BETTER PARTSFamily atmosphere instead of gladiators show
Geneva, March 1, 2016
On the eve of every large mass, the VW Group traditionally presents its most important innovations. It was also this year before the Geneva Motor Show (March 3 to 13, press days 1 and March 2) the case, albeit in a different form. We were on the ground and report.
News of the Budd-E until the Chiron
Differently than usual, not the heads of each of the Group brands drove its new products in the spotlight, but the vehicles were shown rather casually at the end of the event. The highlights were the VW Phideon (the announced electric version of the upcoming Phaeton) and the Veyron successor to Bugatti Chiron. Porsche showed the 718 Boxster, VW beside the Phideon still the small electric van Budd-E and Skoda new SUV study VisionS. Bentley presented the new Mulsanne, Lamborghini as a special model in this case so often only the Huracán Avio. Audi and seat were allowed to do not show their releases Q2 and Ateca, but only by the IAA cross known cars, the Seat Leon sport and the Audi quattro concept h-tron. In contrast to the previous years, Ducati and VW commercial vehicles were not represented.
Müller and the head digitizer talk
CEO Michael Müller could of course point out in his speech the diesel affair: "Rules have been broken with the software manipulations." In his views, he gave the impression of a mood between departure and optimism: "Let us not paralyse the situation." He reiterated also its digitization course: "We need to understand the car even further as a mobile device." To explain the details, the task by Johann Jungwirth was then, since autumn 2015, head of the new Group Division of "Digital strategy". The 42-year old, the VW has directly hired by Apple, spoke about his vision of autonomous driving. In the future, you should call: "My Audi, pick me", and the car should roll in. So wants Jungwirth people "their time back giving you".
More humility
While VW hired otherwise always its own locations, the event of this time in a smaller Exhibition Hall took place. And the journalists stand was missing: apparently the media representatives should no longer speak to each other how the brands chiefs as occurred in a Gladiator show look Theater audience on a stage on which, but one should at eye level. You could speak almost of a family atmosphere. The circle was smaller: there were "only" around 400 people present earlier, it was already time twice as much. Total VW showed significantly more modest than in the past with the design of the fair Eve. (sl)