volkswagen

Volkswagen presents the ID. Cross concept and the most important thing is not the car, it is the flying in its strategy

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The automotive segment celebrates one of its big weeks. The Munich Motor Show, now renamed IAA Mobility, brings together these days to theThe manufacturers that present their novelties For the coming months, and one of them is a Volkswagen that has taken the appointment as a crucial event to rethink the future of its electric cars. Have already confirmed that They will stop using rare names for their EV And they have taken the opportunity to show their new SUV 100% electric: The ID. Cross concept. It will be ‘Made in Spain’ and a key piece to fight against the avalanche of Chinese cars. In addition, the buttons return. Change of concept. Something worth clarifying is the name. Id. Cross is like the electric version of the Volkswagen T-Cross, but that surname ‘Concept’ can mislead when indicating that it is a prototype. In this case it doesn’t seem like something like What Jaguar did a few months agosince the images that the brand has shared have a more street air than prototype. It is expected that the final version is similar to what they just showed. But the important thing is the name. VW wants to give a fly to some of its recent policies, the choice of the name being a sample that The experiments are over. The new pole will be the pole and this new SUV is an ID. (which identifies your electric family) with the surname ‘Cross’. The numbers are also over They can confuse more than anything else. SUV + EV = Win. About design, as our partners detail Motorpasionwe have a car very similar to the combustion T-Cross. It has 4.16 meters long, 1.83 wide and a height of 1.58 meters. The main trunk will be 450 liters, similar to the combustion version, but add another 25 liters in a small compartment in the front. That it is a SUV, although with a compact size, it is a very interesting strategy in terms of potential autonomy. VW has not given details about its capacity, but it has indicated that it will have 420 km approved WLTP and a 175 km/h tip. It will be based on the MEB platform and will be built in the same money as its cousin, the Skoda Epiq: that of Landaben In Pamplona. “Id. Cross shows that we offer again, finally, the correct name. With this new generation of VE, we now meet our promises” – Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen This combination of Urban SUV Together with EV, he promises to be one of the golden egg chickens for manufacturers, since it is A very demanded format And, in addition, the extra space in front of a compact or utilitarian allows to install a larger battery, reducing the time that passes in the plug and expanding its versatility. It wasn’t so difficult Back to the button. Apart from the outside, VW has shown images of the interior of this ‘concept of preerie’. Very diaphanous, soft colors, different materials and completely folding seats to maximize the load. We will see how this translates into the final model, but there are two elements that are very important. On the one hand, the screens are not missing. We have two: one behind the 11 -inch steering wheel with the digital instruments and another 13 -inch central for the entertainment info system. But something that is obvious and that, curiously, VW does not detail in its release It is the return of the buttons. Companies have launched Tactile controls on screenssomething that has been eating the physical buttons Even in brands that seemed to star in the ‘resistance’ To this trend. The problem of the screens is that they can fail and are less intuitive than a button. VW minimized these physical controls by installing digital buttons that gave several headaches to the brand, and After the alluvion of criticismcomes the flying that the company itself already warned with that “It is not a mobile, it is a car“ In these images, however conceptual they are, we see that there are a lot of buttons both in the steering wheel and under the central screen, as well as a joystick that seems to control for that infotainment screen. Declaration of intentions looking at China. Thus, and as much as it is not a final car (although it will be necessary to see how much the unit of this of Preserie moves, the id. Cross confirms the change of course of a brand like VW: the buttons return, the family names return. And those decisions are consolidated with a model that will be vital for the company for a very simple reason: the competition in this sector will be fierce. In the same Mobility, Stellantis has received with open arms A ship arrived from China up to LEAPMOTOR B10. Although the Chinese brands are consolidating in the West with All types of motorizationsthey continue to have great interest in electricity for those who control the world battery market, and this B10 is the result of the Agreements between Stellantis and Leapmotor To assault the 100% electric compact terrain in which the ID wants to compete. Coss. In fact, the VW model is somewhat more compact with an autonomy similar to that of B10. The last of the concepts. The competition is served with rivals such as the Renault Scénic E-Techhe Byd Atto 3 or the MG ZS EVbut to see this new id. Cross we will have to wait. In its presentation, the brand has confirmed that the ID will first arrive. Polo, then the id. Polo GTI and later, but in 2026, the definitive version of this ID. Cross. On the price they have not said anything, but taking into account the segment in which they want to compete, it is expected to be positioned in the 30,000 euros window. At the moment, the IAA Mobility has served to see a clear response from the German brand to two controversies in … Read more

Europe has hope placed in the electric car of 25,000 euros and Volkswagen already knows who will manufacture it: Spain

