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Tag: Volkswagen

  • Volkswagen and STMicro Partner to Design New Automotive Semiconductors

    Volkswagen and STMicro Partner to Design New Automotive Semiconductors

    Volkwagen and STMicro are working together to design new semiconductors for automobiles in a bid to ease the chip shortage.

    Automakers have been struggling to keep up with demand as semiconductors are in short supply. The problem has been exacerbated by the increasing complexity of vehicles, especially with the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). According to International Business Times, Volkswagen and STMicro are designing new chips that will be manufactured by TSMC.

    “With the planned direct cooperation with ST and TSMC, we are actively shaping our entire semiconductor supply chain,” said Murat Aksel, Volkswagen’s purchasing head.

    “We’re ensuring the production of the exact chips we need for our cars and securing the supply of critical microchips for years to come.”

    Interestingly, the new partnership will not impact Volkwagen’s Cariad software unit, which has an existing deal with Qualcomm.

  • Volkswagen CEO: ‘I’m Not Sure Apple Will Bring Cars to Market’

    Volkswagen CEO: ‘I’m Not Sure Apple Will Bring Cars to Market’

    Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess cast doubt on Apple’s car plans, questioning whether the company really plans to bring a model to market.

    Apple has long been rumored to be working on its own Apple Car, codenamed “Project Titan.” There’s been leaked specs, rumored manufacturing partners, and proposed release dates. Despite the momentum that appears to be building for an Apple Car, Diess isn’t convinced, according to Reuters.

    “I’m not sure if Apple will actually bring cars to the market in the end. It would be a big effort,” Diess said at the hub.berlin technology conference in Berlin. Diess did clarify that he believed Apple wants to be part of the car cockpit market with its software.

    As any tech journalist will confirm, prognosticating Apple’s next moves are an exercise in error and frustration. The company is notoriously secretive about its plans.

    That being said, the evidence is certainly not lining up with Diess’ comments. The latest reports suggest the company, under project lead Kevin Lynch, is focusing on a full self-driving model for release in 2025. The company had waffled back and forth between a conservative approach, with only limited self-driving, and a fully autonomous vehicle. The latter approach appears to have won out, at least to the degree anyone from the outside looking in can be sure.

    Ultimately, only time will tell if Diess is correct or if Apple will try to revolutionize yet another industry.

  • Volkswagen May Have Bitten Off More Than It Can Chew in Race With Tesla

    Volkswagen May Have Bitten Off More Than It Can Chew in Race With Tesla

    Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess is now admitting his goal of toppling Tesla as the world’s number one electric vehicle (EV) automaker by 2025 may be a bit ambitious.

    Diess had previously committed Volkswagen to becoming the world’s number one EV automaker by 2025, counting on the depth of Volkswagen’s lineup to help it achieve that goal. According to Reuters, Dies now admits that it’s going to be a tougher task than he originally anticipated, given the lead Tesla has.

    “It will be a tight race but we won’t give up on it,” Diess said at the FT Future of the Car 2022 conference. “I have to say we didn’t expect our main U.S. competitor to be so fast and well-prepared.”

    Volkswagen’s challenges are not likely to improve anytime soon, with Tesla opening its first Gigafactory in Germany in early 2022.

  • Volkwagen Preparing to Take On Tesla, Defend Its Home Turf

    Volkwagen Preparing to Take On Tesla, Defend Its Home Turf

    Volkswagen is preparing to defend its home turf, ramping up electric vehicle (EV) production to take on Tesla in Germany.

    Tesla’s Gigafactory is the company’s first manufacturing operation in Germany, as Tesla works to maintain its dominance in the EV market. Unfortunately for the company, virtually every major automaker is racing to transition to an EV lineup, and Volkswagen is no exception.

    According to TheStreet, Volkswagen is planning on spending some $2.2 billion on a new factory to produce its Trinity EV. Construction will begin in early 2023, with the first vehicles slated to roll off the assembly line in 2026. Volkswagen’s goal is to make the Trinity a carbon-neutral vehicle.

