Photo: Volkswagen
Towards the very end of November, Volkswagen Group released a press statement saying that it will invest a massive 85.6 billion euros ( 105 billion dollars) in for new models, environmentally friendly technologies and production facilities in the coming five years.
Most of the statement was boring corporate talk with a few new factories being mentioned, most notably an Audi plant in Mexico. However, one particular passage caught or attention, and we quote:
"At EUR 41.3 billion (roughly 64 percent), the Group will spend most of the total capex in the Automotive Division on modernizing and extending the product range for all its brands. The main focus will be on expanding the SUV range – in particular in the A/A0 class – as well as on modernizing part of the light commercial vehicle portfolio."
The A platform for Volkswagen is what you call a compact, like the Golf and Audi A3. We know a new Tiguan is on the way and will share components with the SEAT SUV and a Skoda Yeti successor. So that's not really a surprise.
But the Volkswagen Group A0 is a series of automobile platforms shared among superminis, like the VW Polo, Skoda Fabia and Audi A1. Before now, the CEO of the whole group was adamant no small crossovers will be built. So what made Herr Winterkorn change his mind? Probably the huge success of the rival French brands with models like the Captur, 2008 and C4 Cactus, some of which are among the Top 10 best selling cars in Europe right now.
In all likelihood, all four major brands within the group will have a supermini crossover by 2018. But which will be the first? No prototypes have yet been spotted, but our money is on SEAT. They're going to launch a new Ibiza in 2016 and that's a perfect time to introduce a crossover version as well.
Audi has even moved to trademark the Q1 moniker, which is perfect for a baby model of the Q range. The Q1 was applied for a trademark in April and approved about two months ago on October 23rd. Skoda has also trademarked a name for its baby SUV. Called the Polar, it should arrive in late 2016 and share underpinnings with the Fabia 3.
"We will continue to invest in the future to become the leading automotive group in both ecological and economic terms – with the best and most sustainable products", said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, in Wolfsburg. "Development costs will remain high in the future as a result of high innovation pressure and increasing demands on the automotive industry from CO2 legislation. As a Group, we have the expertise and financial strength to continue to extend our technology leadership and to reach our goals for 2018."
"At EUR 41.3 billion (roughly 64 percent), the Group will spend most of the total capex in the Automotive Division on modernizing and extending the product range for all its brands. The main focus will be on expanding the SUV range – in particular in the A/A0 class – as well as on modernizing part of the light commercial vehicle portfolio."
The A platform for Volkswagen is what you call a compact, like the Golf and Audi A3. We know a new Tiguan is on the way and will share components with the SEAT SUV and a Skoda Yeti successor. So that's not really a surprise.
But the Volkswagen Group A0 is a series of automobile platforms shared among superminis, like the VW Polo, Skoda Fabia and Audi A1. Before now, the CEO of the whole group was adamant no small crossovers will be built. So what made Herr Winterkorn change his mind? Probably the huge success of the rival French brands with models like the Captur, 2008 and C4 Cactus, some of which are among the Top 10 best selling cars in Europe right now.
In all likelihood, all four major brands within the group will have a supermini crossover by 2018. But which will be the first? No prototypes have yet been spotted, but our money is on SEAT. They're going to launch a new Ibiza in 2016 and that's a perfect time to introduce a crossover version as well.
Audi has even moved to trademark the Q1 moniker, which is perfect for a baby model of the Q range. The Q1 was applied for a trademark in April and approved about two months ago on October 23rd. Skoda has also trademarked a name for its baby SUV. Called the Polar, it should arrive in late 2016 and share underpinnings with the Fabia 3.
"We will continue to invest in the future to become the leading automotive group in both ecological and economic terms – with the best and most sustainable products", said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, in Wolfsburg. "Development costs will remain high in the future as a result of high innovation pressure and increasing demands on the automotive industry from CO2 legislation. As a Group, we have the expertise and financial strength to continue to extend our technology leadership and to reach our goals for 2018."
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