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Volkswagen ID. Polo, Raval Cupra, Skoda Epiq and Volkswagen ID. Cross. Those are all the cars that Volkwagen has commissioned Spain. The company has commissioned the bulk of its urban vehicles to our country. It will do it with four cars that will be key, for better or worse, in the medium -term company strategy. Confirmation. It will be in Martorell, Barcelona (Volkswagen ID.P Polo and Cupra Raval), and in Landaben, Navarra (Skoda Epiq and Volkswagen ID.cross) where the Volkswagen group will manufacture its smallest electric. The company has confirmed it at the IAA Mobilitythe Münich hall focused on electric vehicles. It will be its four electric cars that will fly over 25,000 euros. That is to say, The “affordable” offer The group will be manufactured in Spain, a strategy that we already sensed partially but that was about to be confirmed. 25,000 euros electric car hub. The arrival of these four models to our country is, on paper, great news for the company’s workers. Martorell has long been positioned as the central nucleus of the strategy, with A battery plant “by your side”its projection as Component supplier And, now, with the two cars awarded. Landaben takes another very important pinch. The Volkswagen ID. Cross, which is just a concept, will be one of the company’s great assets in the segment. The Volkswagen T-Cross promises to be one of the most important electric/medium term electric. The EPIQ will be the “affordable” option. In addition, in both cases the SUV body fits perfectly into the electric car since it is the body preferred by the public and facilitates to fit greater battery capacity in the car without sacrificing the space. Investment. In your event, Volkswagen has pointed out that a total of 10,000 million euros will be invested. 70% will be in charge of the company that are divided into the electrification of the Barcelona plant (3,000 million euros), Navarra (1,000 million euros) and the 3,000 million euros of the Sagunto plant. The remaining 3,000 million euros correspond, according to the company, with the investments of the auxiliary companies to mount these cars. Key models. Spain has become a key region for the future of the company. Right now, it has four of the models that aspire to generate a qualitative leap in sales within the German group and the plant that will produce the batteries for all of them. The sale of these cars is especially relevant because in 2027 manufacturers have to Place below 93.6 gr/km of CO2 in the average emissions of the cars that have sold. The figure is already hard and needs the sale of large volumes of electricity but it will be Much more in 2030 When that maximum figure is reduced in half. If the political plans are maintained, the cars that occur in Spain should despite substantially in the company’s results accounts Volkswagen is interested in prioritizing the sale of these cars that, by price, should be easier to sell. The risk. The other face of the currency is evident: that cars are not sold. Although manufacturers are obliged to press in this market (due They present obvious inconveniences when they are taken out of the city. Right now, that electric, cheap and “for everything” car or that allows “anywhere” even with space limitations does not exist. That role played by the Seat Ibizato give an example, it is in danger of extinction if the manufacturer does not opt ​​for a substantial electrification of mechanics. Spain, leader. Spain has managed to find its hole in the electric car market. Although has been threatened by brands (and in fact it is made) it will be taken to take some of the cheapest electric to countries with less expensive labor, such as Morocco, Spain has managed to offer itself as an attractive country to produce cars with the lowest profit margin. Volkswagen’s bet is not alone. Stellantis will also produce its smallest models in Spain. Vigo and Zaragoza will be key in the production of smaller cars, the mounts About the Stla Small platform. It is a battle that has earned France or Germany whose operational costs are higher and need to produce higher costs (and less volume) to justify its production. Photo | Volkswagen In Xataka | If the question is if the cars were “cheaper” regarding your salary in 1975 than now, we have made accounts

There was a day that Volkswagen wanted to have “the Bentley of the town.” It went wrong

