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Press Releases
This section contains all current press releases on topics and news items concerning Volkswagen.
Volkswagen to take over telematics specialist WirelessCar from Volvo
The Volkswagen Group is acquiring a majority stake in the Swedish telematics specialist “WirelessCar” from Volvo with a view to making further advances in fleet connectivity. The Volkswagen Group is acquiring a 75.1 percent stake in WirelessCar. Completion is expected in the first half of 2019 and is subject to approval from antitrust authorities.
Volkswagen introduces new remuneration model for top management
The Volkswagen Group has revised its top management remuneration system. The new model is based on the system used for the Board of Management, strengthens the Group idea and fosters cooperation between brands, regions and countries. In addition, the return targets of the Group are taken into account and a stronger link to share prices has been established. The main new features include greater emphasis on team performance and greater rewards for compliant, upright behavior; the system allows the possibility of taking individual wrongdoing into account in reducing remuneration. The new remuneration system applies from fiscal 2019.
Bestselling mid-size model in the world: the Passat has stood for progress for 45 years
For 45 years the Passat has been on course for the future. Originally launched in 1973, it is now sold on every continent. Volkswagen has built more than 29 million Passat vehicles in eight generations so far. 2019 will see the start of a new evolutionary stage of the most successful mid-size car ever, as the Passat becomes the first in its segment to break through the barrier of 30 million units.
“Person of the Year 2018” – honor in China for former Volkswagen Chairman Prof. Dr. Carl Hahn
Prof. Dr. Carl H. Hahn, Former Chairman of the Volkswagen Board of Management (1982 – 1992), today received the accolade of “Person of the Year 2018“ in Beijing. The prestigious award presented by “China Newsweek“ magazine honors the pioneering role played by Dr. Hahn in the entry of Volkswagen to the market in the People’s Republic of China.
The Volkswagen Group heads for deliveries record
From January to November, the Volkswagen Group boosted worldwide deliveries by 1.8 percent to 9.92 million vehicles. Despite a tense market environment with stagnating overall markets, a deliveries record for 2018 as a whole is therefore within reach. In November, the Volkswagen Group delivered a total of 940,900 vehicles throughout the world, corresponding to a fall of 5.4 percent compared with the prior-year month. Thanks to further progress with the WLTP changeover of the model range, deliveries in Europe were affected less severely in November. At 3.0 percent, the fall compared with the prior-year month was considerably lower than in the two preceding months. Dr. Christian Dahlheim, Head of Group Sales: “The rise in worldwide deliveries in the course of the year is a very respectable result. Although the volume target is no longer our top priority, high volumes allow us to achieve economies of scale. In November, there was a reduction in the effect of WLTP in Europe. We are confident that we will be able to close 2018 with a figure slightly above the previous record level of 2017 despite the challenging market environment.“
Return of the ID. R: Volkswagen to present plans for future applications
Family get-together for three generations: Volkswagen will take the past, present and future of motorsport to Zell am See for the return of the awe-inspiring Ice Race. On show for all to see on 19 and 20 January 2019 in the town to the south of Salzburg (Austria) will be the Volkswagen ID. R, which this year set a widely-acclaimed all-time record on the legendary Pikes Peak in the USA with a fully-electric drive. Volkswagen will also offer a glimpse of what awaits the ID. R in its immediate sporting future.
Volkswagen with new IQ.DRIVE umbrella brand campaign
Volkswagen is bundling its entire range of intelligent driver assistance technologies under the new umbrella brand IQ.DRIVE. Before Christmas, Volkswagen will be launching a 360° marketing campaign for the new brand in Germany, consisting of TV commercial and posters as well as printed and online advertisements. Other European markets are to follow next year. In January 2019, special IQ.DRIVE models will appear in European dealerships. Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen Brand Board Member responsible for Sales and Marketing: “Our models already have intelligent electronic assistants for greater convenience and safety on board. With IQ.DRIVE, we are accompanying our customers on the way to autonomous driving. In future, their mobility time in a Volkswagen is to be quality time.“
Building EV charging infrastructures within companies
The Volkswagen Group has collaborated with THE MOBILITY HOUSE to create a gen-eral overview that answers the most important points for implementing an EV charging infrastructure at a company.
First Interim Report of the Sustainability Advisory Board of the Volkswagen Group
In its first interim report, today the Sustainability Council of the Volkswagen Group has published an interim report on its activities from October 2016 to October 2018 in Berlin. The eight-member international panel summarizes its experience of working with the Volkswagen Group and assesses progress in sustainability matters and describes its attitude towards the future development of the Group in this area.
Sharan – available now with new safety equipment and as new “Black Style” special model
The Sharan is back in showrooms now, following a host of technical enhancements. The long-distance van, so popular with families, boasts numerous innovative safety features as standard, making it one of the most advanced vehicles in its segment. For a particularly exclusive look, the Sharan is now also available in the new “Black Style” special model.
Personnel changes in production
Dr. Oliver Grünberg, Previously Technical Director of Volkswagen OOO Group RUS and Plant Manager at Kaluga, Russia, is to be Chairman of the Board of Management and Board Member for Technology of Volkswagen Slovakia with effect from January 1, 2019. He succeeds Ralf Sacht, who is to be Head of Toolmaking of the Volkswagen brand in Wolfsburg from January. Grün-berg’s previous function is to be assumed from February 2019 by Stefan Depka, Head of Produc-tion with FAW Volkswagen in Foshan, China.
Thomas Zahn new President and CEO of Volkswagen Group Argentina
Thomas Zahn, previously Head of Sales and Marketing, Germany, of Volkswagen AG, is to become President and CEO of Volkswagen Group Argentina S.A. effective February 1, 2019. Holger Santel already succeeded Thomas Zahn in his previous function with effect from November 1, 2018.
The right drive for the fleet
The Volkswagen Group is providing fleet managers with fact-based information on drive systems in a new white paper. With this paper, the company is offering a decision-making and discussion aid for the question: “Which drive is best for my fleet?”
Volkswagen Supervisory Board appoints Bram Schot to Group Board of Management
The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft today appointed Bram Schot a member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG effective January 1, 2019. Schot, appointed by the Supervisory Board of Audi AG as Board of Management Chairman of the company headquartered in Ingolstadt, will also hold responsibility for Group Sales in the Group Board of Management. “As Audi Board of Management Chairman, Bram Schot takes over an important task in the Group. With his long-standing experience he will prove Audi’s premium claim and successfully lead the brand with its “Vorsprung durch Technik” mission statement into the future”, the Chairman of the Audi Supervisory Board and Chief Executive Officer of Volkswagen, Dr. Herbert Diess, said.
