I had to smile when I heard this on the BBC this morning

mhardy6647

VW's going to try to redeem itself from "Dieselgate" by focusing on electric cars.

Wonder what sort of gizmos they're gonna put on the electric vehicles to 'cook the books'?

;-)

I am kidding, of course... but only sort of.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-36548893

msg

VW messing with electric? Isn't that one of the things they're worst at?

motorhead43026

Yeah, VW has very deep pockets. I heard over the winter that they planned on going full tilt boogie on electric.

maximillian

VW group owns Porsche (or the other way around), Audi, Lamborghini, Bucati, Bugatti, Bentley, Skoda, a bunch of others, and their own VW brand. I think they should be able to find an engineer that knows something about electric.

Personally, I think they know how to meet the emissions standards they just don't give a s#^t.

heiney9

maximillian wrote: »

VW group owns Porsche (or the other way around), Audi, Lamborghini, Bucati, Bugatti, Bentley, Skoda, a bunch of others, and their own VW brand. I think they should be able to find an engineer that knows something about electric.

Personally, I think they know how to meet the emissions standards they just don't give a s#^t.

No, you got it right, VW owns Porsche.

Long time VW fan here, but the problem with VW is they are a very arrogant company. That arrogance led to dieselgate and also is prolonging dieselgate.

Their philosophy and company ideology is fine for the rest of the world, but they will never be a leading seller in United States until they "play the game".

I have loved every Volkswagen I've owned, but they have a serious image issue (even before dieselgate) and they refuse to adapt and make products for the American Market.

Until they start making cars the masses want and can feel comfortable about they will never get a decent foothold in the US.

I happen to like the Golf and have mostly owned (and continue to own) GTi's. The fun, performance and utility factor are off the charts as well as fit, finish and quality material used...............but I am not a majority demographic.

They either are too stupid to figure it out, or they are too arrogant to conform. I go with the latter.

H9

mhardy6647

Arrogant Germans?! I am shocked, I tell you. Shocked.

I say this with all good humor - and no arrogance - being roughly 1/2 German by heritage m'self (y'all couldn't tell, could you?).

I have been confused for decades about the interrelationship of VW, Porsche and Audi. I mean, even besides the fact that Dr. Porsche designed the "Volkswagen" for -- you know... his boss... back in the nineteen-thirties. In the days when I used to read Road & Track the Porsche 914 was, in essence, a VW-Porsche (the 914/6 was a little more Porsche-ier) and I can remember the company/companies being referred to in ads as "VW/Porsche-Audi".

(EDIT: I think the 914 might have even been badged "VW-Porsche"... am I manufacturing memories again?)

Audi, it may be recalled, had their day in the sun, Teutonic-arrogance-wise, back when the Audis were (some claimed) trying to assassinate their owners in their own garages.

Audi didn’t help matters by coldly insisting that all the accidents were caused by driver error, and running condescending ads with quizzes about its cars that said “If you can pass this test… you’re ready for an Audi.” But in reality, the company was right. Tests in the U.S., Canada, and Japan all concluded that drivers confused the the Audi’s narrow (and narrowly spaced) gas and brake pedals, leading them to believe that their brakes failed when they were actually flooring the car. Audi was vindicated, but the damage had been done.

source: http://www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/10-of-historys-most-infamous-automotive-scandals.html/?a=viewall

heiney9

The unintended acceleration, while real, was really overblown in the media. Toyota's issue was a little more "real". All car companies have issues and believe me they all cheat/inflate on emissions and mpg ratings. VW got caught and then (partly) because of arrogance let it spiral out of control.

But VW needs to either address the issue of offering what American's by and large want to buy or they should just stop talking about increasing market share here. After 20 years I would think they'd have learned you can't "make" people buy cars because "your" engineering and design is "better". Far too many players in the field now.

I am full blooded (as far as I know) of German decent.

H9

motorhead43026

I like Sauerkraut, the Germans best export.

polkfarmboy

Elron Musk the owner of Tesla made all his patents free for anyone via fair use so thats why big car giants can now get in on the action. What a great guy you may say and its true but a big part is so that as more get in on the action then the recharge stations expense will be shared among everyone.

heiney9

VW has been into electric car research for a long time. I doubt they are using Musk's patents.

mhardy6647

In the very early days of automobiles the top-performing cars were electric powered or steam powered. just sayin'.

motorhead43026

I would bet VW will have an impressive electric offering. It looks as they are putting a lot on the line.

heiney9

They are and have been working on electric turbo's. Should see those very soon in main stream production models. They are more responsive and efficient.

westmassguy

Never new there were this many ****-heads on the forum. 1/2 German, 1/2 Irish here, double trouble.

gce

Check this out. I guess this is going to be a big deal for VW and Porsche.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/car-technology/news/a29570/porsche-engineer-tesla-ludicrous-facade/

dromunds

You guys need to do a DNA analysis with Ancestry.com Send in a vial of spit and $100 and you'll find out what you really are. Lol. I just did it for my parents. My Dad thought he was 1/2 Norwegian, 1/2 German. Actually, 71% Scandanavian, 19% Western Europe, 9% Eastern Europe, less than 1% Finland, Iberian Penninsula. My mother never knew she was 4% Scandanavian, (the Vikings assimilated everywhere.) But she was 54% British Isles (England, Scotland, Wales) and 11% more of Irish. 19% Western Europe (she knew she had some French). That part was fairly consistent with her family tree but those only go back a few hundred years usually.