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If something has shown us the history of the car is that it is completely irrational, extremely competitive and very conservative. The electric car is demonstrating it clearly. The number of brands has triggered and China wants to make a foothold on European soil. The reality is that Only Tesla seems to have found the way Correct and China is moving in Europe … but with Combustion engines. That conservatism is not new. Raising a brand from scratch is only possible with a huge economic effortsustained and almost blind for years and years (like Tesla)with the help of state media (as Xiaomi and its association with one of the national Chinese car companies). But it is also almost impossible to change the perception that the client has of you. Winning to the client and ascending on the ranks of the market can take decades. A good example is Hyundai and Kia that have some of the best -selling cars In our country but they had to start earning market share selling cars much cheaper than those of the competition. But rapid movements, those who want to position a brand in a higher segment almost from nowhere or those that seek to compete with premium brands with a model that equals features but also in price is generally a call to failure. There is a good handful of examples and the Volkswagen Phaeton is undoubtedly one of the most representative. History of a failure Luckily for those who like cars and unfortunately from manufacturers, the purchase of a car is irrational. It has an inevitable part of aesthetic taste but also for quality perception, affinity with the brand and construction of an image and a history based on the past. That makes, for example, Renault fails with Vel satisf either Avantime Although they were very good vehicles that tried position yourself above the generalists. Nor has Stellantis (and before PSA) achieved return to DS to your luxury past Despite the multiple attempts. And something similar happened to Volkswagen Phaeton. By order of Ferdinand Piëch, then president of the Volkswagen Group, the Germans wanted to assault the premium market with a Berlina that was called “The Bentley of the People”. The intention was to stick with the Mercedes S, BMW 7 series and, curiously for being part of the group, with the Audi A8. The bet was so strong that the possibility to match (or improve) in equipment and materials to its rivals with a more adjusted price was not even tan. It was directly to resemble all fronts (also in price) and in the executives of Volkswagen they took a tortazo. In fact, the Volkswagen Phaeton Not even was a version of Audi A8. Yes, he shared some aluminum panels with the Berlina of the four hoops, as explained in Km77 In the early 2000s, but for development it departed from a blank sheet and even The Volkswagen Dresde factory was builtknown for their Glass structure and for being the one that, discontinued the Phaeton, covers the complete electrical models of the company. In that assault on the heavens, the Phaeton was sold above 66,000 euros for what the German triad looked from you. A Audi A8 It was sold at that time slightly below 69,000 euros. A BMW 7 series It started from 67,500 euros. He Mercedes S Yes it was significantly more expensive, starting from more than 71,000 euros. In those early years of the new century, all German luxury Berlins shared two things: they all had versions above 120,000 euros. And they all had gigantic engines. And the Volkswagen Phaeton was not going to be less. Its most “small” engine was already a V6 in diesel and gasoline versions. From there, it could only be dreaming. Volkswagen’s bet was also sold with a V8 4.2 gasoline, the famous V10 5.0 TDI and an endless W12 6.0 of gasoline that was sold with 420 and 450 hp versions. The average consumption of the latter was around (with the homologations of that time) 14.5 liters/100 km on average. And of equipment, the Phaeton was not badly served: heating seats, electric with memory and massage, bi-xenon headlights, four-zone heshlyzizer, indoor in the skin topped with wood and the possibility of replacing the rear seats with two sidewalks to improve comfort. Developing the car, therefore, was not going to be easy. At least this is attesting to 1,100 million euros that, according to Autoweekthe Germans invested in their development. From Automotive NewsHowever, they raise the figure to 2,000 million euros. But despite the expensive development and the good of the product, selling the Phaeton was not simple either. To the point that, according to this last medium, the Germans lost 28,101 euros for each unit sold. Keep in mind that the company had made a effort huge in machinery, employees and a new factory (The Dresden crystal plant) To launch a car that would meet the quality of a vehicle of its price range. It is said that Ferdinand Piëch delivered a series of unnegotiable requirements to put the car on the street among which was the ability to maintain the interior temperature at 22ºC circulating in a sustained way at 300 km/h with an exterior temperature of 50ºC. And all despite the car was limited to 250 km/h. Only for overestimating the capabilities of the car and that there was no open door to the client’s disappointment. But the market did not respond despite the fact that Volkswagen reached up to 100 patents during its development. Estimates that aimed at 20,000 units sold a year were impossible to meet. Even as the years passed. Because during the decade and a half that the car was on sale only 84,253 units were sold. Volkswagen’s most optimistic forecasts, collect in DiariomotorThey could exceed 35,000 units sold. And, as exceed, the 50,000 cars sold. Seeing one of those people’s bentley was not as complicated as seeing a true Bentley but of course it … Read more

No one knew what happened for 12 years in a Volkswagen ranch in the Brazilian jungle. Until a priest made a call