Producing for the future: Volkswagen Toolmaking opens highly advanced 3-D printing center
The Volkswagen brand’s Toolmaking unit is adding a highly advanced 3-D printing center to its facilities in Wolfsburg. With the opening of the center, the unit is bringing the most highly advanced generation of 3-D printers to the Volkswagen Group, which will allow the production of complex vehicle parts in the future. In addition, with the new center, Toolmaking is implementing a key point of the pact for the future concluded in 2016 and expanding its production competences with subsidies from the Innovation Fund II.
Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn to become Chairman of Management Board of IAV
Dr. Ulrich Eichhorn, currently head of Research and Development of the Volkswagen Group, is to become Chairman of the Management Board of IAV GmbH in Berlin with effect from January 1, 2019. Eichhorn’s previous function is to be assumed by Dr. Frank Welsch, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand responsible for Technical Development, in addition to his duties as Member of the Brand Board of Management in the future.
Renewed improvement in mood among employees
Volkswagen employees see improvements in cooperation, management culture and integrity within the company. These are the conclusions to be drawn from the results of the Volkswagen Stimmungsbarometer (opinion barometer), an employee survey that regularly gives employees throughout the world an opportunity to express their views on topics such as leadership, coop-eration, integrity and culture while retaining their anonymity. This survey has now been held for the 10th year in succession. It was conducted in October and November and the results for Volkswagen AG are now available.
Volkswagen Group honors its best apprentices
The Volkswagen Group today presented its “Best Apprentice Awards 2018” to its best apprentices from all over the world, honoring their outstanding performance and professional competence. The prizes for the 46 young talents with 16 vocations were presented by the Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Dr. Herbert Diess, the Member of the Board of Management with responsibilty for Human Resources, Gunnar Kilian, and the President of the Global Group Works Council, Bernd Osterloh.
Volkswagen and suppliers start countdown to ID.
About one year before the start of production of the fully electric ID., Volkswagen has announced further details of its electric offensive. Throughout the Group, up to 15 million vehicles based on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB) are to be built in the first wave, compared with 10 million vehicles according to previous plans. Up to 2023, the brand will be investing more than €11 billion in e-mobility, digitalization, autonomous driving and new mobility services, including more than €9 billion in the ID. family. The electric offensive was also a topic at the MEB Supplier Event. Yesterday, more than 30 CEOs from the key component suppliers came to Wolfsburg to usher in the hot phase of preparations for the ID. together with Dr. Herbert Diess, CEO of the Volkswagen Group, and members of the Volkswagen brand Board of Management.
Available to order now: the new T-Cross
Following its world première in Amsterdam, Shanghai and São Paulo it is now available to order: the new T-Cross. Customers can order the new Volkswagen SUV in the small vehicle segment as of now. The T-Cross introductory model is available from €17,975.
Volkswagen heading for success with annual deliveries
In November, Volkswagen delivered 564,500 vehicles throughout the world, five percent less than in November 2017. In Europe, the effects of WLTP became less and less pronounced. Deliveries by Volkswagen were up 1.2 percent here. Brazil continues to drive growth in South America. The market situation in China remains tense. Nevertheless, Volkswagen succeeds in boosting its market share there in a shrinking overall market. All in all, the brand faces a challenging market environment with strong headwinds in some regions. Nevertheless, Volkswagen has delivered 5.7 million passenger cars to customers throughout the world in the year to date, 1.2 percent more than in the prior-year period. Volkswagen Board Member for Sales Jürgen Stackmann: “In view of the difficult conditions we face, Volkswagen is very well-positioned with respect to deliveries. How we bring the year to a close will now depend on December. We still need 530,000 deliveries to match last year’s record. In my opinion, we could succeed and perhaps even record slightly higher deliveries.”
Volkswagen brand to speed up operating return
The Volkswagen brand is to significantly improve its earnings performance in the coming years in order to finance investments in future technologies from its own resources. To this end, the model portfolio is being streamlined and the number of variants reduced. At the same time, productivity at the plants is to be increased and the platform orientation for vehicle production extended. Optimizing material costs is to contribute significantly to achieving the target return – without detracting from product substance. Administration processes will become even leaner. “We must force the pace of our transformation and become more efficient and agile. We cannot let up in our efforts and must realize further substantial improvements. What we have achieved so far is still not enough,” said Ralf Brandstätter, the brand’s Chief Operating Officer responsible for day-to-day business.
15 years of Volkswagen dual clutch gearboxes: DSG heralded the success story of automatic transmission in Europe
A drive revolution celebrates its birthday: Exactly 15 years ago, Volkswagen introduced the first dual clutch gearbox (DSG) for large-scale production. Automatic transmission for the modern age. More economical and sporty than any automatic gearbox before, the DSG changed the way gears are shifted, particularly in the compact class, and thus driving itself. Gears were almost always shifted manually before the DSG came along in 2003 and shifted gears faster than any driver could manage manually. To date, more than 26 million drivers of a Volkswagen and the Group models have opted for a dual clutch gearbox.
Volkswagen employee Ines Doberanzke-Milnikel is awarded Federal Cross of Merit for Memorial Site work
Ines Doberanzke-Milnikel (47) an employee of the Volkswagen Group from Beendorf (Börde District, Saxony-Anhalt), was today presented with the Federal Cross of Merit by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Berlin. Doberanzke-Milnikel , who holds degrees in social work and social management, was honored at Schloss Bellevue for her volunteering commitment with the Association of Friends of the International Youth Meeting Center Oświęcim/Auschwitz as well as her professional and social commitment with Volkswagen. The native of Magdeburg coordinates international exchange and encounter programs as well as Memorial Site work at Auschwitz with apprentices and managers for the Volkswagen Group.
CEO Dr. Herbert Diess visits Auschwitz Concentration Camp Memorial Site
On Friday, the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, Dr. Herbert Diess, visited Auschwitz Concentration Camp Memorial Site. Together with apprentices from five Volkswagen plants , Diess honored the memory of the one and a half million people murdered by the Nazi regime in Auschwitz. At the International Youth Meeting Center in Oświęcim/Auschwitz, Diess was received by 95-year-old contemporary witness Zofia Posmysz.
Electrifying a wide audience: Volkswagen ID. R crowned “Race Car of the Year” twice
Breath-taking all-time record at the legendary hill climb on Pikes Peak with a pioneering, fully-electric drivetrain and a spectacular look – the Volkswagen ID. R Pikes Peak has already justified the use of many superlatives. The 500-kW (680-PS) prototype sports car has now been crowned “Race Car of the Year” twice – by specialist German magazine Auto Bild Motorsport and by British car magazine BBC Top Gear. This recognition from two renowned and high-circulation magazines follows a year of success on the track.
New regenerative R33 BlueDiesel fuel helps reduce CO2 emissions of fleets
Test phase successfully completed: Volkswagen has been testing the newly developed R33 BlueDiesel fuel at its in-house filling station in Wolfsburg since January 2018. The innovative fuel enables CO2 savings of at least 20 percent compared to conventional diesel thanks to the use of biofuels. It also enables major customers to achieve climate protection goals with their fleets.
