Porsche wins internal struggle with Audi
12-08-2010 | 11:30 AM
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Porsche wins internal struggle with Audi
Porsche wins internal struggle with Audi
December 7, 2010 - 11:45 pm ET
Paul McVeigh is managing editor of Automotive News Europe.
After months of uncertainty, Porsche has been told by Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn that it will take the lead in developing sports cars and big luxury sedans for VW group. That was a blow to Audi, whose executives and engineers had strongly lobbied for those roles.
Winterkorn's announcement, which came just before Porsche's annual meeting on Nov. 30, will allay fears at Porsche that the Stuttgart-based carmaker would be sidelined as it becomes VW group's 10th brand.
In the future, Porsche will develop VW's so-called "modular standard matrix" that will underpin the Porsche Panamera and future Bentleys. It will also be responsible for a sports car platform for front-mid- and rear-mid-engine cars for Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini.
VW initially wanted Porsche to use a VW-developed sports car architecture for cars such as the 911, a move that was strongly resisted by Porsche engineers, who feared VW underpinnings would not have the stiff handling for which Porsche cars are renowned.
"Porsche is clearly the leading sports car brand in the VW group. This is a brilliant solution -- Porsche gets the chance to develop VW's sports car architecture to its standards, but VW gets tighter control of Porsche's engineering," says Christoph Stuermer, an IHS Global Insight automotive analyst.
As part of its new role, Porsche will add a wind tunnel, design center, electronics integration center and about 100 engineers at its development center in Weissach, near Stuttgart.
Audi will continue to have responsibility for developing VW group's so-called "modular longitudinal matrix," which was introduced in 2007 and underpins cars such as the Audi A4, A5 and Q5. Winterkorn says the number of cars using the architecture will increase to 15 in the mid term.
VW brand is developing the “modular transverse matrix,” which debuts on the Audi A3 in 2012 and will eventually underpin about 40 models and 3 million units annually, including the next VW Golf.
VW says building cars on shared underbodies, which it calls its "modular toolkit strategy," gives it a key competitive advantage in its bid to topple Toyota as the world's No. 1 automaker in sales and profitability.
The strategy reduces development, procurement and production costs by 20 percent and engineered hours by 30 percent, the company says. It also allows increased production flexibility so the automaker can create more model variants without adding high costs.
Link to the story.
December 7, 2010 - 11:45 pm ET
Paul McVeigh is managing editor of Automotive News Europe.
After months of uncertainty, Porsche has been told by Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn that it will take the lead in developing sports cars and big luxury sedans for VW group. That was a blow to Audi, whose executives and engineers had strongly lobbied for those roles.
Winterkorn's announcement, which came just before Porsche's annual meeting on Nov. 30, will allay fears at Porsche that the Stuttgart-based carmaker would be sidelined as it becomes VW group's 10th brand.
In the future, Porsche will develop VW's so-called "modular standard matrix" that will underpin the Porsche Panamera and future Bentleys. It will also be responsible for a sports car platform for front-mid- and rear-mid-engine cars for Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini.
VW initially wanted Porsche to use a VW-developed sports car architecture for cars such as the 911, a move that was strongly resisted by Porsche engineers, who feared VW underpinnings would not have the stiff handling for which Porsche cars are renowned.
"Porsche is clearly the leading sports car brand in the VW group. This is a brilliant solution -- Porsche gets the chance to develop VW's sports car architecture to its standards, but VW gets tighter control of Porsche's engineering," says Christoph Stuermer, an IHS Global Insight automotive analyst.
As part of its new role, Porsche will add a wind tunnel, design center, electronics integration center and about 100 engineers at its development center in Weissach, near Stuttgart.
Audi will continue to have responsibility for developing VW group's so-called "modular longitudinal matrix," which was introduced in 2007 and underpins cars such as the Audi A4, A5 and Q5. Winterkorn says the number of cars using the architecture will increase to 15 in the mid term.
VW brand is developing the “modular transverse matrix,” which debuts on the Audi A3 in 2012 and will eventually underpin about 40 models and 3 million units annually, including the next VW Golf.
VW says building cars on shared underbodies, which it calls its "modular toolkit strategy," gives it a key competitive advantage in its bid to topple Toyota as the world's No. 1 automaker in sales and profitability.