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During the darkest years of the Brazilian military dictatorshipwhen the regime promoted at all costs the colonization of the Amazon under the flag of development, one of the largest multinationals on the planet expanded its automobile empire in Latin America. At the same time, he directed an ambitious livestock project deep in the jungle. That multinational was Volkswagen, and in 2019 a priest He revealed a tragedy. Awakening from a forgotten memory. The story was told this week The Washington Post In an extensive report. When in 2019 the priest and academic Ricardo Rezende Figueira read that Volkswagen Brazil was willing to Recognize and repair His complicity with the Brazilian military dictatorship for the political persecution of workers in factories, felt something missing. There was no mention of Vale do rio crystallinethe huge livestock farm of the company in the Amazonian jungle. That land of more than 140,000 hectares, where hundreds of workers were recruited under deceptionisolated, indebted, mistreated, tortured and forced to work in degrading conditions for more than a decade, it seemed to have been History erased. There are evidence. But Rezende, who in the 80s documented those abuses as part of his work with the Pastoral Commission of the Earthstill It kept the evidence: More than a thousand pages of testimonies, notarial statements, police reports and press clippings accumulated in your personal archive. After reading the news, the priest telephone to prosecutor Rafael Garciaspecialist in slave work at the Ministry of Labor. That call would resurrect one of the darker chapters of corporate advance in the Amazon. A jungle turned into hell. The documents that he rebounded delivered to the authorities offered a devastating radiography. Between 1974 and 1986, in full military dictatorship, Volkswagen Brazil (then the largest automotive in Latin America) promoted a Titanic livestock project With regime support: disassemble the jungle in Pará To raise 100,000 cattle, as part of a corporate ideal that the world not only needed cars, but also meat. To do this hired a subsidiaryVale do rio crystalline SA, whose leaders included the president of Volkswagen Brazil himself, Wolfgang Sauer. The company turned to the sadly famous cats (Informal recruiters) who promised good salaries to poor peasants, advanced money and transferred them in trucks to the jungle’s heart. Images of the Brazilian parliamentary delegation during his visit to the farm in 1983 A prison. Once there, the workers were locked in camps remote, forced to work under threat of armswithout medical attention, drinking contaminated water, exposed to malaria, living under plastics and indebted by food and medicines. Not just that. His movements were constantly monitored by armed inspectors. Thus, trying to escape was to face punishment, the disappearance or death. The file that challenged oblivion. For years, Rezende collected Men’s testimonies They escaped from that hell. The records talked about beatings, broken teeth, bare men in the jungle, bodies thrown in cavernseven workers Burned alive. A young man, Valdeci Alves Fumeiro, story Having spent seven years caught in the hacienda, sewn without anesthesia after a fall and forced to continue working. Volkswagen’s announcement in 1977 in Brazil urged other companies to become “neighbors” of their farm in the Amazon Silence. But despite multiple complaints, intelligence reports and official statements that recognized the existence of slave work on the property, never presented A single position penal. I remembered the post that the structure of complicity between companies, state and repressive force guaranteed impunity for decades. Rezee, however, persisted in his conviction: the file had to survive time, because one day he would return to light. And so it was. The prosecutor Garcia, when reviewing the documents, recognized in them the basis for an unprecedented judicial action. A rebuilt truth. The Prosecutor’s Office initiated a national search to locate the workers mentioned by Rezende. The effort fell to the young researcher Matheus Faustinowho toured remote communities for months until he found 14 of the 69 identified. Some, such as Francisco Rezende de Souza, had been devastated by experience: alcoholism, isolation, inability to reintegrate into life. Others, such as the Batista de Souza brothers, were separated and sold by cats even after Volkswagen will leave the project. One of them, Juldemar, was silent for life. Testimonies When in 2023 The trial began in a Federal Labor Court in Redenção, several of these men testified for the first time. “They sold us”, One said. “We slept under plastics,” I commented another. “Everyone was armed, we had to work.” Rezende also went up to the podium. He recalled the complaints since 1977, Volkswagen’s complicity for omission, and the systematic inaction of the State. What does the company say. For its part, Volkswagen Brazil He has flatly denied The accusations. He alleges that his role was merely the shareholder of a company that subcontracted others, and that at the time It did not detect irregularities. In his judicial writings, he argues that it is the government who must hold recruiters and not hold the company. But prosecutors argue that Volkswagen’s subsidiary It was an integral part of the parent company, and that the abuses were systematic and known. Internal documents They show that Volkswagen even organized visits to deny the complaints, while avoiding allowing inspections in the camps. According to the postthe most cynical statement came from the Swiss director of the ranch, Friedrich Brüggerwho in one Interview in 2017 He blamed the workers of his debt and justified the violence of cats as necessary to maintain order: “The Brazilian is a bad person,” declared. The company in Germany has kept silence. Fight for memory. Today, The judicial casewhich requires compensation for 30 million dollarsmarks the first time that the Brazilian State tries to legally hold A multinational by slavery Modern in the Amazon. But for Rezende, which exceeds 70 years and coordinates a Chair of Human Rights in Rio de Janeiro, it is not just a remuneration justice. It is a battle against oblivion. He underlined In the newspaper That each folder in his office … Read more

Volkswagen was the infiltrated brand that reigned in China. Until it was rolled by a train called byd

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China is eating the European car. Whether electric, hybrid or combustionit is increasingly common to see them in the streets despite the Tariffs imposed by the European Union. There are already A good number of available modelsto which we will have to add those of brands that have not yet finished landing. But that volume increase does not occur only in Europe: it also occurs within its market. And if we see the evolution of car sales in China, there are some absolutely demolving data that can be summarized in a Volkswagen who led with iron hand and could not see the great wave of byd. National upward production. It is evident that China has put the batteries producing cars. Taking the data From the Chinese Association of Automobile Manufacturers, in 2024 31,282 million vehicles were produced and 31,436 million were sold. This represents an interannual growth of 3.7% and 4.5% respectively. This has allowed China to maintain its position as the largest automotive market in the world, something that has held for 16 years. New energy. Within those figures, the production and sales of Nev vehicles, or New Energy Vehicle stands out. It is a term that It encompasses the electric, hybrids and electric with hydrogen fueland the production and sales relationship in 2024 was 12,888 and 12,866 million respectively. It represents an increase of 34.4% and 35.5% compared to the previous year and 40.9% of all sales of new vehicles in the country. The Byd sorpasso. To further break down the figures, 60% of that total sales of NEV vehicles correspond to the electric ones, being a sector in which a national brand has established itself at a meteoric speed: Byd. In this chart with the top 10 of sales of new vehicles per manufacturer we can appreciate how Byd did not paint anything in 2020 and, from 2021, he experienced a vertiginous ascent: China Oem #HorseracePay Special Attention to Byd & Geely!#AlwaysBecharging ⚡️⚡️⚡️🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳Source: #Cam pic.twitter.com/4obu2vnj5q – Felix Hamer • Electricfelix (@electricfelix) June 2, 2025 No matter the metric that we follow. Month by month, the data of the Gasgoo platform lets us see that ByD leads in sales by brand or by manufacturer. They are figures that we could take from any month of 2024, but focusing on December, we can see that Byd is far from their main rivals: also Chinese Chery and Geely: December by Oems December by brand Byd 509,440 units 482,652 units Chery 283,903 units 174,430 units Geely 210,419 units 105,077 units Volkswagen can’t lose. In the graph we see that there is an absolute prominence of Chinese brands that They eat toast to Japanese like Honda or Nissan. However, there are two foreigners They stay well. On the one hand, Toyota, which although in third place, maintains consistent sales since 2017. On the other, the Volkswagen Group. According to CAM data for manufacturers, from sales of 4,192,356 vehicles in 2017, they go to 2,808,578. It is a monumental fall in an environment in which other brands are maintained or grow. Byd is the one that has stolen the first position and, although they remain in second place, you have to see what happens in 2025 with Groups as powerful as Geely. The German group is very involved in the Chinese market and in recent years it has launched plans to “copy” your work methods And even his approaches, Like extended rank electric. All with hope not to stay in a very important market for thembut not to lose more land in the European. IMPORTANCE OF EXPORTS. Because the idea of ​​Chinese companies is to continue tightening not already inside, but out of its borders. Saic, owners of Mg, They have the world’s largest ro-ro to bring their cars to international markets. It has capacity for 9,500 cars per trip and Byd also has a huge bureaucoches and the intention of add up to your fleet. As we see in Shanghai Metal Marketsince 2021, car exports have increased year after year. In 2024 they were 19.3% higher than in the previous period, reaching 5,859 million units, 433,000 were by, assuming a year -on -year growth of 71.8%. As we say, you have to wait to see the photo of 2025 already entered in 2026, but the trend of both sales and export of Chinese cars is up How will European brands respond And yes, despite all Byd is showing signs of weakness How can your latest sales aim. Images and Graph | Felix Hamer, Eyaut Waihung In Xataka | Family and friends keep asking me if “it is worth buying a Chinese car.” This is my answer