Charge your electric car while you shop: Volkswagen and Tesco now partners in the UK
Volkswagen is working to develop areawide charging infrastructure for electric cars. This is why the brand has embarked on a strategic partnership with the Tesco supermarket chain in the UK. Over the next three years, more than 2,400 electric vehicle charging bays are to be rolled out at 600 Tesco stores. The cooperation will create the largest electric vehicle charging network in the British retail sector. The stations are to be operated by Volkswagen and Pod Point, one of the leading providers of charging infrastructure in the UK.
VOLKSWAGEN ART 4 ALL initiative receives „Corporate Art Award“
Volkswagen‘s Cultural Engagement has been honored with the „Corporate Art Award” in Brussels. The prize was presented yesterday as part of the “Art Patrons of the XXI. Century” festivities in the European Parliament. The program’s founder and curator Luca Desiata from pptART®/LUISS Business School, representing the jury, acknowledged the role of the company, which “provides a large public with access to the arts and culture through VOLKSWAGEN ART 4 ALL”.
Beetle Final Edition – Premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2018
The Beetle, along with the the New Beetle, is a true icon in the history of automobile manufacture. Volkswagen of America, Inc. celebrates the last production year of the Beetle and Beetle Cabriolet with the “Final Edition” special models. The two particularly stylish Beetles will be presented at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2018 (28 Nov – 9 Dec 2018).
Works meeting in Wolfsburg: praise for team’s achievements and look ahead to electric strategy
At today’s works meeting held at the Wolfsburg plant, Board Member for Human Resources Gunnar Kilian and Works Council Chairman Bernd Osterloh commended the achievements of plant employees as well as the entire Volkswagen workforce. They commented that 2018 had been a very challenging year for the plant and the brand in general. Nevertheless, the team showed great dedication. At the same time, the brand was accelerating its transformation towards e-mobility.
"Open Source Lab" sets course for the mobility of the future
Yesterday, the "Open Source Lab for Sustainable Mobility" has started dialogue as a platform for sustainable mobility in Berlin. It is funded by the Volkswagen Group Sustainability Council, is independent in its research agenda and is obliged to publish all research results and other results.
Volkswagen to boost marketing efficiency
The Volkswagen brand plans to improve its marketing efficiency by about 30 percent by 2020 at the same time as keeping its marketing budget approximately stable at €1.5 billion. The digital share of the media mix is to grow to almost 50 percent by 2020. In 2015, the share was about 25 percent. Against the backdrop of an increasingly personalized way of addressing customers, the number of campaign elements such as films or advertisements will increase about fivefold. In future, the Volkswagen brand will reduce its global network of about 40 agencies to three lead agencies. The Omnicom Group is to be responsible for Europe and South America, and WPP for North America, while Cheil will continue to be active for the Volkswagen brand in China.
Volkswagen invests in digital specialist diconium
The Volkswagen Group is investing in the German digital specialist diconium and acquiring 49 percent of the shares in the com-pany. With this participation, the Volkswagen Group will be securing further know-how and strengthening its digital business capabilities. Together, the two companies will continue the development of Volkswagen’s business models and digital added-value services.
diconium will therefore become a key technology partner for the development of new digital services available via the Volkswagen Automotive Cloud. The completion of the participation transaction is still subject to approval by the anti-trust authorities.
New “Black Style” R-Line design package for the Tiguan SUV is now available to order
Drivers can now add a host of fashionable and sophisticated black features to their Tiguan with the new “Black Style” R-Line design package, making the compact SUV yet more elegant and dynamic-looking.
WLTP changeover slows deliveries by Volkswagen Group in October, as expected
As a result of the changeover to the new WLTP test procedure, the Volkswagen Group delivered fewer vehicles in October than in the
prior-year month. All in all, 846,300 vehicles were handed over to customers throughout the world, a fall of 10.0 percent. In the month under review, the fall in deliveries in Europe, at 15.6% compared with the previous year, was significantly less pronounced than in September. Double-digit growth was recorded in South America, contributing to an increase of 2.6 percent to 8.98 million vehicles delivered from January to October in a stagnating overall market. Dr. Christian Dahlheim, Head of Group Sales: “As regards the WLTP changeover, we have already passed the low point in Europe. This positive devel-opment should continue in November and December as all our brands continue to make progress with the changeover of models to the new test cycle. For the year as a whole, we expect deliveries to slightly exceed the prior-year figure.“
Apprentices talk to Saxony’s Minister-President about Memorial Site work at Auschwitz, tolerance and respect
At the Transparent Factory in Dresden today, Volkswagen apprentices from Germany and Poland talked about their conservation work, encounters and experiences at Auschwitz Concentration Camp Memorial Site before an audience of employees and managers from Volkswagen Saxony. The Prime Minister of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, attended the event as guest of honor and discussed with the apprentices how young Poles and Germans understand history and can shape the future together. Other topics included cooperation between people from different cultures in international companies and the fundamental importance of tolerance and respect at the workplace and in public life.
Volkswagen Brand reaches milestone of 30 million deliveries in China
Volkswagen is speeding up its activities in China, re-energizing the brand under its Move Forward initiative. The brand’s product portfolio was strengthened with no less than 9 new models in 2018. Speaking at Auto Guangzhou 2018, Stephan Wöllenstein, CEO of Volkswagen Brand China, said, “We reached a fantastic milestone this November, as we delivered the 30 millionth Volkswagen – a Touareg – to a customer in China. And to remain the number one choice for Chinese car buyers, as we have been for many years, our product offensive will continue in 2019.”
Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG re-assigns responsibility for China Board of Management Division
The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft has assigned responsibility for the China Board of Management Division to Dr. Herbert Diess, the Chairman of the Board of Management, in addition to his other duties. At the same time, the Volkswagen Group is reordering its management structure for the China region.
Volkswagen redefines plant assignment and focuses more closely on multi-brand plants
At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft approved the new plant assignment plans. The strategic plant assignment reflects the challenges of the next five years and lays the necessary foundations. The plants in Emden and Hanover will be converted to build electric vehicles: models from the ID. family will begin rolling off the assembly lines there from 2022. In order to serve growth in Europe going forward, the Group will be expanding its production capacity post-2022 with an additional plant in Eastern Europe.
Volkswagen is investing in the future
The Volkswagen Group is investing heavily in its future. Over the coming five years to the end of 2023, the Company will be spending almost €44 billion alone on the future issues of e-mobility, autonomous driving, new mobility services and digitalization in its vehicles and at its plants. This represents approximately one-third of total expenditure for the 2019-2023 planning period and is the outcome of the Group’s planning round, which has now been completed and was discussed and endorsed by the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft at its meeting today.
