06/02/2008, 11:38 AM
Audi News
VW CEO threatens to quit if Porsche interferes with Audi, other brands
Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn is reportedly threatening to resign if Porsche attempts to influence the direction of any of its premium brands. Porsche’s growing stake in Volkswagen — currently 31 percent but expected to reach 50 percent — is causing concern at VW’s various subsidiaries, including Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti.
While Porsche has been blocked, at least for now, from buying more than 50 percent of VW, many insiders feel a conflict of interest threatens the future of all four brands.
According to Germany’s Der Spiegel, Audi executives fear their company will be the first affected by Porsche’s newfound power. Audi, which builds the R8 and TT sports cars, is viewed as a competitor to Porsche. Likewise, Lamborghini is a clear rival and Bentley and Bugatti also compete in similar segments.
Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking has previously stated he thinks Bugatti needs to stay in the seven-figure supercar market only, rather than building cars in Porsche’s territory.
Wendelin also previously insinuated VW might be better off without Lamborghini and Bugatti, when he suggested “no toys anymore” might be a good modus operandi for VW.


06/02, 11:41 AM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Holy ****!!! LOL!!!
I don’t see how Lamborghini and Porsche really compete with each other - Porsche is old-school Teutonic muscle, and LAmborghini is Italian exotic. Audi has nothing to do with Porsche’s lineup, and Bentley, same. In facts, all those brands have little if any overlap at all….
06/02, 11:47 AM
posted by:
A4
EFFF THAT good call Martin, PORSCHE is really pissing me off, the R8 better live on, the R4 better come to fruition, and these choices better remain in the marketplace.
06/02, 11:49 AM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Please quit.
06/02, 11:51 AM
posted by:
BlackX
**** OFF PORSCHE!!! Build your gaymans and coxters but dont touch other brands.
06/02, 11:54 AM
posted by:
xyunya
We are living to see Krauts vs. Krauts. If Porsche owes 30% of shares and largest shareholder they should influence business model. Obviously we see Lower Saxony backing up Winterkorn. Now Porsche has 2 choices: sell shares of WV causing collapse or being slapped around and loose their own destiny: the money they sucked in WV can not be used for product development or any other corporate acquisition. There is no product competition here.
06/02, 12:24 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Kind of ironic, isn’t it xyunya? Wasn’t there that little indescretion from last century about selective breeding improving the race?
06/02, 1:19 PM
posted by:
Astonman12
Porsche should not **** with VW. VW and all its brands have wayyy better products.
06/02, 1:22 PM
posted by:
xyunya
johnnycanuck, those are selected spermicides fighting each other!
06/02, 1:33 PM
posted by:
HemiRoadRunner
Let him quit. CEO’s are worthless anyway. And what is Lambo doing with a german company anyway?
06/02, 2:11 PM
posted by:
anderson_b76
Astonman….You’re an idiot. VW and Audi are way better products then Porsche? VW and Audi are notorious for problems. I’ve owned two Audis, a 2001 and 2005 and owned a 2004 Porsche. I can tell you all the way around, the Porsche is far superior in engineering, reliability and driving characteristics. I will never buy another VW/Audi as a matter of fact. The engines aren’t bad, but the craftsmanship is awful. After 25,000 miles in a VW or Audi, they start getting loose…rattletraps. Do VW/Audi’s look good, yes. Do they make pretty good engines, yes, but again, they don’t last. A Porsche has one of the, if not the best engines and they can be used as daily drivers. As for Lamborghini’s, they would greatly benefit from building a car that doesn’t break down regularly. Unfortunately, because of the $200k plus pricetag on a Lambo, owners don’t drive them enough to really care if they break down every 5,000 miles. As for Bentley, I really don’t know enough about them to comment. However, I do know one thing, if I was the CEO of VW/Audi, I would welcome Porsche giving some direction and sharing their technology secrets with me so I can put out a better car.