Volkswagen has put $ 6,000 million in Rivian to grow in the United States. Tariffs are truncating their plans

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At the end of 2024, Volkswagen confirmed that Inject almost 6,000 million dollars In Rivian. During the previous summerThe Germans announced that they invested 5,000 million dollars in the US car and electric vans company. Then they defended this measure within a generalized adjustment Within the company as the way to gain presence in the United States and, at the same time, learn in software matter of what is worked on the other side of the puddle. An especially important facet for Germans who have been looking for alternatives in other companies, including China Xpeng. Almost a year ago, in Volkswagen they claimed that this decision would allow them increase your sales in the United Statesa country where the company has more problems to satisfy a market that demands huge vehicles whose production is available for a hand for the Germans. That promise, to continue growing in sales, was especially important in the Context of cuts mentioned above. In fact, the workers’ representatives came to wonder what guarantees were that the last and new party committed was not A new way of burning another 1 billion dollars. To this difficult situation, Donald Trump’s tariffs have been added. The commercial barriers of the new president of the United States have led Volkswagen to look for solutions to alleviate economic damage to their finances. From having hundreds of audi units stops on the border until a conversion of one of their plants In the country. Now, Rivian already adjusts his sales goals. Down. The excuse is the tariffs Rivian should deliver 51,000 units of their cars, pick-up and electric vans at the end of the year. But he already announces that he will not fulfill the plans. The figure has been adjusted downwards, reducing forecasts between 10 and 20%. According to their new accounts, they will put in the market Between 40,000 and 46,000 vehicles. They ensure that the reason is the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s government in the United States. Collect in Bloomberg that the company manufactures all its cars in the country and that the vast majority of the pieces are also local but that they warn that the company “is not immune to the impacts of world trade and the economic environment.” Of course, the company ensures that it can meet the objective of offering a gross benefit at the end of the year. Once taxes and other items are discounted, Most likely, Rivian continues to give losses. Tariffs are assuming a real headache for the industry and even is a problem for who manufacture in the United States. Tesla, for example, is the company that Less impact will suffer With these commercial barriers but Elon Musk himself wanted to make it clear that They were also affected by them. Giants like Ford or General Motors have been Looking for formulas To alleviate the economic blow to its accounts but the situation is especially complicated for two types of companies: those that export to the country most of its production or pieces (such as Japanese and Europeans) or those of smaller. The largest companies have giving way to a stock they had already accumulated. Applying great discountsit is certain that they have not achieved the benefits per unit that they would expect but at least it has allowed them to move forward until knowing the possible new conditions. However, for small companies such as Rivian the situation is much more complicated. We have already counted to start a car company forces to lose money for years and that it is only sustainable if other companies and Investors They are willing to Leave your money until you see benefits. In this case, a commercial sway is much more pronounced than in any other situation. Now, Volkswagen has no choice but to maintain the road map and continue supporting Rivian although the economic context that makes it even more complicated. The Germans aspired to learn their company from this company Secrets around softwarea division that is Bringing the entire Volkswagen Group and? He already expelled some of his CEO. Photo | In Xataka | The sensitive data of 800,000 electric cars from Volkswagen have leaked: from homes to the routines of its owners

