The Volkswagen Group Will Continue to Grow

"When will the economic crisis engulfing Europe end? Many people ask me that."



At the Volkswagen Group Night, held on the day before the media days of Paris Salon 2012, all 12 brands within the group gathered. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of Volkswagen AG, who delivered the closing remarks, addressed the hundreds of media representatives with these words.



"Many automakers are facing difficult times. However, the Volkswagen Group will continue to grow strongly. Why can I say that? Because we will continue to sell the right models in the right regions at the right time."



The company's recently announced platform strategy, "MQB" holds significant meaning in the background of these words. By standardizing the powertrains and platforms for models with transverse engines, MQB shortens development time and reduces costs, making it extremely effective for quickly launching models that meet market demands. MQB is already employed in the Volkswagen "up!" recently released in Japan, and was also utilized in the development of the "up!which could be called the "star of the Paris Salon," the "Golf 7". Volkswagen believes that such methods are crucial for navigating the current, unpredictable automotive market.

Actively Pursuing Plug-in Hybrids

Meanwhile, plug-in hybrids were strongly promoted as a pillar of future environmental technology. Toyota was an early adopter with the Prius PHV, introducing the "hybrid car that can be charged at home." This goes beyond simply adding a charging outlet to a conventional hybrid; by increasing battery capacity, it offers the potential to function as an electric vehicle within a limited range. While the Prius PHV achieves an electric-only range of 26.4 km, Volkswagen aims to extend this to 50 km, enhancing its value as an EV, and plans to sequentially launch these models across its brands starting next year.



With EV range still a concern, it's true that plug-in hybrids, which can function as regular hybrids when the battery depletes, are drawing attention. However, it was a mild surprise to me that Volkswagen, which hasn't seemed particularly aggressive in hybrid development, has chosen plug-in hybrids as its future strategy.



In addition, the third-generation Volkswagen "Golf BlueMotion" boasting 31.25 km/l, the SEAT "Leon",Porsche""Panamera Sport Turismo",Lamborghini""Gallardo", and numerous other new models and concept cars were unveiled by the Volkswagen Group. They are aggressively aiming to "become Europe's largest automaker by 2018."


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