Audi, one of Hungary's largest exporters, is suspending production at its Győr-based plant for a month in mid-December, as there is no demand for convertibles in the winter. No one will be made redundant at the factory, the company stressed. According to news portal index.hu more than 5,000 people lost their jobs to the crisis in Hungary so far and the meter is ticking.
Audi Hungaria will also halt engine production for two but possibly for four weeks around Christmas, company officials told the evening news programme of commercial TV channel TV2 on Saturday. Audi produces TT and TT Roadster sports cars and the A3 model in Hungary.
The plant suspends production briefly every Christmas, they company stressed, adding that this would not entail layoffs this year either. Local news agency MTI said Audi would still produce more than 60,000 cars this year at its Győr (northwest Hungary) unit, up from 56,000 last year, while engine output would be flat at 1.9 million units.
Economy Minister Gordon Bajnai said thousands of people would lose their jobs in the coming weeks, but the cabinet would grant specific support for small and medium-sized enterprises to retain positions and create new ones. Bajnai estimates that 1,760 employees will be axed in the immediate future, following 1,400 layoffs announced last week. He sees this process gather pace and forecasts no change in this respect in the near future.
The financial crisis left a scar on the car industry. Sales are going sharply down and an increasing number of producers make announcements of cutting back or suspending production, simply because there is no demand for their produce.
Source:Portfolio Hu
Monday, November 24, 2008
Audi halts Hungary production line
Friday, November 21, 2008
Porsche vs VW Round:2 FIGHT!!
Volkswagen's supervisory board decided on Friday to retain for now a special committee that limits top shareholder Porsche's power, rebuffing the sports car maker.
Porsche has been fighting for ways to gain more control over Volkswagen, in which it aims to have a majority stake by the end of next year, but other shareholders and labour leaders have been pushing to limit its decision-making power. The state of Lower Saxony has said it would use its blocking minority to fight Porsche's plans to hike its stake and gain access to Volkswagen's cash flows.
Labour representatives forced Porsche to seek board approval from the special committee each time it planned a cooperation with VW's luxury unit Audi -- a potential rival to Porsche's own business.The move to keep the committee came as a surprise on Friday, since Porsche less than a month ago said Volkswagen's chairman Ferdinand Piech would table a motion to dissolve the committee.
Volkswagen said the state of Lower Saxony and Porsche had agreed with VW's labour representatives and its supervisory board to "optimise" the committee. It did not say whether it was planning specific measures. Several people familiar with the matter said that the company aimed to merge two separate committees in a compromise.
One of the committees, which had been demanded by labour representatives, approves planned cooperation with Audi ahead of time, giving labour leaders a chance to block plans early on. The second one looks into the cooperation after the fact.
Volkswagen shares ended up 4.3 percent at 365.00 euros, while Porsche shares were down 2.1 percent at 46.18 euros.
Source:Reuters
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Audi V6 turbo diesel powers Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne will have a diesel option now, via Audis 3.0 litre 240hp/405.7 lbs-ft turbo V6 diesel. It will also be available to the US market in the new A4 & Q7 platforms next year.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Audi Sales increase VW Drops in Europe
Bloomberg is reporting VW sales have slumped 7.6% while the Audi brand's deliveries rose 3.3%. Keep in mind VW is Europes largest carmaker, with the credit crisis spreading through the US & Europe, european car sales have plunged 15 percent in October, the sixth consecutive monthly decline, as credit-market turmoil and an economic slowdown hurt demand.
Industrywide car sales in western Europe, including the 15 countries that were members of the EU before May 2004 plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland, slid 16 percent in October to 1.03 million vehicles, led by drops of 86 percent in Iceland and 55 percent in Ireland. Deliveries in the 10 eastern European nations that have joined the EU since 2004 declined 3.2 percent to 99,076 units. By contrast, sales in those countries posted a 7.8 percent increase in September.
GM's sales in Europe fell 25 percent to 94,479 vehicles, with the Saab brand reporting a 28 percent plunge. The Detroit- based carmaker said Nov. 7 it may run short of cash by the end of the year unless the market improves or it raises more capital.
Registrations in Europe by Toyota slumped 24 percent to 54,612 cars. Asia's largest carmaker, leading GM in global auto sales this year, posted a 69 percent plunge in quarterly net income on Nov. 6. Deliveries of its Lexus brand fell 32 percent.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
TopGear - Audi R8 & Porsche 911 GT3 comical comparison
Done only the way Jezzer can do it...and Sabina Schmidt vs The Stig
Audi to show off new Safe/Green Technology
Audi will have demonstrations at the 15th World Congress on Intelligent Transportation Systems meeting in NY this week. Showing off cutting-edge emissions reduction technology from its Audi Clean Air initiative. The group is working to create connected, intelligent vehicles that are capable of collaborating with their users and with each other to preserve the environment.