    “We are setting benchmarks in the automotive industry with Trinity and the new factory and turning Wolfsburg into the global lighthouse for cutting-edge and efficient vehicle production,” CEO Ralf Brandstätter said in a statement.

    The company is also “seeking to attract new groups of customers and tap additional sources of income” as it continues to work on autonomous vehicles. Like other automakers, the company has been working on the next evolution of the automobile, developing its own autonomous software and partnering with Microsoft Azure to help power it.

  • Volkswagen Truck Unit Cannibalizing Chips From Finished Trucks

    Volkswagen’s truck unit, Traton Group, is taking chips from unfinished vehicles to finish others, a new indication of the impact of the semiconductor shortage.

    The semiconductor industry has been reeling as a result of the global pandemic. Early shutdowns and lockdowns interrupted production, while demand for laptops, tablets and gaming rigs skyrocketed. The auto industry has been particularly hard-hit, with multiple manufacturers slowing or halting production, or shipping vehicles without their full complement of fuel economy chips.

    In the case of the Traton Group, a Volkswagen subsidiary, the company is pulling semiconductors from unsold finished vehicles and putting them in unfinished vehicles that have been sold, according to Insider.

    The company blamed a recent COVID-19 outbreak in Malaysia, a hub for automotive semiconductor manufacturing.

  • Data Breach Impacts 3.3 Million VW Customers in North America

    Data Breach Impacts 3.3 Million VW Customers in North America

    Volkswagen has disclosed a data breach with one of its vendors, impacting some 3.3 million North American customers and prospective buyers.

    Volkswagen is currently the largest auto maker in the world, and has been for several years. Like many companies, however, VW uses outside vendors to help handle sales and marketing data, and it appears one of those vendors is responsible for a massive data breach.

    According to Reuters, the breach involved sales and marketing data collected between 2014 and 2019, primarily for VW’s Audi brand. The vendor responsible for the data had left it unsecured on the internet from August 2019 to May 2021 when it was accessed by an unauthorized third party.

    VW told regulators that phone numbers and email addresses comprised the bulk of the data accessed, although vehicle information may also have been involved. Of sensitive data accessed, 95% of it involved driver license numbers, with a small amount also including birth dates, Social Security number and account numbers.

  • VW Aims to Be the Next EV Battery Powerhouse

    VW Aims to Be the Next EV Battery Powerhouse

    Volkswagen has unveiled its plans for the future, and it’s clear the automaker plans on being an electric vehicle (EV) battery powerhouse.

    Volkswagen recently announced it was upping its investment in future tech to 73 billion euros, up from the 60 billion it initially planned. Much of the additional investment was a result of the company’s focus on electric vehicles.

    The company has laid out its roadmap, with plans to establish six gigafactories, with a total production capacity of 240 GWh, in Europe by the end of the decade. The announcement comes after European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic made it clear the EU plans to be self-sufficient in battery production by 2025.

    “E-mobility has become core business for us. We are now systematically integrating additional stages in the value chain. We secure a long-term pole position in the race for the best battery and best customer experience in the age of zero emission mobility”, says Herbert Diess, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Group.

    “We aim to reduce the cost and complexity of the battery and at the same time increase its range and performance”, says Thomas Schmall, Volkswagen Group Board Member for Technology. “This will finally make e-mobility affordable and the dominant drive technology.”

    Investing so heavily in battery manufacturing could give Volkswagen a major advantage over competitors.

  • Volkswagen Chooses Microsoft Azure to Accelerate Autonomous Driving

    Volkswagen Chooses Microsoft Azure to Accelerate Autonomous Driving

    Volkswagen has announced it is partnering with Microsoft to use Azure to accelerate the development of autonomous vehicles.

    The majority of automakers are working on autonomous driving as the next major evolution of the auto industry. Various automakers are taking different approaches, with Volkswagen indicating it wants to develop its autonomous software in-house.

    To aid in that goal, Volkswagen’s software company, Car.Software Organisation, will work with Microsoft to use Azure to help build a cloud-based Automated Driving Platform (ADP). Running ADP on Azure will allow Volkswagen to develop the platform faster and scale it globally.

