Volkswagen still eyeing more brands, says chairman

VW_logo

Sometimes a dozen is just not enough. Maybe a baker’s dozen is more like it. Well at least that’s how Volkswagen’s Chairman Ferdinand Piech feels about his empire’s brands tally. Not content of having 12 international brands including Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT and Škoda under its broad wings, could Volkswagen still be eyeing to add to the current line-up?

Piech suggested as much in an interview with German magazine ADAC Motorwelt, saying that he foresees his children 10 years from now driving one of Volkswagen’s “at least 13 brands.” He then went on to talk about the “cult brand” Alfa Romeo in a lavish fashion, but stopped short of expressing interest in buying over the Fiat-owned Italian company.

He has openly done so in the past however, saying that under Volkswagen the struggling premium brand could easily quadruple its sales in five years. That statement provoked the charismatic, if not so much authoritative Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne to fire a warning shot back, pledging that he will not sell Alfa Romeo – despite its mounting debts and fledgling sales – to Piech as long as he’s in power.

Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn on the other hand has ruled out any more acquisitions, though a new budget brand to take on the fast growing Dacia and Nissan’s upcoming Datsun revival (which will be based on a Lada platform) is up on the cards as soon as this year.

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Hafriz Shah

Preferring to drive cars rather than desks, Hafriz Shah ditched his suit and tie to join the ranks of Malaysia’s motoring hacks. A car’s technical brilliance is completely lost on him, appreciating character-making quirks more. When not writing this ego trip of a bio, he’s usually off driving about aimlessly, preferably in a car with the right combination of three foot pedals and six gears.

 

Comments

  • doohhh on Feb 07, 2013 at 12:38 pm

    perodua?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 10
    • I.ME™ on Feb 07, 2013 at 3:14 pm

      They should concentrate on the countless of faulty DSG boxes and the crappy service Malaysian customers are getting instead of focusing on acquiring more brands. So many VW owners in Malaysia complaining lousy after sales service and very expensive parts. Cost like BMW prices. Come on lah, VW want to be on par with big boys like BMW and Mercedes?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 11
      • Teehee on Feb 07, 2013 at 6:47 pm

        They are. Audi.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 1
      • kentji on Feb 08, 2013 at 4:05 pm

        yes, the dsg is a *countless of faulty dsg gearbox* and guess what vw is even planting them on the new mk7, from what have i saw on you post other than hate and faulty dsg boxes you basically know nothing more bout vw.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
      • ea113 guy.. on Feb 10, 2013 at 6:29 pm

        Drove audi here with DSG, never have any problem whatsoever, infact the DSG give me addiction to rev super high before flicking the pedal to upshift… And pottttttt!!! It fart at you face… Hey brother… I own 2.0tfsi+dsg 6 speed wet clutch, 1.4tsi+ dsg 7 speed dry, and 1.6 prince bmw-peugeot engine+ aisin 6 speed auto, and i tell u which one rosak dulu, its the 1.6 + aisin 6 speed conventional in 308 turbo, 2 month keluar, masuk balik, 3 weeks wait tau, hydraulic problem. So normalla, all things is not perfect la…

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • Go buy Proton and add it to your lineup

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 18 Thumb down 9
  • Ash Menon on Feb 07, 2013 at 1:01 pm

    Err, I think you mean acquisitions, not accusations :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • mystvearn on Feb 07, 2013 at 1:49 pm

    I think to be honest, he wants all the brands he can get. Even Proton, Perodua, Lada Mahindra. When you own all the brands, then people are forced to buy your product. It will only stop when one brand canabalise into another model.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
    • kadajawi on Feb 08, 2013 at 2:11 pm

      Lada belongs to Renault Nissan. Nissan will be using Lada models rebranded as Datsun (I guess Dacia isn’t cheap enough?!).

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • They still own some now defunct brands. How about a rivival of NSU?

    Although production stopped in 1972 already, the NSU TTS/E with only 700kg is still used in hillclimb races today:
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/07/NSU_Prinz_TT_2.jpg/800px-NSU_Prinz_TT_2.jpg

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
    • Motorhead on Feb 07, 2013 at 5:32 pm

      Fyi,vw owns nsu. Now called audi. Other brands still available such as saab/nev, borgward,simca,austin morris or even a de lorean.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • kadajawi on Feb 08, 2013 at 2:10 pm

      Hell F yeah! Reviving NSU would be awesome. Maybe as a tech demonstrator? A brand where they’ll use the latest tech before it is suitable for mass production? Just don’t use it as a low end brand.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • gOOsh on Feb 07, 2013 at 2:00 pm

    maybe PROTON is in their list…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 5
    • kadajawi on Feb 08, 2013 at 2:18 pm

      Maybe they should say
      “We are looking for another brand* to buy

      *excluding Proton”

      I don’t think they want to deal with the Malaysian government. Too much headache.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • rosdi on Feb 07, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    Alah cakap je lah nak beli proton…. malu-malu pulak… nak tapi malu..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
    • alldisc™ on Feb 07, 2013 at 7:56 pm

      mungkin perodua sasaran lebih baik kerana jualan lebih laris. he he he sori proton, but your time’s up.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • jaybond on Feb 07, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    Can’t think of any budget brand with German roots at this moment, could it be NSU?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • honda x guna on Feb 07, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    Please beware buying Honda brand new car, especially year end stock…!!!!

    Cant believe this is Honda CBU aka Japan build car!!
    http://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=2674251&hl=

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Kelvin on Feb 07, 2013 at 5:21 pm

    Najib: “If VW buy Proton, then our national car is German. Are we German? Tidak boleh, ini bumi Melayu.”

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 6
  • Toyota fanboi on Feb 07, 2013 at 7:24 pm

    Lost no. 1 spot to Toyota, now desperate move to gain more sales through buying other company. Come on fight like a man.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
  • PauKaya on Feb 08, 2013 at 12:59 am

    so more cars with 1.2 TSI and DSG? problems ahead

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • Grant on Feb 08, 2013 at 2:23 pm

    Fiat & Peugeot got problems now. Maybe one of their sub-brands.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • SAAB might be a good purchase

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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