There is nothing as sweet for a company than to be awarded by its own consumers. Such a memorable event occurred in Berlin when readers of Auto Zeitung decided on its annual winners among a number of automotive categories. As it goes, a special category has been made in honor of a consistent winner in the magazine’s 20 years of recognition ceremonies. Indeed, it is none other than the Volkswagen brand, taking home the award of “Most Successful Brand” due to its collection of 39 Auto Trophy awards over the years.

Martin Winterkorn, Volkswagen CEO, personally attended the awarding ceremony to accept the reward. In his acceptance speech at the Meilenwerk Berlin forum, he provides a grateful message before 400 guests: “I am extremely proud. We feel very honoured by this award, because it is the choice of the readers, the people, our customers. I accept this prize as a good sign of things to come. The Volkswagen brand can look back on a successful past and we will do everything in our power to make sure we continue being successful in future.”

Besides acquiring the top prize, other Volkswagen wins include “Best Mini-Van” for the Volkswagen Touran, as well as “Best Off-Roader Priced at 30,000 Euro Or Less” for the new Tiguan.

Auto Zeitung, for those still unfamiliar, is quite a popular automobile magazine in Germany. Every year, the said publication will present a poll, asking its readers to select and elect their chosen best cars in various automobile classes and categoryies. Indeed, the said survey is so famous and well followed that over 103,000 readers readily participated in this year’s survey.

Volkswagen of America and First Act has teamed up for another collaboration, this time in support of Operation Happy Note, a non-profit organization that aims to send musical instruments to deployed soldiers. In fact, the two partners have just donated about 250 First Act amps and custom-made electric guitars to those musically inclined or otherwise interested soldiers stationed overseas.

Indeed, Operation Happy Note has gotten hold of hundreds of letters and emails from service men and women abroad requesting for instruments. As it turned out, many of these soldiers were compelled to leave behind their respective musical instruments when they left the country. And so, with the Volkswagen brand’s predilecion to music and First Act’s reputation as guital industry leader, it is only natural that the two firms will center on aiding such a cause.

Steve Baker, Operation Happy Note Founder, is very grateful for Volkswagen and First Act: “We are truly grateful for the generous donation from Volkswagen and First Act. Music has been an important part of our lives and for many of the soldiers overseas. It gives us great pleasure to be able to provide such unique instruments to these troops.”

Meanwhile, Steve Keyes, Volkswagen of America Director of Communications, responds in kind that the company is happy to support the soldiers who are working doubly hard for the country: “The Volkswagen brand continues to celebrate music and this was a small way to show our gratitude to our troops. We are very appreciative of our service men and women and are thankful to have the opportunity to donate these guitars to such a worthy and special organization like Operation Happy Note.”

Jeff Walker, First Act’s Vice President of Marketing, seconds this with his own statement: “We have a great partnership with Volkswagen and were happy to donate to such an exceptional and sincere organization dedicated to supporting our troops through musical instruments.”

To date, Operation Happy Note has already been able to send hundreds of instruments such as guitars, violins, harmonicas, mandolins, banjos, and other accessories. For more details and information of Operation Happy Note, please visit operationhappynote.com.

Following the discontinued negotiations of Volkswagen and Malaysia regarding the Proton car brand, shares of Proton suffered a considerable decline. As of late, the beleagered Malaysian brand fell down 58 sen to 4.38 ringgit (equivalent to 1.29 dollars), whereas the Kuala Lumpure Composite Index tumbled 0.5 percent or 6.94 points at 1,364.76.

As it goes, most analysts put the blame on the shelving of the deal that was initiated by Malaysia.

Sharifah Farah, CIMB Investment Bank Research Analyst, has this to say: “We are taken aback by the government’s decision to end talks with Volkswagen and let Proton operate without a strategic partner. We believe there is still a question mark over Proton’s long-term viability given further liberalisation of the local auto industry, the influx of new competitive models and competition from foreign carmakers.”

The unfortunate part, according to Sharifah, is that it was highly unlikely that Volkswagen will offer to restart the talks for Proton: “We see no reason for why Volkswagen would be interested in restarting talks at a later stage. Proton needs Volkswagen, rather than the reverse.”

Kelvin Goh, an analyst at CIMB, relates that Proton certainly needs a foreign ally to remain competitive in the long-term aspect, thus it was a surprise to pass up the opportunity with Volkswagen because of a mere sales increase: “We were taken aback by the government’s decision to walk away from the talks as we view the recent improvement in sales as a short-term rebound.”

On another reaction, Aishah Ahmad, Malaysian Automotive Association President, bravely let on that the governmen’s decision block Volkswagen has “nothing to do” with controversial policies intended to thin the wealth line between the Malays and the Chinese: “Volkswagen was only looking for a 20 percent equity. They were not asking for a majority stake.”

Volkswagen has readily disclosed its supervisory board’s approval of the company’s three-year investment amounting to 28.9 billion Euros or equivalent to 42 billion dollars.

