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Boost it!

As Toyota sputters, Volkswagen steers for top

inspirion7 submitted on 10/21/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 7:49:19 PM

7 user comments | Category: New Cars | Source: | SOURCE: www.msnbc.msn.com

Europe's largest automaker faces high hurdle in sluggish U.

S. market

It may be one of the world’s most unlikely theme parks, yet each year close to 2 million people pore through Autostadt, the German “auto city” that celebrates the achievement of Europe’s largest automaker, Volkswagen AG.

Until it opened nearly a decade ago, Wolfsburg, less than a two hours' drive from Berlin, wasn’t much of a tourist destination, unless you liked gritty company towns. But these days, many folks are watching what Volkswagen is up to, especially the competition.

With nine brands, soon to become 10 with the planned 2011 takeover of Porsche, VW has set an aggressive goal of surpassing the unexpectedly troubled global leader, Toyota Motor Co. To get there, the “People’s Car” company will need to address the one big obstacle in its path: the U.S. market.


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As Toyota sputters, Volkswagen steers for top

About the Author

inspirion7

"Show me the money" - Cuba Gooding Jr. The bigger the Government, the smaller the man.

— inspirion7 (View Profile)


User Comments

david999

Good luck to them, but to gain traction in the North America, they better keep to their plans and try to improve quality, reliability, and come down in pricing versus the competition.

— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 10:38:22 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

TurboSpyder

"And even if Toyota is able to resolve its near-term problems, Klingler says that, 'By 2018, we have a clear goal to become No. 1 in the world.'”


What is so compelling about selling the most number of cars? Just build good cars and be happy.

— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 12:55:06 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

1UAW

Its called "pride".

— 1UAW (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 2:25:58 PM | | Votes: 1   

StarSearch

pride doesn't pay the bills...ask GM.

— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 4:03:53 PM | | Votes: 1   

avanti64

German EGO again spouting its ugly head. Any automaker can sell the most cars by buying up a bunch of independent brands and adding them all together. All that takes is money and maniacal power which VW has plenty of. It takes quality, reliability and affordability, none of which VW/Audi has very much of, to be the seller of the brands with the highest sales numbers
Now if VW said VW/Audi brands would be the best selling brands in the world by 2018, they would be the laughing stock of the industry. It would never happen.
Let VW compare apples with apples (e.g. VW vs. Toyota or Nissan or Honda or Hyundai, etc. and Audi vs. Lexus, Infiniti, Acura, etc.) and see where they come out - on the bottom where they have always been.

— avanti64 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/22/2009 7:46:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

TurboSpyder

VWs have been on plenty of Ten best lists and won plenty of magazine comparos and won quite a few International Engine of the Year awards over the last few years.

— TurboSpyder (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2009 3:17:38 PM | | Votes: 1   

huu76

How many VW branded cars does VW sell? Toyota outsells VAG with only 1 global brand. VW has 10 brands, most relegated to their own home market where they operated before being bought by VAG. Sounds like VW = GM. Why buy an Audi when you can find the same SEAT parts in a SEAT car for 30% less? I know, the sister-in-law's A4 has SEAT branded parts in it.

What next, VW will acquire Yugo or Lada to push them over the top?

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/26/2009 6:21:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

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