Environmentally friendly navigation lets drivers choose the most energy efficient route.
Smart engines use traffic information and advanced topography to consume less fuel. On-board cameras allow vehicles to act as smart moving traffic nodes and share traffic information with other traffic nodes and data sources. And vibration energy harvesting provides a clean energy source to power vehicle sensors.
Monday, November 17, 2008
VW "not happy" with Audi R4 project
After a heated dispute between the VW chairman, and former Audi/Porsche engineering boss, Ferdinand Piech and his cousin Wolfgang over a clause the Wolfsburg firm tried to instate to prevent a formal collaboration between Audi and Porsche without VW’s consent, things appear to have concluded amicably. This means a joint-effort between the two companies is not impossible.
Porsche certainly seems keen to re-establish its ties with Audi, if a recent interview with Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking is anything to go by. Wiedeking said he was puzzled that Audi had not continued working with Porsche after the success of the RS2, and that such a project was something Porsche would have been keen to continue.
Audi S3 Sportback
Audi has announced that the S3 Sportback will come in two flavors S-Tronic (DSG) and 6 Speed manual. What makes this even more exciting is Audi now has the option to bring the S3 Sportback over to the US, which they stated hatchbacks wouldn't sell here in the states but it seems as though this is a great compromise although the cost quite possibly could put it at $44,289.93 USD. With a base 265hp would put it $10k above the VW R32, 15hp more and a possible 100ilbs less weight. The tuning advantage goes to the S3 which tuners are getting 300+ from a reflash and a turbo upgrade/reflash can net you 350+. Will Audi decide to bring this over since VW has axed plans for the R36? We can only hope..
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Sunday, November 16, 2008
LMP1 class to ban V10/V12 engines
In order to slow speeds the ACO has made it official that engines with no more than 4 litres and 8 cylinders can enter the LMP1 class by 2011 and LMP2 class will use production engines, which means either a move to LMP1 or using modified production engines which Porsche has already been developing a Directinjection V8 which saw its way in cars running in ALMS last yr.
This means Audi will have to go back to design a V8 Diesel no bigger than 4.0 litres. These rules will go into effect in 2011 and Hybrids such as 
Peugeots will be able to run this years LeMans but a class will be created next year for Hybrids and Electric LMP's.
If Audi decides to run LMP1 past 2011 this means Audi quite possibly will have a high performance V8 Diesel to put in a few selected Audis such as the RS4 and R8.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
EU to take legal action vs Germany on VW law
The European Commission said on Thursday it would take legal action against Germany by the end of the year over a law governing carmaker Volkswagen that it says violates EU rules on the free flow of capital.
The European Union's highest court last year struck down a 48-year old German law that shields Volkswagen from takeover, forcing Berlin to come up with alternative legislation.
On Thursday, Germany's Bundestag lower house of parliament approved a revised law which addresses some of the EU's concerns but not all of them.
For example, the new legislation keeps a rule that gives the state of Lower Saxony, which holds just over 20 percent of Volkswagen shares, an effective blocking minority in the firm. The EU has said explicitly that Germany must scrap the rule. The highly profitable Porsche holding company says it currently controls 42.6 per cent of voting shares at the bigger Volkswagen. The new legislation, an amendment of the long-standing "Volkswagen Law," gives Lower Saxony veto rights at shareholder meetings. Porsche will own just under 75 per cent of the giant car manufacturer when options fall due next year.
"We will move ahead with the case in the next few weeks. The Commission certainly hopes to reach a decision on the next stage before Christmas," a Commission spokesman said.
The law allows Lower Saxony, the region where Volkswagen is based, to block strategic decisions taken by the company's largest shareholder, Stuttgart-based sports carmaker Porsche.
Porsche has lobbied vigorously for the law to be overturned but encountered robust opposition from the German government and Volkswagen workers. Porsche chief executive Wendelin Wiedeking wrote to legislators, predicting that law would cause future problems for Berlin.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in a speech in September at Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg that she believed the new legislation met EU demands and vowed to defend the blocking minority clause in Brussels.
A solid majority of legislators in Berlin backed the bill, which is popular because the state is seen as a guarantor of jobs at the company, the biggest industrial enterprise in Lower Saxony.
Thousands of VW workers have demonstrated in support of the law, which is also backed by Lower Saxony premier Christian Wulff, an influential member of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU). But the labour leader at Volkswagen, Bernd Osterloh, applauded the law as a "grand signal" and said it fully met provisions of European Union law.
