It is now 18 years since Volkswagen and Å koda merged and the Czech icon recently sold its seven millionth car since 1991.
Å koda returned to Australia in 2007 and with the strength of the Volkswagen dealer network behind the brand things are looking up Down Under. Sales, while modest, are up 11.7% on 2008 figures, year to date.
Car enthusiast heaven, otherwise known as the Autostadt, in Wolfsburg, Germany, recently saw its 18 millionth visitor through the turnstiles. Visitor numbers are nine years ahead of schedule. The Autostadt opened its doors on 1 June 2000, with predictions of 1 million visitors per annum. A figure which, in reality, has turned out to be 2 million visitors each year.
The Volkswagen Auto Group theme park has unique pavilions for all of the marques in its stable. That’s Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Seat, Skoda and, of course, Volkswagen. Also included is general auto museum featuring notable cars from outside the VAG history books, as well.
It’s a pretty amazing place, dominated by the twin glass car towers where buyers can collect their new cars from. You can get a taste of that experience from this previous AUSmotive article. If you get the opportunity I highly recommend a visit. Volkswagen’s press release can be read after the jump, along with a few happy snaps of my own from my visit in 2006.
Further information can be read at autostadt.de and volkswagen.com.
Skoda Auto today opened a new production facility in Pune, India. The factory opened a year ahead of schedule and extends Skoda’s existing production capacity in the far east, where they have had a manufacturing presence since 2001. Skoda has a 60-strong dealer network across India.
Starting in May, the new plant in Pune will start making the Fabia, pictured above, which is based on the Volkswagen Polo platform. The facility cost EUR25 million and takes Skoda’s Indian investment to EUR90 million.
The site is one of the most modern manufacturing plants in the Volkswagen Group. It is the company’s only Indian plant in India covering the entire production process, from panel pressing, welding and painting operations, and, of course, final assembly. In 2010 when the plant is at total capacity it will offer around 2500 jobs to Pune locals.
Press releases from Skoda and Volkswagen after the jump.
Skoda kicked off their presentation at the Melbourne International Motor Show by revealing an updated Octavia range. Matthew Wiesner, Head of Skoda Australia, then introduced Australian cycling legend Phil Anderson to assist with the launch of the Skoda Superb.
Both models certainly look the part and with their Volkswagen DNA they are cars that are not short on substance.
Proving this was a Skoda Scout on display, which recently travelled over 20,000kms around Australia in six weeks.
More pics and press releases below.
Imagine you have your (affordable) dream car and love the joy it brings you. Whether that’s behind the wheel, or simply admiring the gentle shoulder line of its three-door shape. Your car has oodles of torque that make it a delight to drive. There’s enough power to have fun, but not too much to be stupid. Fuel economy, too, is quite good, if you want it to be.
Life is good.
Then, imagine you have to sell the car you enjoy so much! Not because of financial or other outside influences, but simply because impending fatherhood is about to render that svelte three-door shape a bit too impractical for its own good.
This is a predicament a mate of mine recently faced, and while his initial quandary gave him a little displeasure, it’s nice to know that everyone looks like living happily ever after.
Steve’s dream car was his Mk5 Golf GTI (pictured below). Like myself (or my wife that should be), as soon as the three-door option for the GTI was announced by Volkswagen Australia in late 2006, he took his chance to buy the perfect complement to his near mint condition 1985 UK-spec Mk2 Golf GTI. A few months later, when his new car arrived, the first in the country in United Grey paintwork, he was smitten.
If the GTI had to go, then what would prove to be an adequate compromise between driving enjoyment and family-friendly Sunday outings? Given the picture and title at the start of this post, it’s no surprise that Steve opted for a Skoda Octavia RS sedan.
The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing start next Friday—08.08.08—and Volkswagen is looming as having as much presence around the Chinese capital as any of the athletes. A total of 5,000 vehicles have been assigned by Volkswagen Group China to aid logistic support during the Games, moving around athletes, Olympic guests and media. The vehicles assigned to the press center have been labelled the “Green Fleet” on account of their low emissions and low fuel consumption.
Volkswagen, ready to harness a captive audience, will also have a special pavilion at the Olympic Games—the 2000m2 Volkswagen Showcase. Volkswagen Group China expects 4,000,000 visitors to pass through, or as many as 160,000 per day. Lutz Kothe, Head of Sponsoring & Events at Volkswagen AG, commented, “The pavilion gives our guests to the Olympic Games the opportunity to experience the Volkswagen Group and its brands in the unique environment of the world’s biggest sporting event.â€
The pavilion will feature models from Volkswagen, Audi and Skoda. More images and Volkwagen’s full press release can be seen below.