New Faces of Mobility: Volkswagen Group China drives forth rapid electrification and digitalization
Under the headline “New Faces of Mobility”, Volkswagen Group China presented today at its Media Workshop an all-encompassing plan for e-mobility, advanced mobility solutions, autonomous driving, and a raft of exciting new products. On the eve of Guangzhou Auto Show the Group impressively demonstrated to nearly 300 media and business partners how it is shaping the new era of mobility. “When it comes to the future of mobility, Volkswagen Group China again wants to take the pioneering role as we did from the very start together with our Chinese partners,” said Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft as well as President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China.
Volkswagen brand drives SUV strategy in China further forward and creates complete offer for all classes
As a run-up to this year’s Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition, the Volkswagen brand presented its SUV model series for the Chinese market. Auto-China Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition is one of China’s largest international auto shows. As part of its Chinese “Move Forward” brand initiative, Volkswagen is energising not only its brand, but also its products. The current Chinese SUV family, consisting of six models, is a good example of this: The currently available models Tiguan and Teramont and the new generation of the top-of-the-line Touareg will be joined this year on the Chinese market by three completely new SUV models: T-Roc, Tayron and Tharu.
Volkswagen to make Zwickau vehicle plant Europe’s top-performing electric car factory
The Volkswagen brand is moving forward with its electric offensive and gradually creating the production capacity needed for building more than 1 million electric cars per year throughout the world from 2025. The Group’s largest and highest-performance electric car plant is currently being created in Zwickau: in future, up to 330,000 electric models per year are to roll off the production line there – more than at any other plant of the Volkswagen Group. As the first high-volume automaker in the world, Volkswagen is therefore converting an entire plant from the internal combustion engine to e-mobility. Currently, the Golf and Golf Estate are produced at Zwickau. At the end of 2019, in slightly more than a year, the production of the ID., Volkswagen’s first electric model based on the new modular electric toolkit (MEB), is due to start at Zwickau. In the final stage of development, six electric models of three Group brands are to be produced at the plant from 2021 onwards.
Volkswagen implements electric strategy consistently
Following Zwickau, Volkswagen intends to change its plants at Emden and Hanover in Germany over to the production of electric vehicles. After Zwickau, Volkswagen is there-fore establishing its second e-mobility center in Germany in Lower Saxony. CEO Dr. Her-bert Diess: “Volkswagen is implementing its electric offensive consistently. We are orient-ing the company towards clean mobility. This way, we are also ensuring sustainable pro-spects for the future of the two plants.” At a works meeting held on Wednesday in Emden, HR Board Member Gunnar Kilian outlined the principles of the project to employees. In Hanover, the Chairman of the Brand Board of Management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Dr. Thomas Sedran, presented the plans. The orientation towards the production of innovative electric vehicles is part of the plant allocation plans on which the Supervisory Board will decide in Wolfsburg on Friday.
Volkswagen nominates further battery cell supplier
With the South Korean battery cell manufacturer SK Innovation (SKI), the Volkswagen Group has named a further strategic supplier for electric vehicles based on the Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). SKI will supply the batteries for North America and a share of the batteries for the production of Volkswagen Group full-electric vehicles in Europe. The most important strategic suppliers of battery cells for the equipment of the Group’s rapidly glowing electric fleet in the major regions of the world have therefore been nominated.
Volkswagen deliveries are down in October
At 516,900 vehicles, worldwide deliveries by the Volkswagen brand in October were 6.2 percent below the figure for October 2017. This development was mainly due to the continuing reluctance of purchasers in China as a result of the trade dispute with the USA. In Europe, as expected, deliveries continued to be affected by the WLTP changeover, although the impact was significantly less marked than in September. Strong positive impetus came from Brazil (+61.8 percent) and Russia (+23.9 percent). In the year to date, Volkswagen has handed over a total of 5.14 million vehicles to customers, a record figure for January to October. Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Sales Jürgen Stackmann: “We are making good progress with the WLTP changeover of our model range and deliveries in Europe were affected much less severely in October than in September. We expect this recovery to continue in November and December. All in all, we face a challenging market environment throughout the world. It is therefore all the more gratifying to note that our deliveries from January to October were almost two percent higher than the record figure reported by the brand for the corresponding period in 2017.“
Volkswagen Fellow explores KW Institute for Contemporary Art’s archive in Berlin
Volkswagen Group and KW Institute for Contemporary Art have granted a VW Fellowship with a focus on archival research. Following the longstanding tradition of VW Fellows, Jenny Dirksen took up work as the new VW Fellow in Berlin.
The new season begins for Volkswagen Sunday Sessions at MoMA PS1 in New York
MoMA PS1 kicked off the new season of VW Sunday Sessions with the performance "Pendulum Music: An Arrangement for Four Performers and Geodesic Dome" by Jeremy Toussaint-Baptiste on 21 October. This series supported by Volkswagen Group of America will now be entering its seventh year and offers a variety of encounters with contemporary performance and media art.
New pick-up concept: World première of the Tarok Concept in São Paulo
Volkswagen is today unveiling the Tarok Concept to the world at the São Paulo International Motor Show (6 to 18 November). The all-wheel drive all-rounder combines the progressive features of the latest generation of digitally networked SUVs with the versatility of a cleverly designed five-metre pick-up. Its innovative new features include a large variable loading area, which can be extended thanks to the folding rear panel in the spacious four-door double cab. As with the technical layout, the Tarok Concept has been designed from scratch down to the very last millimetre.
New IT center in Lisbon for the Volkswagen Group
The Volkswagen Group continues to expand its software competence and is forging ahead with its digital transformation. On Tuesday in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, Volkswagen inaugurated the “Software Development Center Lisbon” (SDC Lisbon) in the presence of the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. In Lissabon, 300 IT specialists are to develop software mainly for the digital ecosystems and internal corporate processes of the Group. 100 of these specialists are to work on cloud-based services specifically for the commercial vehicle sector for MAN Truck & Bus.
Volkswagen and Autostadt host 9th Global Social Business Summit
Mobility solutions that are both democratic and sustainable, measures to strengthen solidarity amidst growing worldwide insecurity, ways of understanding sports as a socially connective force – these and other aspects are the key issues of this year’s Global Social Business Summit (GSBS), which will be taking place in the Autostadt Wolfsburg this week. Since its inception in 2009, Volkswagen Group supports the conference for the third time. “I am sure that the Global Social Business Summit will not only inspire the Volkswagen Group in an important phase of its trans-formation, but also signal far beyond Wolfsburg for a global shift in thinking towards socially and ethically responsible business models.", says HR board member Gunnar Kilian. The Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg alone already obtains components and pre-assembly services from almost 40 social institutions in the region, such as deaconries, counseling and social welfare organisations.
