VW Polo move: Volkswagen is pushing forward the launch date for its new small cars to recoup lost sales, according to Automotive News Europe.
The paper reports that VW will advance by 12 months the introduction of an all-new Polo small car to 2007. VW also will shift its strategy in the minicar segment. It will sell the new Fox, which replaces its slow-selling Lupo, only as a two-door version to reduce competition with the Polo.
New Mercedes boss: German Eckhard Cordes (53), has been appointed to head DaimlerChrysler's flagship Mercedes Car division. Turnaround expert Cordes made his mark as a loyal ally of DC boss Juergen Schrempp. Since late 2000 he headed the group's commercial vehicles division, cutting jobs and costs.
Cordes may not have much leeway to put his personal stamp on Mercedes – outgoing boss Jürgen Hubbert, who lorded over the brand for more than a decade, has already launched a new model offensive to perk up sales. Cordes became a candidate to head Mercedes only when DC abruptly decided in April that Wolfgang Bernhard, a rising star known as a cost-cutter, should not get the job just days before he was due to start.
Toyota ups profits: Toyota overcame a sluggish domestic market and a strengthening yen to lift first quarter net profits 29 per cent over the same period last year to €2.1 billion. Strong international sales, particularly in North America and Asia where sales leapt 65.1 per cent, helped offset difficult home conditions. Toyota, the world's most profitable carmaker, said it increased profits in every region and was on track to cut annual costs by €1.5 billion.
Cautious Audi: Audi has reaffirmed its guidance for flat earnings this year despite a 9.5 per cent rise in first-half operating profit thanks to record vehicle sales. The Ingolstadt-based carmaker, whose first-half operating profit reached €586 million, said overall weak car markets and tough competition were keeping it cautious.
Audi recently said first-half deliveries to customers rose 0.6 per cent to 389,970 cars on the back of improved sales of its A8. This figure doesn’t include the additional 922 cars delivered by its sports car brand Lamborghini, up from 238 units last year thanks to strong demand for its Gallardo sports coupé.