in China this year. By 2028, more than half of the Group’s planned 22 million electric cars will be produced in China, the statement added.

    Volkswagen previously said it aimed to sell 400,000 NEVs in China next year and to sell around 1.5 million new energy vehicles in China in 2025.

    Volkswagen has joint ventures in China with FAW Group, SAIC Motor and JAC.

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  • Volkswagen Opens IT Centre In Dresden

    Volkswagen Opens IT Centre In Dresden

    Volkswagen has opened a new IT Development Centre in its Glaserne Manufaktur in Dresden. In the Software Development Centre Production (SDC Production), up to 80 newly hired IT specialists will be working on the Volkswagen Industrial Cloud. In the future, the Industrial Cloud will link all 122 Group-wide Volkswagen production facilities. The goal is to amalgamate all data, and in doing so consistently digitalize production and logistics.

    One of the main focus points is the use of artificial intelligence, which suitably simulates human eyesight. The SDC developed the software for the visual quality checks of automated priming tasks for the door and side windows – this robot application comes from the Dresden-based start-up Wandelbots.

    Martin Hofmann, Head of IT for the Volkswagen Group, stated: “With the new IT Development Centre in the Glaserne Manufaktur, our expert knowledge will continue to grow; skills in important areas of technology secure our future.”

    The Industrial Cloud brings together data from all factories. For example, the material flow can be organized more efficiently and delivery bottlenecks and process disruptions can be detected at an early stage. It enables smart real-time control – simultaneously in Wolfsburg and Shanghai, Dresden and Uitenhage (South Africa)

    The Industrial Cloud is being established together with Amazon Web Services (AWS). AWS is a leader in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning and computer services. In the Industrial Cloud, these technologies are being developed specifically for the automotive production environment. With Siemens, Volkswagen has gained its first major integration partner. Siemens contributes know-how in automation, connectivity of machines and systems, and the industrial IoT world to the collaboration.

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  • Prosecutors Fine Bosch 90 Million Euros For Illicit Emissions Software

    Prosecutors Fine Bosch 90 Million Euros For Illicit Emissions Software

    Automotive supplier Bosch has agreed to pay a 90 million euros ($100.21 million) fine for lapses in supervisory duties which enabled carmakers to engage in emissions cheating, German prosecutors in the city of Stuttgart said on Friday.

    Privately-held Bosch, the world’s biggest automotive supplier, delivered around 17 million technical devices equipped with engine management software, including tools that allowed carmakers to manipulate emissions tests, prosecutors said in a statement.

    Bosch has accepted the fine and will not appeal the decision, they added.

    Volkswagen used the software provided by Bosch to help the carmaker mask illegal pollution in diesel-engined vehicles.

    Volkswagen has borne the brunt of penalties and fines for emissions cheating since carmakers, rather than suppliers are responsible for certifying that cars meet clean air rules

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  • Volkswagen Expands Network With First City & Pop-up Stores In India

    Volkswagen Expands Network With First City & Pop-up Stores In India

    German auto giant has inaugurated its first city and pop-up stores in India, in a bid to expand its presence and touchpoints in the country. The manufacturer opened its first City store at Richmond Road in Bengaluru, while the Pop-up store opened in Tumkur. The automaker says that the initiative aims to prepare the brand to be ‘fit for the future’ while being innovative. Volkswagen plans to introduce 30 new pop-up and city stores across the country over the next one year.

    Speaking about the new innovation, Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “Our business environment is changing at a breathtaking pace in view of new technologies and enhanced customer expectations. Our customers today value innovation and in turn expect a prompt and hassle-free experience with Volkswagen. This new format of transforming our sales stores is in alignment with our global growth strategy. As the world is moving towards connected mobility solutions, digitalization across the sales and after-sales process is pertinent. We’re constantly innovating our brand offerings and we trust our customers would appreciate the Volkswagen experience.”