Volkswagen remains on track for growth despite a challenging environment
In the first three quarters of the current fiscal year 2018, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand continued to develop well in a challenging market environment. Following the first nine months of the year, the deliveries and sales revenue of the Volkswagen Group’s lead brand remain above the prior-year level. With 4.6 million vehicles handed over to customers (+2.9 percent), these were the most successful first nine months that the brand has ever experienced. Driven by higher sales and an improved product mix, the Volkswagen brand was able to boost sales revenue by 7.3 percent to €62.5 billion. At €2.3 billion, the operating profit before special items was slightly below the prior-year level (€2.5 billion) as a result of factors including the expected impact of the WLTP changeover and higher distribution expenses in connection with the environmental incentive. Operating return on sales was 3.7 percent, compared with the figure of 4.3 percent for the prior-year period. The diesel issue gave rise to special items of €-1.6 billion (2017: €-2.6 billion).
Volkswagen ensures intelligent traffic management with quantum computers
The Volkswagen Group is making further progress with its work with quantum computers. For the first time, Volkswagen experts have succeeded in using a quantum computer to develop a traffic management system that will replace forecasting for urban traffic volumes, transport demand and travel times with precise calculations. As a result, public transportation organizations, taxi companies, and transport service providers will be able to deploy their fleets considerably more efficiently while minimizing waiting times for passengers. Volkswagen and quantum computing company D-Wave are presenting the project at the WebSummit technology conference in Lisbon.
Volkswagen confirms sales revenue and profit target
The Volkswagen Group continued to grow during the first nine months of the fiscal year and is well on track to achieve its sales revenue and profit target. Despite the switch to the new WLTP test procedure, which resulted in the anticipated temporary third-quarter decline in unit sales particularly in Europe, the Group’s key figures for the first nine months are above the prior-year figures. Group sales revenue rose to EUR 174.6 billion, following EUR 170.1 billion in the prior-year period. Amounting to EUR 13.3 billion (previous year: 13.2 billion), operating profit before special items was on a par with the previous year, thus the operating return on sales stood at 7.6 percent. In the first nine months, the diesel issue gave rise to special items of EUR 2.4 billion (previous year: EUR 2.6 billion). Profit before tax increased by EUR 2.2 billion to EUR 12.5 billion. Net liquidity in the Automotive Divi-sion amounted to EUR 24.8 billion.
Premiere in Brazil: Volkswagen presents its pioneering pickup concept vehicle in São Paulo
At the São Paulo International Motor Show on 6 November, Volkswagen will celebrate the world premiere of an extraordinary pickup concept, which fuses the features of a digitally networked SUV and the versatility of a consistently well-thought-out pickup to form a new, urban-oriented vehicle. One of the especially noteworthy innovations of this concept is the multivariable loading area: in just a couple of simple steps it can be significantly extended thanks to the folding rear panel of the double cab.
Volkswagen, Mobileye and Champion Motors to Invest in Israel and Deploy First Autonomous EV Ride-Hailing Service
The Volkswagen Group, Mobileye, an Intel Company, and Champion Motors announced plans to deploy Israel’s first self-driving ride hailing service – or Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) starting next year. For this, the partners are planning to establish a Joint Venture. The planned cooperation is subject to approval by the responsible authorities and bod-ies. Operating as “New Mobility in Israel,” the group’s proposal was formally accepted by the Israeli government during a private ceremony at the Smart Mobility Summit 2018 in Tel Aviv earlier today.
Dr. Oliver Draf to head Volkswagen Group’s Data Protection Unit
Dr. Oliver Draf, formerly Corporate Privacy Officer at Allianz Deutschland AG, is to lead the Group Data Protection Unit at Volkswagen AG effective November 1, 2018. He succeeds Dr. Christoph Alt, who is taking up a position of responsibility in IT strategy at the Group’s ŠKODA brand.
World Premiere of the all-new T-Cross: Volkswagen expands its family of SUVs
World premiere in Amsterdam, Shanghai and São Paulo: Volkswagen presents its new T-Cross, the company’s first small car SUV, and thereby resolutely continues the offensive it began in 2015. This completely new model will soon be captivating hearts in the markets of three continents with its combination of style, practicality, flexibility, connectivity and economy, and it sets new standards for its class in many respects. The urban crossover model thus reveals itself to be an ideal companion in everyday life and beyond.
Volkswagen subsidiary TRATON refines portfolio
In the context of achieving capital market readiness of TRATON AG, Volkswagen AG and TRATON AG with consent of their respective corporate bodies today have agreed on the sale of the 76 % stake of MAN SE in listed Renk Aktiengesellschaft as well as the 100 % stake of MAN SE in MAN Energy Solutions SE to a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG. The purchase price shall correspond to the expected IFRS equity book value of these participations as of 31 December 2018 in the range of approx. EUR 1.85 bn. to approx. EUR 2.05 bn. In addition, the indirect 100% participation of MAN SE in MAN Energy Solutions USA, Inc., will be sold and transferred to a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG for a purchase price of approx. USD 99 m. The transferred entities form MAN group’s business area Power Engineering. The sale is intended to be completed by year-end 2018. As a result of this transaction, TRATON AG will become the lead company of a pure truck & bus group.
Exhibition “The world of Volkswagen classics” to open at the Designer Outlets Wolfsburg
On Sunday, October 28, when outlet stores will be open for business, Volkswagen Classic is opening its pop-up gallery at the Designer Outlets Wolfsburg and will be showing a selection of eight historic vehicles spanning the period from 1958 to 1985. The special exhibition in the new Ellipse includes rare prototypes and record-breaking vehicles as well as the filmstar “Herbie” and is to continue until April 4, 2019.
Volkswagen expects an SUV share of 50% by 2025
Volkswagen continues with the largest SUV offensive in the company’s history. By 2025, every second Volkswagen passenger cars sold throughout the world will probably be an SUV. This already applies to every fifth car sold now. The brand expects especially strong growth in SUV sales in North and South America, as well as in China. By 2025, Volkswagen will be offering more than 30 SUV models throughout the world. With the new Polo-sized T-Cross, the brand is rounding off its SUV product portfolio at the bottom in the smallest segment. This Thursday the T-Cross is to make its world debut and will be unveiled at the same time in Europe, China and South America.
That feeling of freedom included as standard: the Tiguan OFFROAD has just become the newest addition to the successful compact SUV range
Volkswagen has just added the new Tiguan OFFROAD to its range of successful compact SUVs. When it comes to the Tiguan OFFROAD, the name and visual lines say it all: The characteristically designed front not only looks stylish and robust, but also stands out with a larger ramp angle and integrated engine skid plate. In addition, the 4Motion four-wheel drive with 4Motion Active Control fitted as standard ensures good traction at all times. The Tiguan OFFROAD is available to order now.
xStarters challenge for digital social ideas from teens
The xStarters challenge of the Volkswagen Group only started a few days ago and 300 young people have already registered. With its xStarters challenge, the Volkswagen Group is support-ing 14-19-year-olds who wants to develop apps for volunteering, digital campaigns for social purposes or digital social challenges together with other young people. With the xStarters app, the participants will work on three tasks in small teams and collect initial experience on how idea and product development works. The teams are being supported by Volkswagen mentors.