    “As we transform Volkswagen Group into a digital mobility provider, we are looking to continuously increase the efficiency of our software development. We are building the Automated Driving Platform with Microsoft to simplify our developers’ work through one scalable and data-based engineering environment. By combining our comprehensive expertise in the development of connected driving solutions with Microsoft’s cloud and software engineering know-how, we will accelerate the delivery of safe and comfortable mobility services,” said Dirk Hilgenberg, CEO of the Car.Software Organisation.

    “This is the next evolution of our foundational work with the Volkswagen Group to enhance their transformation as a software-driven mobility provider,” said Scott Guthrie, executive vice president, Cloud + AI at Microsoft. “The power of Microsoft Azure and its compute, data and AI capabilities will enable Volkswagen to deliver secure and reliable automated driving solutions to their customers faster.”

    Snagging the world’s largest automaker, the Volkswagen Group, is a big win for Microsoft, especially in the wake of Ford’s decision to use Google Cloud for its connected vehicle efforts. Ford had long been a Microsoft partner, relying on the tech company’s software for its vehicles’ navigation and entertainment systems.

  • Electric F-150 Battery Supply Endangered by Import Dispute

    Electric F-150 Battery Supply Endangered by Import Dispute

    Batteries for the electric F-150 may be in short supply due to an import dispute involving the Korean supplier Ford is using.

    The International Trade Commission (ITC) has banned Korea-based SK Innovation from importing batteries to the US for 10 years, according to Bloomberg. The ruling comes as a result of an accusation from Korea-based LG Chem, accusing SK Innovation of stealing trade secrets. The seemingly harsh ban was the result of SK Innovation destroying evidence LG Chem needed to prove its case.

    The ITC did provide a grace period to give automakers, including Ford and Volkswagen, time to make alternate arrangements. SK Innovation can import components for the F-150 for four years, and for the Volkswagen’s MEB line for two years.

    There are two factors that could play to SK Innovation’s favor. The company is building a factory in Georgia that will become operational later this year. While some components are still slated to be imported, when faced with a 10-year ban, the company may try to move all production to the US.

    As Bloomberg highlights, President Biden could also overrule the ITC’s decision on public policy grounds. Given the front-and-center focus climate change and green energy is taking in the new administration, it’s entirely possible SK Innovation’s ban may be seen as too damaging to electric vehicle endeavors.

  • Toyota Partners With Aurora and Denso to Develop Autonomous Vehicles

    Toyota Partners With Aurora and Denso to Develop Autonomous Vehicles

    Toyota is partnering with Aurora and Denso to develop autonomous vehicles, rather than going it alone.

    Autonomous vehicles are widely seen as the next big step for the automotive industry. Whether it be a personal vehicle, mass transportation or rides-sharing, autonomous driving promises to usher in an era of safer, less distracted driving.

    Automakers are taking different approaches to autonomous driving. Some, like Volkswagen, are developing their software in-house. Toyota, on the other hand, has decided to work with partners and industry leaders.

    Akio Toyoda, Toyota President, outlined the company’s goals:

    Rather than conduct development on our own―without friends and partners―we can partner and collaborate with others who share our aspirations. Rather than keep our patents to ourselves, we can open them up and create more new friends. Rather than sell only cars, we can provide various services in which vehicles are incorporated into a system and focus more broadly and openly on contributing to the improvement of society.

    The company is partnering with Aurora and Denso to begin developing autonomous ride-sharing vehicles, starting with the Sienna. The goal is to design, build and be testing a fleet of the minivans by the end of 2021. Once testing is complete, the vehicles will be built and supported for various ride-hailing companies.

    “Toyota has an unparalleled legacy, engineering expertise, leadership, and ability to deliver high-quality, affordable, and reliable vehicles,” said Chris Urmson, Aurora CEO. “They’re also the preferred vehicle brand for transporting riders on ride-hailing networks, so we’re excited and honored to work with them to unlock driverless mobility services with the Aurora Driver. Our development work on highway driving to support our first commercial product, a driverless truck, will also be critical for safely moving people, as a significant fraction of ride-share bookings today require the ability to drive over 50 mph.”