It was a secret Volkswagen experiment that should not even exist

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In the automobile world, where the competition between brands It is relentless, there are always curious stories and impossible experiments, especially when it comes to Development of a new engine. A clear example can be that occasion when someone came up with the Motor of a plane in a BMW. A similar idea had Ferdinand Piëch, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche and CEO of the Volkswagen Group until 2015. Piëch was an obsessive of the engines and wanted to develop a New more powerful and efficient block for your high -end cars. However, the brand had no adequate car in its catalog to test the thrust of its new engine. So Piëch He bought a BMW M5 and set up a Volkswagen W10 inside That would never see the light. The boss’s passion: create the best engines He Bugatti Veyron development He already showed that Ferdinand Piëch was obsessed with developing The best engine in the world. According to He affirmed a video From the Drivetribe channel, that obsession led him to buy a BMW sports berlina to serve as a mule to test his new W10 engine. What makes this case even more unique is that, for decades, the prototype of Ferdinand Piëch was so secret that it was thought that it never existed and it was believed that it was an urban legend that Volkswagen denied by active and passive. However, Recently it came to light Thanks to a Belgian sale, revealing fascinating details about its construction and performance. At the end of the 90s and early 2000s, Ferdinand Piëch got between eyebrow and eyebrow developing engines in narrow “V” to expand a catalog of engines as I had never seen the German brand before. Under the supervision of Piëch, the German manufacturer lived an era of Experimentation and unusual creativity. From the VR6 that roared under the hood of the golf R32, to the W12 and the W16 that gave life to the Audi A8, the Volkswagen Touareg and, of course, the Bugatti Veyron. In his attempt to optimize the performance and efficiency of his engines, Piëch came up with two V5 engines as those that mounted the Golf MK4 and the first batch of the Seat Toledo, to obtain a W10. Since no group of the group met the requirements to house this engine, the Volkswagen CEO decided to cross the limits: it bought a BMW M5 E39, it took away its original V8 engine and made it the platform they needed to test the W10. Volkswagen did not limit the New engine in the BMW opening anyway. He integrated it as if it were a production model in such a neat that seemed to have left directly from the assembly line. In fact, unlike conventional development prototypeson the outside the car did not attract attention and maintained the classic appearance of an M5. His secret was that under the hood he housed an engine that produced between 456 and 507 hp and a maximum torque of 550 nm. His performance was so good that even Ferdinand Piëch used this M5 E39 as a personal car to move daily for a while, although it lacked electronic assistance systems such as ABS or traction control. A myth come true The existence of a BMW M5 E39 with a Volkswagen W10 engine was considered for decades Like a myth. There were rumors that the prototype had been destroyed or that it never really existed. The car, now known as the experimental M5, looks an adhesives on the lighthouse and in its back in which its purpose is clear: try the Volkswagen W10 engine. The interior of the vehicle remains exactly the same as any M5 of the time, with the exception of the control box, since the manufacturer added a personalized one with some additional switches that allowed it to activate or deactivate functions to test your performance and obtain additional information. For everything else, a production car that would not attract attention to see it parked in any 2000 business parking lot, although under its hood it snoring a unique engine that has never seen the light. That makes this prototype a Exclusive piece for collectors That, although the seller does not offer a sales figure, from Drivetribe they ensure that he will approach a lot to Price of a pure Ferrarialthough Volkswagen invested more than two million dollars in developing the engine that moves it. In Xataka | A Bugatti jumped a radar in Belgium at 388 km/h. Your driver can get rid of too fast In Xataka | They are founders and ultra -ups, but they have not always driven luxury supercoches: a review of the cars of the Tech millionaires Image | Flickr (Olli Vininio, Adam Court)