Volkswagen Group China builds first factory specifically designed for MEB production
The electrification strategy of the Volkswagen Group China is rapidly gaining pace in the world’s biggest market for e-mobility. The Group’s first factory specifically designed for the MEB platform is now commencing construction in Anting. The first model that will be produced in the factory of SAIC VOLKSWAGEN is a Volkswagen Brand SUV in 2020. Together with the FAW-Volkswagen factory in Foshan, which opened this summer, SAIC VOLKSWAGEN’s plant will begin to produce e-cars on the MEB platform directly after the first worldwide MEB-production starts in Zwickau, Germany.
Volkswagen brand launches diesel swapping program throughout Germany
The Volkswagen brand today launched a comprehensive diesel swapping program. The successful environmental incentive is again being offered throughout Germany. It is valid for Euro-1 to Euro-4 diesel vehicle keepers who scrap the vehicle of any make and switch to a modern Volkswagen. The environmental incentive for new vehicles ranges between €1,500 and €8,000, depending on the model. Furthermore, there is a new exchange premium for keepers of any make of diesel vehicle in the 14 cities classified by the federal government as the most heavily polluted and the surrounding areas. This premium will be paid in addition to the residual value of the old vehicle when trading in a Euro-4 or Euro-5 diesel. The exchange premium for new vehicles ranges from €500 to €7,000, depending on the model. Board Member for Sales, Jürgen Stackmann: “The environmental incentives and exchange premiums are powerful financial incentives for switching to the latest generation of cleaner vehicles. Volkswagen is thus making a further significant contribution to improving air quality and preventing possible driving bans in German cities.” The environmental incentive and the exchange premium are available now from participating Volkswagen partners in Germany and are valid until further notice. Anyone interested in further details can call the hotline on +49 (0)5361-83 89 99 60.
Volkswagen Group rolls out diesel swapping program throughout Germany
The Volkswagen Group today rolled out a comprehensive package of measures to improve air quality in Germany through fleet renewal. The successful environmental incentives for scrappage of Euro-1 to Euro-4 diesel vehicles of any make are again being offered by some of the Group’s brands throughout Germany. Vehicle keepers in the 14 cities classified by the federal government as having the highest levels of pollution and in the surrounding areas will be entitled to the new exchange premiums. These premiums will be paid in addition to the vehicle’s residual value when trading in a Euro-4 or Euro-5 diesel vehicle of any make. The environmental incentives and exchange premiums come into immediate effect and are valid until further notice. The Group’s Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brands will be announcing details of their brand-specific programs.
TRATON remains on growth path in the first nine months of 2018
TRATON AG achieved a significant increase in deliveries of commercial vehicle in the first three quarters of 2018*. Between January and September, the Group delivered some 15% more vehicles than in the prior-year period. In total, this amounted to 166,330 vehicles of the MAN Truck & Bus, Scania and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus brands. “Our entire team did a good job in the first nine months,“ says Andreas Renschler, CEO of TRATON AG and member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG. “However, the very strong sales performance of the first half of the year tapered off slightly in the third quarter.”
SEAT Tarraco production starts in Wolfsburg
For the first time in about 20 years, Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg plant is producing a model of another Group brand: the SEAT Tarraco. The Spanish SUV, which was designed and developed in Barcelona, exploits the synergy effects of the MQB production platform. In Wolfsburg, the Spanish model will roll off the production line together with the Volkswagen models Tiguan and Touran. The step towards multi-brand production will boost the capacity deployment of Volkswagen’s main plant. The production of the Tarraco in Wolfsburg is part of the Pact for the Future concluded by the company and the Works Council at the end of 2016. The pact is a far-reaching timetable for improving the economic viability of the Volkswagen brand and placing the company on a firm footing for the future
Interactive headlights and tail light clusters help to raise the bar for safety in future
Innovative Volkswagen lighting technology is helping to boost safety. At the same time, it is also opening the door to increasingly personalised vehicle design. At an international workshop, Volkswagen is now showcasing how the lighting systems of the future will communicate and increase safety even further.
Volkswagen digitalizes sales – New era of car buying to start in 2020
Volkswagen is making its sales organization fit for the future. The brand is to fundamentally realign its sales model together with its dealers. The new sales model is to be launched in Europe in April 2020. Today in Berlin, Volkswagen and the European Dealer Council presented their vision for the future world of Volkswagen’s 5,400 dealers and service partners as well as their 54,000 employees in Europe. The objective is to provide seamless individual round-the-clock support for customers going far beyond vehicle sales on the basis of a unique Volkswagen customer ID. Each year, the Volkswagen brand intends to introduce about 5 million customers to the new world of mobility around the globe and to offer them individual services on the basis of their ID. The car buying experience itself will also change. On-line sales are to be massively expanded and direct sales are to become possible. Five new sales and service formats such as city showrooms or pop-up stores are to be added. At the same time, the sales organization is to become more flexible and efficient.
Further development of opinion barometer — Volkswagen carries out global employee survey
The Volkswagen Group has proceeded to the next round of its Group-wide employee survey. Up to November 11, 2018, employees will have an opportunity to express their opinion on topics such as corporation and leadership, information, the workplace and work procedures, and to suggest improvements. Volkswagen has continued to develop its “Stimmungsbarometer“ (opinion barometer), which has now reached its 10th version. This year, the main focus is on the topics of integrity, compliance and culture as well as the implementation of measures resulting from evaluation and discussion within the teams.
Maximum light for maximum safety: Volkswagen relies on ultra-modern LED headlights
Wet conditions, fog, deer crossing – drivers face particular challenges in autumn and winter. The latest lighting systems which almost perfectly illuminate the road are proving helpful. Volkswagen has been focusing on the evolution of light for decades. The technical highlight of this development is the “IQ.-Light - LED matrix headlights” used on the Touareg.
Let it shine – how Volkswagen brings cars to life with lighting design
Halogen, xenon, LED, laser and OLED – in just two decades, lighting technology and lighting design for vehicles have undergone revolutionary change. In addition to functional aspects such as enhancing visibility in traffic, headlights nowadays also have an emotional component. Lighting design can give a vehicle, like people, a face with its own expression and individual personality. This development will significantly influence the work of Volkswagen designers in the coming years.