    “Toyota is dedicated to creating and realizing mobility for all by focusing on technology that will move people safely and responsibly, a vision Aurora shares with us,” said Keiji Yamamoto, Operating Officer of Toyota and President of Connected Company. “By combining our expertise and know-how in vehicle control systems, mass-production, Connected Car technology, and our advanced safety support systems with Aurora’s industry-leading approach to self-driving technology, we aim to commercialize and deliver safe, high-quality, and affordable autonomous ride-sharing vehicles and services.”

  • Volkswagen Developing Autonomous Driving Software In-House

    Volkswagen Developing Autonomous Driving Software In-House

    As automakers around the world partner up with leading tech companies, Volkswagen is taking a different approach, developing its autonomous software in-house.

    Autonomous driving and connected vehicles are one of the next big steps for the automotive industry. Many automakers are paring up with leading tech companies, such as Ford partnering with Google.

    Volkswagen, on the other hand, is planning to develop its software in-house, according to U.S. News & World Report. The company is not ruling out collaboration with outside companies on some aspects, but clearly wants to develop the bulk on its its own.

    “We have a size that makes us want to cooperate with ourselves initially,” said Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi (Volkswagen’s luxury brand). Duesmann also indicated his confidence that Volkswagen is in a position to create new standards for automotive software development, and is open to other companies joining those efforts.

    Volkswagen certainly has the size and scale to tackle a project of this size. It should be interesting to see how its software stacks up with those of its rivals.

  • Volkswagen Offers First Glimpse of Mobile Charging Robot

    Volkswagen Offers First Glimpse of Mobile Charging Robot

    Volkswagen has provided the first glimpse of a mobile charging robot, designed to provide autonomous vehicle charging.

    One of the biggest challenges to the wide-scale adoption of fully electric vehicles is a charging infrastructure. With multiple automakers committed to transitioning to electric vehicles within the next two decades, the race is on to provide the charging infrastructure that will be needed.

    “A ubiquitous charging infrastructure is, and remains, a key factor in the success of electric mobility. Our charging robot is just one of several approaches, but is undoubtedly one of the most visionary,” explains Thomas Schmall, CEO of Volkswagen Group Components.

    Volkswagen’s mobile charging robot, complete with blinking eyes, is designed to charge vehicles in close-quarters areas where a traditional charging station is not an option. The robots may be used in underground garages, restricted parking areas, or other places where space is at a premium.

    Users will be able to use to app or Car-to-X communication to summon the robot for charging. Once summoned, the robot will autonomously take over the entire process, including communicating with the vehicle, opening the charging port, plugging in, charging and disconnecting.

    “Setting up an efficient charging infrastructure for the future is a central task that challenges the entire sector,” says Schmall. “We are developing solutions to help avoid costly stand-alone measures. The mobile charging robot and our flexible quick-charging station are just two of these solutions.”

    https://youtu.be/Fk_j1m7ck0c

  • VW Group Increasing Its Investment in Future Tech

    VW Group Increasing Its Investment in Future Tech

    VW Group has announced it is increasing its investment in future tech to a total of 73 billion euros ($86 billion) over the next five years.

    Automakers all over the world are investing heavily in hybrid and electric vehicles. GM recently announced it was investing $2 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing, Bentley announced its entire lineup would be electric by 2030 and Subaru has committed to selling only electric vehicles by the mid 2030s.

    VW had already committed 60 billion euros to future tech, but has now raised that to 73 billion euros.

    “As part of Volkswagen Group’s investment planning, the Board of Management and Supervisory Board today set the cornerstones for securing the Group’s future success. The transformation of the Group and its brands and the strategic focus on the core areas of mobility will be consistently implemented. Considering the enormous challenges we face in the coming years, our financial basis is very solid,” said Hans Dieter Pötsch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Volkswagen Group.