06/02, 3:09 PM
posted by:
Jazz
Friendly neighborhood Porsche fanboi here -
I agree with Wiedeking. There is no reason to make a sub $500k Bugatti. That market can be covered by Porsche, Lambo, Bentley and Audi. After the Veyron all Bugatti’s should be technoligical works of art. Audi should continue battling its German Rivals BMW and MB with the R8 being an SL fighter. Porsche needs a new car at the 150k mark. Sound expensive? Consider that they already sell the 911 Turbo, GT2, GT3RS in pretty much the same region. Then the new Porsche could be the stepping stone to the next Lamborghini at 225 and higher. Bentley stays uber lux at 200K and up. Quite simple really.
Go Porsche Go
06/02, 4:30 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Porsche in control of VW, might be a good idea, maybe the could fix the company.
06/02, 4:58 PM
posted by:
DeansterTJ
Anderson, I agree 100% with what you wrote. VW quality is a ****ing JOKE, an epic misnomer. Sure, the designs are cool and the 2.0T engine is a great feat, but every VW fan I’ve ever met agrees that QC is in the ****ter. Rattles, transmission problems, electrical shorts, you name it. The car does anything but stay out of the garage after a few years of use.
I can’t comment on Audi, but I do know someone who went through 2 A8s and said “never again.” Towards the 3rd year of lease all sorts of ridiculous things were starting to happen (same **** - electrical problems, computer controlling the transmission on the fritz, etc). Plus they give you a base A3 to tool around in while your $100,000 A8 spends two weeks in at the dealer. ****ing joke.
06/02, 5:10 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
Porsche should stay the hell away from the VW group before something bad happens to Lamborghini or the like…
06/02, 5:26 PM
posted by:
kitko
Perhaps it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Lambo, Bentley, Bugatti are all results of magalomaniac F. Piech. I said it several times on this forum and I’ll repeat that again. What’s the point of buying Lamborghini and then launching an R8, it’s direct competitor. There’s too many too similar cars in VW line-up in Europe competing with each other.
Porsche at helm would streamline the company, they made perfectly clear they would do that, and over the years, increase VW build quality.
06/02, 5:29 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Since Porsche is the most profitable car company in the world, they know how to run a business, so they could fix VW.
06/02, 9:27 PM
posted by:
Veda
^^ agreed, and I wouldn’t mind an Audi influenced by Porsche’s designers either be it interior quality or mechanicals. The downside is they’ll downgrade Audis to ensure a wide price gap to their own offerings. But that would’ve been a sweet union at least in theory.
06/02, 10:54 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
There were the rumors a few months back about a Porsche based Audi R4 mid-engined car to be a baby brother to the R8.
06/03, 3:01 AM
posted by:
brocky
NoNameDenton1, you know what you’re talking about. VW at this rate is confused. VW can learn a few things from Porsche and Porsche can get a few ideas from Audi as well.
06/03, 3:55 AM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
Maybe Porsche won’t go to Haldex for awd like what was reported, then can use an Audi designed system.
06/03, 4:43 AM
posted by:
The Stig
What a cry baby.
06/03, 2:57 PM
posted by:
bigp
i dont care kill one another one at an time
06/03, 8:20 PM
posted by:
DialM4Speed
Makes perfect sense if you porsche! Something I said GM, Ford and Chrysler should have been doing back in the 80’s with certain import companies!
06/04, 4:54 AM
posted by:
B4 RSK
anderson_b76, u are a hypocritical morron…i have no idea how u have looked after your VW/Audi’s but they are the greatest designed and crafted vehicles in the business… why else would they make more money then a crap company such as porsche they should definately not have anything to do with them! And while where on the subject when do lamborghini’s ever break down every 5,000kms what they hell do you know about them i doubt you will ever expecience the pride of owning the best car in the world! good luck though your argueement sucks, AUDI/LAMBORGHINI 4 LIFE!!!!