In a statement, Chief Executive Officer Martin Winterkorn was quoted as saying that the said money will be allocated partly for the conceptualization and development of new models and various innovative technologies, as well as further stating that the budget would also involve the new plants in India and Russia.

Pertaining to specific figures, an estimated 20.9 billion euros will be placed in Volkswagen property, plants, and equipment, wherein more than half of which will be spent and used in Germany. At the same time, 13.8 billion euros from the total will be duly spent on the modernization and further developments of the product lineup.

The statement discloses: “The main focus will be on new vehicles, successor models and derivatives in virtually all vehicle classes. The company will systematically continue its model initiative so as to develop new markets and new segments.”

Great news for Canadians who are planning to buy a Volkswagen: Now seems to be the best time to purchase a car from the said brand. This is because Volkswagen Canada has just announced an enhancement relative to its manufacturer’s sales program. To be more specific, such positive development points to the revised plan to offer more attractive and consumer-centered prices for its creations.

Consumer savings on a Volkswagen Jetta will amount to $2,500, the Passat with $4,000, and the Touareg 2 with $5,000. In line with this, the new 2008 Eos has also been included with the promotion with a savings of $2,000. These best-deal promotional offerings are valid until January 2nd of next year.

Provided below is the brief profile description of Volkswagen Canada, as indicated in the press release statement:

Founded in 1952, Volkswagen Canada, Inc. is headquartered in Ajax, Ontario. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the City Golf, City Jetta, Rabbit, GTI, New Beetle, Jetta, Passat, Eos, and Touareg 2 through more than 130 independent Canadian dealers.

In a surprising development, Volkswagen and the Malaysian government have ended the talks regarding the alliance deal with struggling and oftentimes financially besieged Proton Holdings. As it goes, it was the government that put an end to the proposed partnership.

In a statement released this Tuesday, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Proton’s largest shareholder relative to a 43 percent control, points to the automotive company’s improving domestic sales and exports as the leading cause of the shelved talks: “Khazanah as the largest shareholder of Proton Holdings Berhad would like to announce that it has discontinued negotiations with Volkswagen AG and General Motors Corporation with regard to a possible alliance with Proton.”

“The government is of the view that Proton’s management should be allowed to continue with its plans to further strengthen the company. The issue of strategic alliance, if necessary, can be considered at a later date.”

Included in the statement is the government and Khazanah’s utmost appreciation to both Volkswagen and General Motors for their dedication and professionalism during negotiation process.

Meanwhile, another to second this announcement is Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, declaring that the timing for Proton to team up with a foreign ally is just “not right.” With this, he supplied: “The earlier assumption that Proton has to have a foreign partner to stay afloat is no longer applicable. In making the decision, the government also had to value the strategic partnership as well as Proton’s turnaround plans.”

On the other hand, in a separate statement, Volkswagen has also promptly confirmed that it has stopped the talks with Proton: “The Volkswagen group and the Malaysian government have decided not to further pursue for now joint discussions about a cooperation or an equity stake in the Malaysian carmaker Proton Holdings Bhd.”

Nevertheless, while said negotiation was deemed unsuccessful, Volkswagen remains hopeful of other possible opportunities in the Southeast Asian category. Indeed, it has further disclosed in it press release that it would still continue to look for other potentials in the region.

National Geographic’s 2007 Adventurer of the Year Celebration has readily honored the Volkswagen Touareg 2 with the ‘Best of Adventure Gear’ award in the Desert category. The Touareg’s specific composition that made such a win possible includes its ability to deftly navigate side slopes, as well as its excellent computer-controlled descent attribute that does not entail the driver to manually operate the braking system while said feature is in use.

Clark Campbell, Volkswagen of America’s Motorsport Manager, is very pleased with the award: “We’re immensely proud that the Touareg 2 has received this accolade from National Geographic Adventure. Volkswagen’s commitment to making safe and well-engineered vehicles at an affordable operating cost for off road and on road adventurers is reflected in the Touareg 2’s performance. National Geographic Adventure features some of the most extreme travel and sporting events in the world. It’s exciting that the judging panel feels the Touareg 2 will enable their readers to pursue their extreme adventures.”

Steve Casimiro, National Geographic Adventure’s West Coast Editor, for the organization’s part is more than obliging to reiterate the winning attributes of the Touareg 2: “The roughest path to the trailhead is in the desert, and no stock vehicle is better engineered for loose and broken tracks than the Volkswagen Touareg 2.”

For those unfamiliar with the event, the National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year Celebration is an annual affair that aims to reward amazing achievements in the world of adventure, as well as acknowledges and salutes the top new products in the market today that have made adventure sports safer and more gratifying.

All winners in the celebration were meticulously elected by the National Geographic Adventure’s reliable editors and the pre-selected Retail Advisory Board. The said advisory board, consisting of 44 of the top outdoor retailers of the United States, was tasked to evaluate the uniqueness of the competing products and report on the sought-after goods within the industry.