    “Having set the course for a battery-electric future in the Volkswagen Group early on, we are now a global leader with our electric platforms and a broad range of electric vehicles,” said Herbert Diess, Chief Executive Officer of the Volkswagen Group. “In the coming years, it will be crucial to also reach a leading position in car software in order to meet people’s needs for individual, sustainable and fully connected mobility in the future. To that end, we have doubled our digitalization spend.”

    The company’s increased investment should help it maintain its position as the world’s largest automaker.

  • Volkswagen Experiencing Software Issues and Delays With ID.3

    Volkswagen Experiencing Software Issues and Delays With ID.3

    Volkswagen is having trouble with the software in its all-electric ID.3, leading to delivery delays.

    The ID.3 is Volkswagen’s compact electric car, a first for the company. Depending on the battery options customers choose, it will have a range of 145 to 340 miles. The car is a five-door hatchback and is reminiscent of a sleeker Golf.

    Despite’s the vehicle’s promise, Volkswagen is having issues with the car’s software, according to The Verge. Individuals who ordered the “limited edition” could start receiving them as early as next week. The standard models, however, will likely not ship until September. Even then, “the company’s App Connect infotainment system and the car’s heads-up display won’t be activated until a software update arrives. And VW says it won’t start shipping full-featured versions of the ID 3 until closer to the end of the year.”

    Volkswagen has had a number of missteps over the last couple of years, and this is no exception. Given that the car was introduced as a concept car in 2016, and officially introduced in 2019, it’s hard to believe the project is experiencing this kind of software issue.

    Hopefully VW will be able to get a handle on things and deliver on the ID.3’s promise.

  • VW Switching to High-Nickel Batteries

    VW Switching to High-Nickel Batteries

    Volkswagen is set to significantly increase the amount of nickel in its electric vehicle batteries.

    Nickel is an important component in battery manufacturing, and helps increase the storage capacity and energy density of batteries. This, in turn, can lead to lower cost-per-kWh of storage, according to the Nickel Institute.

    VW’s current generation of batteries are comprised of 65% nickel but, according Reuters, the automaker’s “next generation batteries will have 80% nickel, 10% cobalt and 10% manganese.” The increased nickel should help the company significantly improve its electric vehicles’ storage capacity and range.

    Reuters goes on to say that VW plans to produce 3 million electric vehicles by 2025. The company’s new battery tech should go a long way toward ensuring their new vehicles are competitive in an increasingly crowded field.

  • Cars Will Be The Most Relevant Internet Devices, Says Volkswagen CEO

    Cars Will Be The Most Relevant Internet Devices, Says Volkswagen CEO

    “My view is that cars are becoming the most relevant units on the internet, says Volkswagen CEO Herber Diess. “Cars are becoming devices. They are fully connected. Data streams into the car and out of the car will be much higher than with smartphones. So the car gets a new role in the internet ecosystem. We have to adapt to that.”

    Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen, discusses how cars will be the most relevant devices on the internet in an interview with CNBC International at Davos 2020:

    Cars Are Becoming Internet Devices

    My view is that cars are becoming the most relevant units on the internet. Cars are becoming devices. They are fully connected. Data streams into the car and out of the car will be much higher than with smartphones. So the car gets a new role in the internet ecosystem. We have to adapt to that. From a traditional car manufacturer to become a tech company, it’s quite a long way to go but we are on the way.  It will be a huge transition.

    I think it’s great to have a good competition (regarding Tesla building a plant in Germany). We think that Tesla plays a very important role in the transition because they are paving the way. They’re probably running higher risks than we can from the traditional industry but they’re paving the way. They show that electric vehicles are working and that the fully connected car is the right solution. So we appreciate Tesla’s success.

    Cars Will Be The Most Relevant Internet Devices, Says Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess

  • Leonardo DiCaprio Is Making a Movie About the Volkswagen Emissions Scandal

    Leonardo DiCaprio, a prominent environmentalist, is taking the Volkswagen emissions scandal to the big screen.

    The scandal is less than a month old, but DiCaprio’s production company Appian Way has acquired the rights to a book about it. The book hasn’t even been written yet – it’s merely a proposal by author Jack Ewing.