The strategy reduces development, procurement and production costs by 20 percent and engineered hours by 30 percent, the company says. It also allows increased production flexibility so the automaker can create more model variants without adding high costs.
Link to the story.
12-08-2010 | 12:01 PM
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From: PNW
Porsche wins internal struggle with Audi
VW says building cars on shared underbodies, which it calls its "modular toolkit strategy," gives it a key competitive advantage in its bid to topple Toyota as the world's No. 1 automaker in sales and profitability.
The strategy reduces development, procurement and production costs by 20 percent and engineered hours by 30 percent, the company says. It also allows increased production flexibility so the automaker can create more model variants without adding high costs.
Link to the story.
VW says building cars on shared underbodies, which it calls its "modular toolkit strategy," gives it a key competitive advantage in its bid to topple Toyota as the world's No. 1 automaker in sales and profitability.
The strategy reduces development, procurement and production costs by 20 percent and engineered hours by 30 percent, the company says. It also allows increased production flexibility so the automaker can create more model variants without adding high costs.
Link to the story.
This is really the part that worries me. It's that the need to be better than toyota is even considered. It's not the same game, hell, it's not even the same league!" (heard that in a movie).
I'm sure there will be advantages but it seems to me that three great companies like Porsche, VW, and Audi will become so inbred that internal politics will determine design & quality. The fact that Porsche Engineers had to fight to avoid a VW architecture for the 911 is a sign of that monster.
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12-08-2010 | 11:26 PM
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Adias, excellent article. My biggest fear was that VW was going to assume too much control of Porsche and the 911 as we all knew it would be a thing of the past. Glad to hear they're letting Porsche carry the baton per se.
Jay
Jay
12-09-2010 | 09:18 AM
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Thanks for posting the article. I am a little surprised about Porsche leading the luxury segment in the VW group as the A8 and Bently are well established in the class. The Panamara performs well but is, to my eye, not the best looking car ( primarily from the side and rear views). I think Audi did a greast job with Lambo. Let's see what impact this all has on Porsche, Lambo and the other sports cars in VW the line up.
12-09-2010 | 09:51 AM
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Still likely to see lots of changes I think:
Porsche will be in charge of platform development for vehicle underpinnings to be used throughout the group.
I would think that before any development gets underway, VW will still have the last say. Porsche engineers may be able to define *how* those platforms are realized, but I somehow doubt that they will have free reign to define *what* they are.
Nobody can argue the need for chassis stiffness in a sports car, but the key decision criteria may now be the potential profitability across the group rather than for a single marque.
Mike
Porsche will be in charge of platform development for vehicle underpinnings to be used throughout the group.
I would think that before any development gets underway, VW will still have the last say. Porsche engineers may be able to define *how* those platforms are realized, but I somehow doubt that they will have free reign to define *what* they are.
Nobody can argue the need for chassis stiffness in a sports car, but the key decision criteria may now be the potential profitability across the group rather than for a single marque.
Mike
12-09-2010 | 07:05 PM
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It would be nice to see money spent in the Porasche racing venue versus the AUDI platform. Porsche is the natural to take over the "racing" arm of the VW wing. VW would be crazy to squander that heritage and resource. Sorry, but Audi dominance in road racing for the past 10 years would pale in marketing comparison to highlighting the Porsche marque. Lets face it, Audi kicks as in international sports car racing, but it doesn't translate to the showroom. Nice as it is the R8/10 still comes off as a limited edition luxo-cruiser, I know i didn't want one. We may well see a resurgence of the Porsche brand as the worlds preminent sports car. I'm in.....
12-09-2010 | 07:13 PM
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It would be nice to see money spent in the Porasche racing venue versus the AUDI platform. Porsche is the natural to take over the "racing" arm of the VW wing. VW would be crazy to squander that heritage and resource. Sorry, but Audi dominance in road racing for the past 10 years would pale in marketing comparison to highlighting the Porsche marque. Lets face it, Audi kicks as in international sports car racing, but it doesn't translate to the showroom. Nice as it is the R8/10 still comes off as a limited edition luxo-cruiser, I know i didn't want one. We may well see a resurgence of the Porsche brand as the worlds preminent sports car. I'm in.....