Volkswagen Group deliveries in September affected by WLTP changeover, as expected
The Volkswagen Group delivered fewer vehicles in September, as expected, due to the changeover to the new WLTP test procedure: a total of 827,700 vehicles were handed over to customers worldwide, a decrease of 18.1 percent. The drop in Western Europe, where WLTP came into effect in September 1, was 41.5 percent. Dr. Christian Dahlheim, Head of Group Sales, commented: “So far this year, the Volkswagen Group has reported record deliveries. Following the very strong summer months, we expected lower deliveries in September, both in the overall market and for the Volkswagen Group, as a result of the WLTP changeover. That applies in particular to Europe and will continue into October. We expect November and December to be stronger months in this region. The WLTP changeover at all brands will be virtually complete by the end of the year.”
The new T-Cross – “I am safe”: standard Pedestrian Monitoring will make the city safer
Volkswagen is set to unveil the new T-Cross for the first time in a trailer entitled “I am safe”, two weeks ahead of the world première of the new SUV. At the end of the 14-second clip, the most compact of all Volkswagen Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) automatically activates emergency braking via the City Emergency Braking System, including Pedestrian Monitoring, to protect a distracted smartphone user who walks out into the road. “I am safe” is one of four focus areas that describe the most important properties of the T-Cross. The launch starts in spring 2019.
Scott Keogh named head of Volkswagen Group of America
Scott Keogh, head of Audi of America, was named president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America as well as head of the Volkswagen brand for the North American region. Keogh, who joined Audi in 2006, will succeed Hinrich J. Woebcken, who led the successful transformation of Volkswagen in North America. Woebcken will remain with the company as an adviser. Keogh’s successor as president of Audi of America is Mark Del Rosso, president & CEO of Bentley Motors, Inc., Americas, and former chief operating officer of Audi of America. Scott Keogh and Hinrich J. Woebcken are to take up their new positions effective November 1, 2018 and Mark Del Rosso effective December 1, 2018.
Volkswagen deliveries in September affected by WLTP changeover, as expected
In September, the Volkswagen brand delivered fewer vehicles throughout the world than in the same month of the previous year: in total, 485,000 vehicles were handed over to customers, representing a fall of 18.3 percent compared with September 2017. This development was chiefly due to the effects of the WLTP changeover in Europe and especially in Germany, where deliveries were 42.6 and 47.1 percent respectively below the figures for the same month of the previous year. However, the outstanding figures reported since the beginning of the year have helped to soften the fall experienced in September. In the year to date, some 4,622,900 vehicles have been handed over to customers throughout the world. The brand therefore remains above the figure for the corresponding period of the previous year, with a rise of 2.9 percent. Volkswagen Board Member for Sales Jürgen Stackmann: “The year to date has been the most successful ever for Volkswagen. Developments in September were a setback, but we had been expecting this following the records in the summer. October will also be affected by the changeover to the WLTP test procedure. Currently, we have obtained WLTP approval for high-volume variants of all 14 Volkswagen brand models. By the end of the year, the changeover should have been virtually completed. This is why we expect a return to our old strength. From November, we will be ready for the end-of-the-year sprint in Europe.“
Volkswagen and Siemens make crossroads safer
Volkswagen and Siemens want to further improve road safety especially at crossroads. . To achieve this, new functionalities have been developed for the local exchange of information between vehicles and digital transport infrastructure. The overall system uses the Car2X technology WLANp (ITS-G5) and is currently undergoing tests on Wolfsburg roads.
VW with comprehensive diesel swapping incentives
Volkswagen supports the federal government’s efforts to prevent possible driving bans in German cities by implementing suitable measures. The quickest and most effective path to improved air quality is consistent fleet renewal. Therefore, as soon as possible, Volkswagen Group’s high-volume brands will offer swapping incentives to customers with EU1 to EU5 diesel vehicles who want to change to a modern Volkswagen Group vehicle.
Rupert Stadler leaves Volkswagen AG and AUDI AG boards of management
The supervisory boards of Volkswagen AG and AUDI AG have today consented to the conclu-sion of an agreement with Rupert Stadler on the termination of his offices as a member of the board of management of Volkswagen AG and chairman of the board of management of AUDI AG as well as of his service agreements. Mr. Stadler is leaving the companies with immediate effect and will no longer work for the Volkswagen Group. Mr. Stadler is doing so because, due to his ongoing pretrial detention, he is unable to fulfil his duties as a member of the board of management and wishes to concentrate on his defence. The contractual execution depends on the course and outcome of the criminal proceedings.
FIA World Rallycross Championship Johan Kristoffersson is the 2018 FIA World Rallycross Champion
He has done it again! Johan Kristoffersson (S) has claimed his second title in the FIA World Rallycross Championship at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin (USA). The defending champion was victorious in his Volkswagen Polo R Supercar at the tenth of this season’s twelve rounds, just in front of his team-mate Petter Solberg (N), and now has 281 points to his name. With a lead of 77 points over second-placed Mattias Ekström (S), and a maximum 60 points up for grabs at the remaining two events, the driver of the Team PSRX Volkswagen Sweden can no longer be caught at the top of the overall standings.
Volkswagen Supports the Kaiserring Award Winner Exhibition in Goslar for the Fourth Year
This Saturday, the artist Wolfgang Tillmans is going to be awarded with the Kaiserring at the Kaiserpfalz in Goslar. In its statement, the international award jury emphasizes the quality of Tillmans’ body of work and his ability to creatively address social challenges. The ceremony further kicks off the award winner exhibition featuring many of Tillmans’ worldwide acclaimed artworks and supported by Volkswagen.
Volkswagen and Microsoft announce strategic partnership
Entering into a strategic partnership, Volkswagen and Microsoft Corp. will collaborate to develop the ‘Volkswagen Automotive Cloud’, one of the largest dedicated automotive industry clouds for all future Volkswagen digital services and mobility offerings. The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG approved the conclusion of an agreement to this effect between Volkswagen and Microsoft on September 28, 2018. Volkswagen therefore continues to forge ahead with its digital transformation at full speed. With Microsoft as its strategic partner, the company is taking a decisive step in its digital transformation into a mobility provider with a fully connected vehicle fleet and the digital ecosystem “Volkswagen We”.
Volkswagen targeting further boost in factory productivity
The Volkswagen brand’s TRANSFORM.TOGETHER production strategy targets a 30 percent increase in productivity worldwide by 2025 compared to 2018. Production is therefore making a major contribution to achieving the profitability target of over 6 percent for the brand. “We want to rank among the best for productivity. We need to generate competitive returns to enable us to make key investments in the future and thus safeguard today’s jobs tomorrow and beyond. Together, we are ushering in a new era in Production for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand. This is about nothing less than a paradigm shift: from a product-oriented company to a production-and process-oriented company. For Prodution, that means our department will be more important than ever going forward”, Dr. Andreas Tostmann, the Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Production, commented at an event held at the Berlin Motorwerk location attended by 500 managers from Volkswagen’s 17 vehicle manufacturing plants.