    The new stores have been opened in partnership with PPS Motors. Speaking on the collaboration, Rajiv Sanghvi, MD – PPS Motors said, “To enhance the customer purchase experience in today’s digital age, we are driven to deliver this world-class showroom that combines traditional and digital tools to offer a seamless sales experience to our customers.”

    The Volkswagen Pop-up store aims to offer an opportunity for potential customers to interact better with the brand. These stores are mainly targeted at the semi-urban and rural areas where the company has a limited presence. Meanwhile, the Volkswagen City store will cater to young customers in urban areas. The city store will offer a digitized experience to customers with paperless details on the vehicles. Vehicles bought via both the stores will be serviced at the existing company workshops that are associated with the traditional dealerships that are already established in multiple cities.

    Volkswagen currently operates out of 119 showrooms and 113 workshops, which are spread across 100 cities in the country. The city and pop-up store concepts will help VW India reach out to newer regions in the country, without necessarily spending the high infrastructure cost involved with setting up a dealer network. It’s not clear as to how long with the city and pop-up stores will be in operation. However, local dealers will find help in reaching out to newer customers outside their traditional vicinity.

  • Volkswagen Plans To Produce Batteries In Germany

    Volkswagen Plans To Produce Batteries In Germany

    Volkswagen will invest almost 1 billion euros ($1.1 billion) in battery cell production at a facility in western Germany and is seeking to simplify the group by spinning off or selling units, the automaker said on Monday. Volkswagen said in a statement after a supervisory board meeting it would set up the battery facility in Lower Saxony under a partnership and would also begin talks on a planned new multibrand plant in Europe. The statement confirms a Reuters report earlier on Monday, on the eve of the company’s annual general meeting.

    Battery cells are a key battleground in the automotive industry as it shifts to electric mobility. Currently the industry chiefly sources its requirements from Asian manufacturers. Volkswagen also said it was looking into options for its MAN Energy Solutions business, which makes large diesel engines for ships and power generators, as well as transmissions maker Renk, including joint ventures, partnerships, a full or partial sale.

    Reuters reported earlier this month that Volkswagen had approached several companies to gauge their interest in buying MAN Energy Solutions, which is expected to achieve a valuation of about 3 billion euros in a potential sale. The moves are part of Volkswagen Chief Executive Herbert Diess’s efforts to slim down and simplify the group which has 12 brands, trucks, buses, motorbikes, cars and electric bicycles as part of its business.

    “Given the ever greater complexity of our industry and the related challenges, it is essential to focus on our core business,” Supervisory Board Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch said. Volkswagen also said it would resume preparations for an initial public offering (IPO) of its trucks unit Traton, which it put on hold in March due to volatile market conditions.

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  • Volkswagen Ameo Corporate Edition Launched

    Volkswagen Ameo Corporate Edition Launched

    Volkswagen India has launched a special edition of the Ameo subcompact sedan and it’s called the Ameo Corporate edition. The company says that it will cater to the needs of corporate and business customers. Available only in the Highline Plus variant, the Ameo Corporate edition has been launched at an introductory price starting at ₹ 6.69 lakh for the petrol with the manual transmission while the diesel costs ₹ 7.99 lakh.

    The Ameo Corporate edition comes equipped with features that are already part of the Highline Plus variant. Available in 5 colours – Lapiz Blue, Reflex Silver, Candy White, Toffee Brown and Carbon Steel, the Volkswagen Ameo all variants come equipped with dual front airbags, and ABS as standard. The Ameo comes with a host of features like cruise control, rain sensing wipers along with static cornering lights and the dynamic Touchscreen multimedia music system with AppConnect, Auto air-conditioning system.

    Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said, “The made-for-India and made-in-India Ameo is carline specifically developed for the Indian market. It’s a true testament of German engineering in a compact sedan filled with segment leading features. Through the Ameo Corporate edition, we aim to offer globally renowned standards of safety, quality and fun-to-drive experience to all our customers”

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