Volkswagen lost 6.7 million with each one who sold

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On the Paseo de la Fame of the luxury supercoches, there is a star reserved for a car that, although their wealthy buyers had to put on the table 1.7 million dollars to remove it from the dealership, every time a unit was sold, its manufacturer lost 6.7 million dollars: The Bugatti Veyron. Bugatti Veyron: A luxury and speed icon The Bugatti Veyron He was born in 2005 of one Ambitious idea: Create the faster, powerful and luxurious car in the world. And what if they got it. Ferdinand Piëch, the visionary architect of the current Volkswagen group and grandson of Ferdinand Porsche himself. The passion for speed and luxury was carried in the DNA. This supercar mounted one of the engines that has given the most joys to Bugatti. It’s about Your brutal W16 of 8.0 liters and four turbos, with which it was able to accelerate as a rocket and break cut speed records above 406 km/h. This figure became almost a demand for The desire for “revenge” of the brand for a speed record in Le Mans. The name of the Veyron also closely linked to Le Mans’s career, since he honors Bugatti’s pilot and engineer Pierre Veyronwhich in 1939 won the 24 hours of Le Mans with one of the brands of the brand. The brand took Six years to develop from the Veyron for the challenge of implementing an engine capable of developing 1,001 hp of power and 1,400 nm of touch. To keep the temperature of such a beast at bay, engineers had to integrate 10 radiators. The exclusivity of the Bugatti Veyron was not only noticed when paying the 1.7 million dollars that cost Each unit. Each game of tires, especially Designed for the Veyron For Michelin, it cost the whopping $ 38,000 and had to replace every 4,000 km. On the track and maximum speed, the life of the tires was limited to about 15 minutes before disintegrating. Something that would rarely do, since the 106 liters of their deposit gave for 12 minutes. Without a doubt, a car with maintenance Far from the reach of many pockets. The Veyron was not just speed. It was also extreme luxury. Every detail, from materials to labor, was of the highest quality. Having a Veyron was like having a work of art on wheels, a demonstration that you could afford the best of the best. Aspire to One of the special editions Del Veyron was already another level, and supposed to pay more than 2.7 million for some of them. A ruinous business for Volkswagen But here comes the surprising part: despite its millionaire sales price, Volkswagen lost money with every Veyron who sold. And not little, precisely. Such and as they counted in Technology.orgthe financial research firm of Wall Street Bernstein Research published a report in which they assured that the Volkswagen group lost about 6.24 million dollars for each Bugatti Veyron that was sold. However, later the authors of that report admitted that this figure should be taken cautiously because it was based on approximate estimates. Paradoxically, the explanation of this financial fiasco is given by its engineering and design success. Volkswagen did not spare on expenses to create the perfect car and for it They invested 1,620 million of dollars in their development. Last prototype of the Bugatti Veyron The negative part is that Bugatti only sold 450 units of his Veyron in the 10 years he was on sale, so the investment in R&D was higher than the brand recovered selling cars, which was a financial fiasco. However, although in absolute terms, the development effort of the Veyron was greater than the income of its sale, the technology that was developed for that jewel of engineering then served as the basis for all A supercoches lineage. Its legacy has served to knock down all the speed records until it reaches 490.48 km/h that reached the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ In 2019, such and as he collected Car and Driver. Volkswagen was willing to assume those losses because he wanted to demonstrate his ability to create the Best Support Support in the World. Although, the Veyron was not a financial success in itself, it managed to position Bugatti as a reference brand on the map of luxury supercoches. A “failure” that, in the end, turned out to be a great triumph, although very expensive. In Xataka | Bugatti has found a new reef: his clients are spent on average 500,000 euros on extras to customize his car In Xataka | They are founders and ultra -ups, but they have not always driven luxury supercoches: a review of the cars of the Tech millionaires Image | Bugatti

Volkswagen believes that car screens are getting too far

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For some car manufacturers, Only the screens matter. After the extreme minimalism of Tesla Model 3 2017 That eliminated buttons to relegate the control of the car to the huge central screen, there were manufacturers that got into the car. Filling the screw dashboard seemed like luxury at the wheel, but it is an idea that has not set Among users, critics and even the most relevant body in Europe to evaluate the safety of vehicles: EURO NCAP. Now, the brands are realized that they cannotPost everything to the screens And there are such strong statements as that of the Volkswagen design chief, who has recognized that “it is not a phone: it is a car.” Trend. Tesla is the perfect example when talking about cars screens. It is not the one that has the most, but that, in its last models, has relegated virtually all the functions of the car to that central console. Other brands like Mercedes soon got into the car with splashes in which the screens were protagonists and there are those who have taken this to the extreme, especially when we talk about electric car. Mazda 6e, the Electric Berlina And Mazda 3 It seems that talking about 100% implies putting aside the buttons. Even brands such as Mazda who have opted for small and touch screens only with the stopped vehicle have given a flying when they have presented the electric model. But perhaps one of the most exaggerated cases is Volkswagen. “Buttons”. In quotes. In the main image we have the dashboard of the Volkswagen ID. Every1the new 100% electric utility that wants to place itself as the electric car par excellence. The interior is futuristic, science fiction and yes, it has buttons. Real buttons, not like those of the Atlas, the new golf or the ID.4. THE FLYING OF ID.4 In these three models, The buttons are haptic, A kind of digital button that does not offer that pulsation feedback such as when we put pressure on a real button, but a vibration. How to type on a mobile phone, go. On the way, it may not be enough to give information to the driver when there are elements such as the vibration of the vehicle itself when rolling through a land that is not completely smooth. “It’s not a mobile”. This model has not yet went on sale, but the criticisms and the latest decisions of Euro Ncap seem that they have made the German firm rethink things. And he has done it. As we read in CoachAndreas Mindt, the brand design chief, has been the one who has taken the initiative by commenting that, from ID.2 that will arrive next year, all cars will have “physical buttons for the five most important functions.” These functions are volume, heating, fans control and emergency light. “They will be in every car that we do from now on, we have understood.” This reverse is curious, but well received because it is evident that they recognize that there is a real problem with this type of tactile interfaces and that do not use everything. “Never, we’ll never make this mistake again. In the steering wheel, we will have physical buttons. We will not have to guess more and have real feedback. People love that and, honestly, it is a car. Not a phone: it’s a car. ” Not a luxury. VW has not been the only one that, recently, has realized that touch screens as the only method of control of the car are a engoring for certain things and a potential risk for safety. The German Mercedes has also considered the screens a luxury symbol in its recent vehicles. The more, and bigger, the better. However, although the ‘Hyperscreen’ will not go anywhere, the design chief of the three -pointed brand admitted in a recent interview that they must devise another way to transfer that luxury to their vehicles, such as better finishes or more handmade pieces … instead of so much screen. With head. The truth is that, since the fever began by the car “Every screen”, each brand has made the war on its own. Lincoln, for example, It offers huge screensbut not tactile and only serve as a information viewer. Mazda (except in the 6e) continues to bet on buttons next to a screen of food dimensions; Peugeot, Renault or Toyota, among others, also incorporate large screens, but there are elements such as physical buttons in the steering wheel and to control the air conditioning that are maintained. Mindt rounded his comment on the future of the interfaces in Volkswagen stating that they will continue to offer touch screens “partly due to the new legal requirements that, as in the US, impose that all cars have a backward chamber. There are a lot of other functions that we can offer in certain areas and the screens will be large, but the five main things will always be in the form of physical button. That is very important. ” Therefore, whether by Euro NCAP warning or because they have realized that delegating all vehicle actions to haptic screens or buttons is not the most sensible, welcome that VW philosophy. Images | Mazda, Volkswagen In Xataka | Is the electric car worth it? Here you have a savings calculator to check it out