The European Union is expected to challenge the legislation in court, arguing that it distorts European corporate law.
Audi China Business To Be Headquartered In Beijing
A German newspaper reported that the would-be plant construction is an important measure for Audi to expand business in the Chinese market. Audi China to be established will explore new business independently, including sourcing in China and building a test centre particularly for the Chinese market. 
Audi president Rupert Stadler indicated that new Audi China division will be closer to the Chinese market and help with local production of Audi A3, which will share the platform with the upcoming sixth-generation VW Golf.
Last May, Rupert Stadler announced the code-named "Route 15" plan, which aimed to sell 1.5 million Audis by 2015, over BMW and Mercedes-Benz to be the number one luxury brand. Audi China sales will target 200,000 units by then, almost double than 100,888 in 2007.
By 2015, the Audi models will be added up to 40, most of which will also be introduced to China as it is the largest overseas market for Audi. "To meet 200,000 sales by 2015 is achievable," said Johannes Thammer, general manager of FAW-VW Audi sales division.
Also optimistic about the Chinese market is Voggenreiter, who said Audi sales forecast in China hasn't decreased though faced with financial crisis.
-Source: The Auto Channel
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Audi R4 Unleashed
Once again Porsche & Audi have collabed again producing the baby R8, the Audi R4. The chassis will be in the R4 and the upcoming Porsche Boxster/Cayman vehicles also. Weight reduction with aluminum body paneling and Audis newer 40/60 torque split should make this a thrill to drive considering the engine options. Even though Audi has stated it will do away with manual gearboxes this should be availble with Audi's 6 Speed gearbox and a 7 speed DSG option.
Possible Engines:
- 335bhp 2.5 litre TFSI 5 cylinder
- 200bhp 2.0 litre TFSI 4 cylinder
- 300bhp 3.6 litre FSI V6
- 225bhp 2.0 litre TDI common rail injection 4 cylinder
Audi R8 V10
Looks like Audi is letting the R8 compete with Lamborghini, the new R10 as I like to call it, 5.2 litre V10 552bhp. Rumour abroad only 50! headed for US since Audi is producing 50 a month of the base R8's. I haven't been able to confirm the quantity headed to our shores.
Audi gives go ahead for A3 Diesel plans
What is unknown is if they will bring the A3 3 door hatch version and offer a Quattro 6speed gearbox which I personally think would sell way better than the 4door. But there is a solid yes for the A3 Sportback FWD 6Speed DSG dogbox. Expect to see it on our shores within the next year.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Frank Biela Interview
The B5 A4 to me is still the best platform Audi everhad and still continues this day as a streetfighter across America and Europe. I myself have owned a B5 and B6 and loved them, and I still love how easy it is to modify them with the plethora of parts available from tuners everywhere. I ran across this on my way out Enjoy.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Audi Among German Companies Hit by Labor Strikes
Audi the luxury-car brand of Volkswagen was among German companies affected by strikes after the IG Metall labor union failed to reach agreement with employers over pay.
About 5,000 staff at Audi's Ingolstadt and Neckersulm plants stopped working for as much as two hours, the union said in separate e-mailed statements today. About 8,000 manufacturing workers downed tools across Germany today, the union added on its website.
IG Metall, representing 3.2 million employees, is pressing for an 8 percent pay rise next year. The union last week rejected a counteroffer from the Gesamtmetall employers' association for a one-time payment this year and a 2.1 percent increase in 2009.
Strikes will continue on Nov. 3 at E.G.O. Blanc und Fischer & Co. GmbH, which makes parts for appliances, Zehnder Group AG, General Electric Co.'s health-care unit, MSC Freiburg GmbH, Ferromatik Milacron Maschinenbau GmbH and Sick AG, IG Metall said. At least 18 production sites will be affected, it said.
The engineering sector employers' group, Gesamtmetall, offered workers a 2.9 percent wage offer over 14 months on Thursday, which IG Metall has rejected.
"This bad offer is an insult," IG Metall's deputy chairman, Detlef Wetzel, said in a statement. "On this basis, a quick solution is not possible."
The rise sought by IG Metall, which is seeking a deal for the 3.6 million workers in the engineering sector, is the biggest wage hike it has sought in 16 years.
The union is due to resume wage negotiations with Gesamtmetall on Nov. 11 in the southern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, where agreements often serve as pilot deals for the engineering sector nationwide.
Negotiators will resume talks in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Nov. 13, which has previously also produced pilot deals. If no deal is reach at the next round of talks, IG Metall has vowed to stage full-blown strikes to press its case.-Source:Bloomberg
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