Tag: Auto Union

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Chrysler Fiat Volkswagen

Auto Union to rule the world?

Auto Union logo

Suddenly last week’s story that the Volkswagen Group could rebrand itself as Auto Union now makes a lot more sense. Automotive News reports Volkswagen is considering a takeover of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). It’s a move that’s been largely interpreted as means for Ferdinand Piech to achieve his aim of making the Volkswagen Group the world’s largest automaker.

If the Volkswagen Group did add FCA to its portfolio of automotive brands that would take it well beyond the reach of Toyota and General Motors as the highest selling car maker on the planet. Volkswagen Group could claim 14 million annual sales, around four million ahead of Toyota and GM.

German publication Manager Magazin first broke the news that representatives from the Volkswagen Group and FCA boards have met to discuss Volkswagen’s buy-in, although both companies deny any discussions have taken place. It’s thought that Piech has approached the Agnelli-Elkann family to acquire its 30% stake in FCA.

Previously, Volkswagen sources have coveted the Alfa Romeo brand. Under the watch of Sergio Marchionne and through the FCA agreement Alfa is enjoying a resurgence. On the back of the 4C the brand has recently relaunched in the United States after an absence of almost 20 years.

Other major brands under the Fiat-Chrysler umbrella include Dodge, Ferrari, Jeep, Lancia and Maserati. The addition of Jeep to the Volkswagen Group would help it quench the world’s insatiable thirst for SUVs.

Clearly, there’s a long way to go for this deal to take place, if it ever will. It’s expected the 30% share in FCA would be valued between US$5–6 billion. As it happens Volkswagen Group has a lazy US$24–25 billion in cash reserves up its sleeve.

If this VW-Fiat-Chrysler deal goes ahead then rebranding the entire group as Auto Union makes absolute sense. The Auto Union changes may still go ahead irrespective of the FCA deal. Taking a big picture view, though, Auto Union becoming known as the world’s largest car maker sits perfectly with Piech’s grand plan.

[Source: Automotive News | Pic: Raoul Pop]

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Audi Bentley Bugatti Lamborghini News Porsche Seat Skoda Suzuki Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group tipped to rebrand as Auto Union

Auto Union badge

Here’s a rumour from GoAuto that has grabbed our interest, according to its report Volkswagen Group is considering a name change to Auto Union.

A possible theory for the change would be to establish a greater sense of independence for each of the brands under Volkswagen’s control, by removing the Volkswagen name from the umbrella company.

Volkswagen Group controls or owns outright the following marques: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ducati, Lamborghini, MAN, Porsche, Scania, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. In addition, the group is also the largest shareholder in Suzuki, with a 20% share.

Auto Union is not a new name in the motoring world and was the precursor to what we now know as Audi. Originally formed in 1932 and consisting of four companies—Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer—Auto Union was essentially dissolved by the Soviets after WWII.

However, soon after, in 1949, Auto Union came back to life building two-stroke DKWs. Daimler-Benz took a majority shareholding in 1958 and saw a return of the Auto Union brand and investment in the company’s Ingolstadt factory.

In 1964 Daimler-Benz began to offload its shares and later that year Volkswagen assumed control after it bought the rights to the Auto Union name and the Ingolstadt site. The Audi brand was revived in 1965 and remains as the sole survivor from those Auto Union days.

[Source: GoAuto | Pic: CarType/John Lloyd]

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News

2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed

2008 Goodwood Fesitval of Speed - Mazda FuraiLast weekend the Duke of Richmond opened up his estate once again for the 18th consecutive Goodwood Festival of Speed. The lads from CarAdvice.com.au were there, check out their report, with heaps of great up close pictures, HERE.

For more info on the Goodwood FoS check out the Wikipedia page. This preview article from the Telegraph also paints a picture of just how big this event is. Enjoy!

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Audi

1939 Auto Union “Silverarrow” Type D

Here is some footage discovered on YouTube of the replica 1939 Auto Union “Silverarrow” Type D built in England by Roach Manufacturing. This car will be driven at the 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed, for the first time, by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason.

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Audi News

Audi welcomes the machine at Goodwood

Nick Mason at the wheel of 1939 Auto Union

The 2008 Goodwood Festival of Speed (11–13 July) will see the world debut of an “all-new” Auto Union “Silverarrow” Type D. An authentic reconstruction of the 1939 dual-compressor model, the car will be driven at the event by Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. The project, commissioned by Audi Tradition, was undertaken by specialist workshop Crosthwaite & Gardiner in East Sussex, with bodywork completed by Roach Manufacturing, near Southampton. It took four years to complete.

The dual-compressor 12 cylinder Type D originally made its debut half way through the racing year at the 1939 Belgian Grand Prix and won two Grands Prix at the hands of Hermann Paul Müller (French GP) and Tazio Nuvolari (Belgrade GP). While heavily based on earlier Type D models, the bodywork of the 1939 car was modified to house the 485hp twin supercharger set up. Auto Union was split apart by Soviet forces after the completion of World War II, and as a result many of the technical drawings and records of their cars were lost forever. With only a few rare photos to work from the team at Roach Manufacturing had a painstaking task to recreate the Silverarrow’s exterior. The company already have a 1937 reconstruction on display at the Audi museum mobile, so their pedigree was well founded. At the completion of this project Keith Roach proudly declared, “it is one of our all-time masterpieces.”

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