Copyright 2001 Times Newspapers Limited
The Times (London)


September 8, 2001, Saturday

SECTION: Business

LENGTH: 231 words

HEADLINE: Former BMW boss succeeds Piech at VW

BYLINE: Richard Irving

BODY:


BERND PISCHETSRIEDER, the former BMW chairman who is widely blamed for running Rover into the ground, yesterday emerged as the new chief executive of Volkswagen, Europe's largest carmaker.

Herr Pischetsrieder, who famously admitted goading Rover workers into striking as part of a plan to engineer a financial crisis at the subsidiary, succeeds Ferdinand Piech, who has run VW for the best part of a decade. Herr Piech, one of Germany's wealthiest businessmen and the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, who designed the original Beetle, is expected to assume the role of chairman at the company's annual meeting next April.

Analysts yesterday welcomed the appointment of Herr Pischetsrieder, who is expected to foster a more shareholder-friendly culture. He has already identified a number of flagging marques, including Audi, Seat and Lamborghini, which are to be rebranded as part of a marketing push aimed at bolstering VW's margins. Although the company makes nearly twice as many cars as BMW, it trades at a 20 per cent discount to its arch rival.

Since joining the board, Herr Pischetsrieder has been responsible for VW's Seat division, as well as quality control throughout the group.

He is known for placing a high priority on customer satisfaction. "My motto is: 'The worm must taste good to the fish, not the fisherman'," he told journalists yesterday.


LOAD-DATE: September 8, 2001

 

Without the wisecracks - What's a VW Seat?

 

<ul><li><a href="http://www.seat.co.uk/#">Seat</a></li></ul>

 

...and I enjoy reading them.

"He has already identified a number of flagging marques, including Audi, Seat and Lamborghini, which are to be rebranded as part of a marketing push aimed at bolstering VW's margins."

rebranded??? What the heck does this mean?

 

I zeroed in on the same phrase. What's he gonna call Audi? BMW?!

 

complete w/ candles and photoshopped pics of the two of you taking in a Summer Tea at an Ingolstadt cafe.

: )

 

You need to hit the links...your brain is frying ;-D

 

Don't ask what one has to do with the other because I have no idea. I should post a pic of me in my cycling garb. I don't know how oncoming drivers don't lose control due to laughter!

I can't even begin to understand the ads on theis new one - all Italian (I think) and the colors are... all wrong but so ridiculously wrong that I had to get it.

 

Gotta have the gear...

 

....and look like an idiot! (without having to talk) ;-0