    Though DiCaprio will produce the film, it’s unknown whether or not he’ll star as well.

    The scandal that rocked the auto industry saw Volkswagen admit to fitting its diesel vehicles with software so they could beat emissions tests.

    The software, known as a ‘defeat device’, allowed the cars to beat lab tests, but it was revealed that the cars emitted 40 times what they tested at when driving around in the wild.

    The scandal caused Volkswagen’s stock price to plummet and the company’s CEO Martin Winterkorn was forced to resign. Volkswagen has publicly announced plans to spend at least $7.3 billion on fixing the emissions issues, and the company’s U.S. CEO Michael Horn was recently grilled by Congress about said plans.

    The Hollywood Reporter says the book of which the film is based is supposed to be the Too Big To Fail of the auto industry.

    DiCaprio’s next big acting role is in Alejandro González Iñárritu’s The Revenant, which hits theaters on January 8th, 2016.

    Check out the incredible trailer below:

  • Electric Cars: Volkswagen Takes On Tesla

    Electric cars are still a relatively new market without a lot of competition. For the past few years, all the buzz has surrounded Elon Musk’s Tesla Motors. Now Volkswagen wants in on it.

    Bloomberg is reporting that Volkswagen has bought a five percent stake in QuantumScape Corp., a company working on batteries for electric cars. Volkswagen wants to put these batteries into cars by mid-2015 and feels that they’ll provide two benefits over current electric cars. The first is that these new batteries will triple the charge, and therefore the distance that can be traveled before having to recharge. The second is that these batteries are supposedly fireproof so we won’t be hearing any stories of cars catching on fire.

    So, how will these new batteries achieve Volkswagen’s desired results? It’s all about the technology. In current electric cars, the batteries use what’s called liquid electrolytes. You can compare it to the kind of technology found in smartphone batteries. QuantumScape is experimenting with batteries made out of solid electrolytes. The big benefit to using solid over liquid is that it won’t catch on fire, but some believe that this technology can also hold more power as well.

    Volkswagen may only have a five percent stake in the company at this point, but that could change if disruptive technology emerges within the next few years. As you can imagine, Volkswagen wants to be the top luxury car maker in all categories. At the moment, Tesla is the leader of the electric car market. If Volkswagen and QuantumScape can figure out how to increase battery storage, Tesla could have its first real competition since introducing the Tesla Roadster in 2006.

    If you want to see Volkswagen’s current work in electric cars, check out this feature from Focus Magazine:

  • Volkswagen Passat, Beetle Go Fuel-Efficient

    Volkswagen this week announced its 2015 car model lineup. The company is continuing to iterate past models while introducing what could very well be the future of the company.

    Some of the most popular Volkswagen models will remain largely the same.

    Certain models of the Volkswagen Passat (the S and Wolfsburg Editions) are getting a new “Technology Package” option that includes a rearview camera, a higher-end sound system, and built-in SiriusXM (only for the S models). More importantly, the diesel version of the Passat is getting a cleaner 2-liter, four-cylinder EA288 TDI “Clean Diesel” engine. Volkswagen claims that the manual drive version of the Passat with this TDI engine will be able to travel 814 highway miles before needing a fill-up.

    The inexplicably popular Volkswagen Beetle is also getting the same Clean Diesel engine, as are Volkswagen’s Golf and Jetta models. Volkswagen will also offer a limited-edition “Beetle Classic” that includes plenty of leather and 17-inch aluminum wheels that come in either white or black.

    Volkswagen’s Golf compact car is getting a 5.8-inch console touchscreen in its standard model. The Golf GTI is getting a new 210 horsepower engine and a $700 price cut, while the new Golf R model will feature a 292 horsepower engine.

    Along with those changes comes an all-new version of the Golf for the U.S. market. The e-Golf will be Volkswagen’s first fully-electric vehicle offered in the U.S. The car will have an estimated range of 70 to 90 miles of “everyday driving” between charges. Charges should be fast, though, as Volkswagen has included a “Fast Charging” capability for the vehicle, which will supposedly allow it to charge 80% of its battery power in around half an hour. These stats are nearly identical to the popular Nissan Leaf, though Volkswagen claims the e-Golf has “more standard torque and more versatility” than comparable electric vehicles.