As it goes, the Volkswagen’s Touareg 2 together with the other winners of the event, will be given recognition in the December-January issue of National Geographic Adventure. The said publication is then slated to hit the newsstands on the 27th of November.

Volkswagen’s head of technical development, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg has unveiled Volkswagen’s new Space Up! Blue concept car at the 2007 Los Angeles Auto Show. Also present with Dr. Hackenberg in the said event was NBA Legend Jon “Spider” Salley. This is the first time that the vehicle has been introduced to North American car enthusiasts. Autoblog.com thinks that the Volkswagen Space Up! Blue van that was exhibited in Los Angeles was “a little more than a redressed version [of] the van concept they showed in Tokyo”. Autoblog.com adds that, “the car itself is a quirky take on the retro-modern theme that could prove popular with young, trendy families if VW has its way”. Despite its seemingly small frame, the VW Space Up! Blue concept car has enough room to fit four fully – grown up people.

The Space Up! Blue is a zero emissions, hybrid / electric van. The body’s construction takes its inspiration from the Samba Bus, a popular VW van in the 1950s. It is equipped by an electric drive system that has a 45-kW motor, 12 lithium-ion batteries with a total of 12 kWh, and a hydrogen fuel cell. The van’s battery can be recharged with the van’s built – in hydrogen fuel cell or with an electric outlet when hydrogen isn’t available. The vehicle also has a solar panel mounted on the roof for extra energy. It runs a span of 65 miles on battery power and 155 miles on hydrogen fuel cell. AutoblogGreen states that “Volkswagen’s high temperature fuel cell stack is claimed to be less expensive to produce than other designs while offering greater efficiency.”

Sources: LA 2007: Deja Vu with Volkswagen space up! Blue, VW Brings Mini Up! Stateside with New Tiguan and Diesel: Live from the 2007 L.A. Auto Show, LA 2007: Volkswagen Space up! Blue

Plans for making all Volkswagen vehicles equipped with a functional touch screen is well on their way. The manufacturers of one of the world’s longest running car brands have been keeping pace with developing technology. In its effort to provide its users with convenience and functionality, all Volkswagen cars introduced after 2008 will be equipped with a touchscreen that will allow the driver or the passengers to regulate the HVAC system, operate the radio, aid in navigation and help in regulating other conditions inside the car.

The TouchScreen system to be incorporated into the 2008 VW car models and is said to follow in the footsteps of the Immersion TouchSense system that Volkswagen introduced in 2005. The Immersion TouchSense is described as a “system [that] transforms conventional, passive touchscreens into active displays that ‘come alive’ by making graphical buttons seem to press and release like physical buttons.” The Immersion Touchsense system is said to “aid in fast and accurate data entry and can provide a more intuitive, natural, and engaging experience for the user, reflecting a quality brand.”

A Volkswagen Space UP debuted as a concept car with a touchsreen at the Tokyo Auto Show, A smaller, three – door Space UP was introduced in the IAA in Frankfurt. Both cars were equipped with a 178 – mm Hitachi touch screen. There is, however, no news yet as to whether Hitachi was also the same company who supplied the system software.

The VW touchscreen has an interface similar to the Apple iPhone. The menu icons in the VW touchscreen can also be rotated in a carousel fashion. VW group CEO Martin Winterkorn is said to have met with Apple CEO Steven Jobs to collaborate with the latter’s company. But details regarding the meeting have not yet been revealed.

Despite keeping much of the information under wraps, VW’s group design chief Walter de’ Silva tells Automotive News Europe that, “Touch-screen is the most intuitive and easy to use man-machine interface. Simplicity is what we are trying to install, not only in design, but also in functionality of all new VW models to come.”

Sources: All VWs will get touch-screen systems , All VW models to get touch screens , VW to equip all vehicles with touch-screen control panels , Tactile Feedback for Touchscreens

Volkswagen is at the forefront of development as it spearheads “One Year of High-Tech Strategy - New Perspectives for Germany”. The effort which was initiated by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research and in partnership with companies such as BASF, Bosch, Evonik Degussa, Li-Tec, STEAG Saar Energie have begun a quest for better sustainability and performance among batteries for stationary and mobile operations.

Volkswagen has suggested a lithium – ion initiative. Dr. Juergen Leohold, Head of Group Research at Volkswagen AG is quoted saying that, “In the future, there will be parallel use of various automotive drive systems, all the way to purely electric drive. A high-performance lithium-ion battery as the energy carrier will be a key technology. Therefore, it is sensible and necessary to combine the potentials for the research and development of this battery in an alliance for innovation. This way, synergies can be exploited and the development accelerated. For Volkswagen, this initiative is an important step on the way to zero-emission operation of vehicles.”

It’s good to know that a car company such as Volkswagen continues to explore means of improving the quality of the cars that they manufacture. In an age of environmental awareness, each must continue to search for ways to make life more sustainable. Volkswagen has taken that initiative. It’s about time other car manufacturers followed in suit.

Source:vwvortex.com