Gość: darekk
IP: 217.153.15.*
09.04.03, 10:55
W VW sypia sie glowy. Powodem sa "ograniczone sukcesy" w zmianie wizerunku
rynkowego. Proba wejscia w klase "S" okazala sie wpadka - Phaeton nie
sprzedaje sie nawet w polowie tak dobrze, jak sie spodziewano (a i tak byly
to skromne plany). Touareg rowniez nie narzeka na problemy z nadwyzka popytu.
Plany auta klasy super-sport (z centralnym silnikiem) prawdopodobnie zostana
odlozone na polke. Jednoczesnie podstawowe dla VW produkty segmentow B, C i D
stracily momentum. Nie jest dobrze. Mysle, ze proba rozciagniecia marki "dla
ludu" na obszar "dla elit" to jakies nieporozumienie. Uwazam, ze powinni
skupic uwage na podstawowych segmentach, gdzie ostatnio nie idzie im
najlepiej.
DAREKK
VW SALES CHIEF BUECHELHOFER OUT
Volkswagen AG said Tuesday its sales and marketing director and management
board member, Robert Buechelhofer, had left the company over a policy dispute
that industry sources said was linked in part to the launch of VW's new
luxury car. Buechelhofer, 60, came to VW eight years ago after resigning from
BMW's board in the wake of current VW chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder
appointment as chairman at BMW. Buechelhofer's departure, say observers,
follows a series of clashes with Pischetsrieder, including one over the slow
start-up of VW's Phaeton luxury car, with Buechelhofer complaining that a
lack of engine variants was to blame for tepid reception of the car in
Germany. One possible replacement for Buechelhofer is Dr. Jens Neumann, who
has been the board member in charge of North America during VW's renaissance
in this market. The resignation also comes at a time when VW is under
increasing pressure from former chairman Ferdinand Piech's heavy investment
in premium vehicles like Phaeton and the Touareg SUV, while segments closer
to Volkswagen's traditional brand equity languish with older product. VW
expects to sell 7800 Phaetons this year, and has denied it had originally
planned to sell between 12,000 and 14,000. VW reportedly released around 2000
demonstration models last year to dealers and VIPs to try and establish
credibility with the car. The group warned in March that its operating profit
would fall this year if weak demand and unfavorable exchange rates persisted
and said earnings for the first quarter of 2003 would be significantly below
the previous year. -Jim Burt