Volkswagen has an ace in the sleeve if its electric of 20,000 euros does not take off. The company sells more sausages than cars

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Last week he was one of those crucial moments in the history of a company like Volkswagen. The dream of the German house of offering the general public at an electric non -exorbitant price or, as they themselves announced, “for all”, it was advanced under the ID name. Every1a utility on the border of 20,000 euros as a red line. It happens that, if things come out auctionly, VW has an ace in the sleeve. Because they sell more sausages than cars. An unexpected record. As we said, Volkswagen closed 2024 with a surprising fact: He sold more currywurstthe famous German sausages, than cars. While the manufacturer delivered 5.2 million vehicles worldwide, its food division reached a record of 8.5 million sausages sold200,000 more than in 2023. Of course, although the unexpected gastronomic success has been celebrated by the company, what is doubtful, does not seem to compensate for the difficult financial situation that crosses. Decline in sales. Because the excellent data of the sausages is certainly negative. Annual results, published on Tuesdaythey revealed one 30.4% drop In net benefits, despite a slight increase of 0.7% in total income. Sales collapse in China, its most important market, has been a severe blow, since the country registered its lowest level of Volkswagen vehicles in more than a decade. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers Like Byd They have gained land with cheaper electric models, surpassing VW as The largest car seller In the Asian giant. The secret of VW sausages. The currywursta sausage bathed in tomato sauce with spices of curry and accompanied by fried potatoes, has been a symbol within the Volkswagen culture Since its introduction in 1973. Originally prepared to feed workers in their dining rooms, the product has expanded until it is sold in supermarkets from 12 countries. To get an idea of ​​the importance it has for the company, it even has a piece number in the spare parts catalog: 199 398 500 Awhich reinforces its status as an “original Volkswagen component.” It is sold in the 30 canteens of the company, in work kiosks and in supermarkets near its factories. Volkswagen’s butcher shop at the Wolfsburg plant in 1973 The controversy. In 2021 the company tried scandal which included the protest of former German Foreign Minister Gerhard Schröder, who He defended the sausage as “an energy bar for production workers.” After the controversy, Volkswagen reintroduced currywurst in 2023 apologized by ensuring that he had only wanted to respond to the growing demand for vegetarian and vegan options among his employees and, since then, his popularity has continued on the rise. “The Volkswagen currywurst has become much more than a simple snack; is an icon ”, Gunnar Kilian declaredGroup’s Human Resources Director, holding the sales record. Structural problems And while sausages reach historical figures, the automaker faces a deep crisis. In an attempt to reduce costs, Volkswagen was about to close factories in Germany for the first time in its history and, although he managed to avoid it, he announced The dismissal of 35,000 employees In the coming years. In addition, the company temporarily suspended its labor security program, which had protected jobs until 2029, and only after a last minute negotiation with the unions in December It extended up to 2030. The company’s situation has also been threatened by external factors. It We have recentlyDonald Trump has warned that he will impose tariffs on car imports from Europe and Mexico, where Volkswagen has plants than They supply the US market. To this are added geopolitical uncertainty and the increase in commercial restrictions, which adds more pressure to the company’s recovery strategy. The electric bet. Despite the difficult panorama, the German house maintains the hope of a rebound in 2025, with the forecast of a growth of More than 5% In your income. As part of its transformation, it has presented plans to launch in 2027 That most affordable electric model To date with the intention of recovering land in front of their Chinese rivals. Meanwhile, the irony that a global renowned automotive company sells more sausages that cars reflects the deep difficulties that the sector is going through. Although the currywurst has become an unusual stability pillar for Volkswagen, it is impossible to hide the monumental challenges he faces to recover his leadership in the sector and adapt to an increasingly competitive market. Image | MonstourzVolkswagen, Lothar Schaack In Xataka | Guide to know if your car can circulate through the Zbe of Madrid in 2025: labels, registered and areas In Xataka | Xiaomi Su7: The electric car points directly to Tesla and Porsche presuming autonomous performance and driving

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