Volkswagen CEO threatens to resign if Porsche jumps in

When Porsche CEO, Wendelin Wiedeking announced last week that Porsche plans to increase its stake in Volkswagen from 31 to over 50 percent this year, we were wondering what Volkswagen thought about the statement.

According to German publication Der Spiegel, Volkswagen’s CEO, Martin Winterkorn, has threatened to resign if Porsche interferes with the group’s operations. The report said that managers at Audi and Volkswagen are worried that the brands could be the first ones to be affected by Porsche increases its stake over 50 percent.

Wiedeking said last week that once Porsche increases its stake to be the majority shareholder of V-dub, both companies will..
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Audiphile - 6/2/2008 2:07:50 PM

+4 Boost

Uh oh! The natives are restless.

I hope the Porsche management team have the sense to leave the Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini and Bugatti marques alone. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

I don't know much about the regional SEAT and Skoda marques, so I will refrain from commenting on them. The only Volkswagen Group marque in trouble is Volkswagen itself, especially its U.S. and Canadian sales. However, that situation could drastically improve once that U.S. plant comes online.

Look before you leap, Herr Wiederking!

993Turbo - 6/2/2008 2:42:26 PM

-2 Boost

Don't let the door hit you in the ass!

S4cabriofoxone - 6/2/2008 3:12:38 PM

+8 Boost

I guess you don't know who Winterkorn is. He is not the idiot who gave birth to the Phaeton and crippled VW's US sales. He is the former Audi CEO and only moved to Volkswagen last year.

EL34 - 6/2/2008 4:28:48 PM

-1 Boost

lol

NItePhire - 6/2/2008 3:45:06 PM

+5 Boost

Every one knows that Porsche only wants VW because of the new CAFE standards that are coming. Think about it, if only cars are under the Porsche umbrella then all will count towards CAFE for them and they don't have to make more efficient cars.

DieselRules - 6/4/2008 2:40:13 AM

+1 Boost

Huh?
VW builds many of Porsche components plus entire Cayenne (minus engine and seats)
They also build vans and trucks for Mercedes (including Sprinter vans, which are the VW LT)
And engines for almost everyone ranging from Chrysler in the 80's to Toyota, Volvo and various Military vehicles.

There would be very little dilution of the Porsche gene pool since VW originally came from Dr. Porsche (design) and then Porsche cars came from VW Type-1.

BostonBiosafety - 6/2/2008 7:16:27 PM

+3 Boost

And I'm taking my ball too!

EvoAudi - 6/2/2008 7:58:05 PM

0 Boost

Yeah, because Porsche wasn't gonna fire him anyway.

sector - 6/3/2008 3:48:01 PM

+1 Boost

Why so much bickering between relatives... I thought they (Audi, Porsche, VW, Lambo, etc.,) were all run by relatives and descendents of Piech and Porsche.

S4cabriofoxone - 6/3/2008 6:09:10 PM

+2 Boost

Audi and Lamborghini have nothing to do with it. It's just Piech and Porsche. Ferry Porsche died years ago; Piech is his grandson.

DieselRules - 6/4/2008 2:42:15 AM

+1 Boost

Can't VW fend them off?
They're selling a million cars a month, and making a Billion US$ a month in the process (probably 2nd most profitable car company behind Toyota)

DieselRules - 6/4/2008 2:46:52 AM

+1 Boost

(and I'm sure I'll get de-boosted for posting the facts)

DieselRules - 6/4/2008 2:51:25 AM

+1 Boost

Thinking about it ... Porsche has aspirations for huge growth.
What better way than gaining control of an engineering dynasty bigger than those of Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes combined!
(VW's R&D budget is one of the largest of any corporation in the world)

avanti64 - 6/5/2008 10:59:24 PM

+1 Boost

Two neo-nazis duking it out? LOL

gregsfc - 6/8/2008 5:48:10 PM

+1 Boost

VW don't build the Sprinter; MB does. VW uses the platform and adds an engine to create the LT, which now has a new name, but I can't recall it.

That's why we have a Dodge Sprinter over here. It's a MB Sprinter with a Dodge badge. Daimler-Chrysler built a Sprinter plant in S.C. to assemble the cargo van here to avoid the tariffs for imported trucks. The passenger van (not affected by such a tariff) is sent over mostly assembled.