    Volkswagen expects the e-Golf to be available in the U.S. sometime in November.

    Other Volkswagen models have gotten minor upgrades as well.

    The Eos, which will be discontinued after 2015, is getting some new trim options, including a “Final Edition” trim that replaces the “Sport” trim of previous years.

    The new Golf SportWagen will be replacing Volkswagen’s Jetta SportWagen and the manufacturer’s new Jetta features a slightly altered exterior design.

    Image via Volkswagen

  • Small SUVs Are Leading Spring Auto Sales

    Small SUVs Are Leading Spring Auto Sales

    This year’s spring auto sales season is off to a good start, with new a Autodata Corp. report showing that nearly 1.4 million motor vehicles were sold in the U.S. during April. This represents an 8% increase in sales from the same period last year.

    According to an Associated Press report, car manufacturers are hoping that these increased sales will last well beyond the spring. The Autodata Corp report predicts that vehicle sales will remain robust throughout the year and that total-year sales will increase year-over-year to around 16 million, up slightly from last year’s 15.6 million U.S. vehicles sold.

    Nissan was the big winner during April, with sales up 18.3% over April 2012 sales. Chrysler and Toyota also saw big sales boosts last month, with 14% and 13% sales increases, respectively.

    “Sales momentum from March rolled into April pushing the industry to its best back-to-back monthly sales pace since fall of 2007,” said Bill Fay, VP and general manager at Toyota division group. “For Toyota, truck sales continue to soar. Tundra is a highlight with double-digit gains as comfort, safety and technology of the all-new model remain a strong draw for consumers.”

    Other manufacturers did not fare as well during April. Ford vehicle sales were down slightly year-over-year and Volkswagen saw a full 8.4% drop in sales from last April.

    The news comes just as Ford last week announced that CEO Alan Mullaly will be stepping down from company leadership in July. The company’s “One Ford” business plan will stay in place, with the company evolving to focus more on SUVs and other popular vehicles.

    The April sales numbers show that U.S. car buyers are looking for more crossover vehicles such as small SUVs. According to the AP report, small SUVs made up around 16% of all U.S. auto sales during April. This percentage is up 2% from April 2012.

    The April sales boost is also encouraging for the motor vehicle industry as a whole, which has seen stagnant sales through the early months of the year. According to the AP report, January auto sales were down 3% from 2012 levels.

    Image via Ford

  • VW Beetle: New Super Beetle Will Race In RallyCross

    The Volkswagen Beetle has graduated from an era of driving hippies cross-country to racing RallyCross.

    A new super version of the classic car – the GRC Beetle – is being shown at the Chicago Auto Show and it’s gaining the attention of auto enthusiasts. All of the excitement is for good reason too – and it’s not just because there were two of them on display or that they look like Herbie’s steroidal adversary. Rather, the excitement came on Thursday when it was announced at the show that Volkswagen was joining forces with Andretti Autosport to compete in the Global RallyCross series. There, they revealed the early versions of the all-wheel-drive vehicle, complete with fitting nameplates: “Super Beetle”.

    As for the racers themselves, Tanner Foust and Scott Speed will be the two men manning said Super Beetles.Tanner Foust, a two-time GRC champion, will drive the Rockstar Energy Drink Beetle while Scott Speed, a former NASCAR and Formula 1 driver, takes the 7Up-sponsored car.

    Their RallyCross season adventure will span 10 races, beginning in Barbados on May 17. Because the actual competition cars aren’t yet completed, the finished product won’t be driven in those first races. In lieu, the ones that are going to be initially used will be the GRC-spec Polo models. The team’s goal, however, is to have the new Beetle racers ready to ride by June 7 – in time for the first United States race at the 2014 Summer X Games in Austin, Texas.

    A Beetle built to race might sound sort of unassuming…. but with 560 horsepower from a turbocharged custom-built racing engine, there’s reason enough for the competition to “bug out” a bit.

    Image via Youtube