Hillclimb heaven for vintage car fans: Volkswagen Classic at the 2018 Rossfeld Race
Volkswagen Classic is the main partner of the “Internationaler Edelweiß Bergpreis Rossfeld” for the second time. The hill climb takes place from 28 to 30 September 2018 on the Rossfeldhöhenringstraße road in the Berchtesgaden Alps and is steeped in tradition. The 650-PS Golf Mk2 “Pikes Peak” from the Volkswagen Classic collection will take on the challenge with rally driver Jochi Kleint at the wheel. Racing driver and brand ambassador Benjamin Leuchter will drive the latest Golf GTI TCR. Other highlights include the three modified Beetles and the rare Volkswagen SP2, which was manufactured in Brazil.
First Major Retrospective: Volkswagen Presents "Victor Papanek: The Politics of Design" in the Vitra Design Museum
The Vitra Design Museum one of the leading design institutions of the world will open the exhibition "Victor Papanek: The Politics of Design" next Saturday. Supported by Volkswagen Group, the museum will for the first time be hosting a retrospective offering an in-depth look at the ideas and visions of a design pioneer driven by sustainability and social en-gagement. The exhibition will be on display through March 10, 2019.
Volkswagen and US elite Stanford University develop a fuel cell for the future
The fuel cell is regarded as a serious alternative to the classic electric car with battery cells. However, the biggest problem is the comparatively high cost of the technology. A partnership between Volkswagen and the prestigious Stanford University in the US has now significantly reduced this disadvantage thanks to a newly developed process.
Prevention and care: TRATON hosts Drivers’ Health Day at the IAA
Christina Scheib knows just how hot it can get in a truck. She can often be found driving her 40-ton dump truck around her home state of Bavaria transporting the grim, bubbling mixture of bitumen and grainy stones that will later be used to pave the road. And as a woman behind the wheel of a truck, she has found that “it is not enough to give 100%, you have to give 200% to be recognized.” The “trucker princess,” as she has been dubbed by the media, is a trained medical assistant. This makes Christina Scheib an ideal guest at the Drivers’ Health Day hosted by TRATON in Hall 12 at the IAA.
Volkswagen Classic honoured for successful electromobility campaign
Cause for celebration at Volkswagen Classic: The heritage division of the Wolfsburg-based group was named the winner of the “Campaign” category of the 2018 Automotive Brand Contest. The multifaceted history of electromobility at Volkswagen was successfully interpreted in a cross-media campaign and was honoured by the international jury of independent experts. The awards will be presented at the Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris at the start of October.
TRATON launches career event at IAA 2018: “The right people for our mission”
TRATON AG, formerly known as Volkswagen Truck & Bus AG, launches talent event at this year’s IAA Commercial Vehicles in Hanover. For the first time, the Group and its strong brands MAN, Scania, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus and RIO will be presented together in the same hall. This new set-up will be the platform for the all-day TRATON Talk, a new career event for about 100 selected students, graduates and professionals focusing especially on engineering, digitization and business administration. The talk features the motto “The right people for our mission”.
Volkswagen to use virtual test drives to make new assistance systems production-ready
In future, Volkswagen intends to make new driver assistance systems production-ready even faster, also using virtual validation. The assistance systems of the next generation will then learn from virtually generated driving and traffic situations. The brand expects this approach to make development processes even faster and more efficient. In the long term, it is conceivable that millions of test kilometers required for validating automated driving could be completed in virtual environments. Experts from Volkswagen are already testing software developed in-house to simulate such driving in traffic situations. This software is to be used for teaching assistance systems for the ID. model family.
TRATON Talk “Future of the Driver” at IAA: Transportation trapped: where are drivers headed?
The shortage of professional drivers in the transportation industry is more and more becoming a problem. This has a negative impact on business in Germany and Europe. The lack of drivers increasingly impedes the smooth transportation and timely delivery of raw materials and goods. The progress in vehicle technology in assistance systems and in the digital network of the logistics chain furthermore requires a more qualified training of drivers. The TRATON GROUP, formerly Volkswagen Truck & Bus, addressed this issue in a Forum "Future of the driver" at the IAA on the weekend.
Volkswagen places software developers in pole position with its “Faculty 73“ project
Volkswagen is transforming itself from an automaker into a mobility provider and is now forcing the pace with the implementation of its strategy: in future, the company will be training hundreds of software developers itself. This is the objective of the innovative “Faculty 73” program which the Volkswagen Group Academy has developed specifi-cally for this purpose. Training for the first group of participants is to start in the spring of 2019 and the application and selection phase will start in October 2018. The program will prepare trainees for work as a software developer with Volkswagen and is intended for people who have completed their vocational training and have IT skills as well as internal and external applicants with appropriate qualifications. A de-gree is not required.
Volkswagen receives awards from auto motor und sport magazine for exceptional design and interconnected technology
Readers of auto motor und sport magazine have selected the Volkswagen up! GTI to receive the ‘autonis’ award for design excellence, with the model coming top of its category. Volkswagen tasted further success with the We Park parking app, which received the Car Connectivity Award during the event.
The new ID. chassis: unveiling the world’s most innovative electric vehicle family
The veil has been lifted: Volkswagen has presented the chassis of its new electric model family ID.* for the first time – and offered an initial look at its unique platform strategy for electric cars that the brand will use to turn its vision “ELECTRIC FOR ALL” into a reality. The modular electric drive matrix (MEB) that serves as the foundation of the ID. chassis is a totally unique selling proposition for Volkswagen. It also clearly demonstrates the commitment that the Wolfsburg-based company has made to electromobility.
WRC comeback with Volkswagen: Petter Solberg to drive the new Polo GTI R5 in Spain
He’s back! 2003 champion Petter Solberg (N) returns to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with the Volkswagen Polo GTI R5. Solberg and co-driver Veronica Engan (N) will compete in the WRC 2 class at the Rally Spain in Catalonia from 25 to 28 October. Six years after his last rally in 2012, the Norwegian will make his comeback in precisely the same place, at which he called time on his rally career. Solberg, who drives a Polo for his PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team in the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX), will briefly change fields. The Polo GTI R5 will make its competitive debut at the Rally Spain, which will be the car’s only outing with the Volkswagen works team. The R5 rally car will then be run by customer teams in national and international championships.
New Touareg receives five-star top rating in Euro NCAP
Top marks for Volkswagen's Touareg: the European consumer protection organisation Euro NCAP has awarded the new luxury class model the maximum possible rating of five stars. In the eyes of the independent crash test experts, the SUV performed excellently in all categories.
Modified Jetta breaks the speed record in its class in the USA with 338 km/h
Volkswagen of America has demonstrated the potential of the new Jetta at the Bonneville Salt Flats in the USA. Here a specially equipped Jetta broke the previous world speed record of its class for land vehicles with 338 km/h. Only a few weeks after the success of the electrically powered I.D R Pikes Peak at the “Race To The Clouds” in the Rocky Mountains and at Goodwood Hill Climb in the UK, Volkswagen has secured its third record.