German Government NFSWs Porsche
A few days ago, Porsche’s Wendelin Wiedeking sent a letter to Germany’s parliamentarians, urging them to say “Nein” to Chancellor Angela Merkel. According to Braunschweiger Zeitung [via Automobilwoche sub], Wendy was not what you’d call enamored with a new version of the “Volkswagen Gesetz” (VW law). That’s the legal power bestowed upon The State of Lower Saxony to control VeeDub— despite the State’s [now] relatively measley 20.1 percent holding. Last year, the European Court struck down the law– in the interest of free trade, Mutter and Apfelkuchen. The ruling opened the door for Porsche to ride to the rescue of VW, supposedly shielding VW from gang-rape at the hands of Kirk Kerkorian, Cerberus and a RICO of takeover-artists. And yet Berlin has no plans at all to scuttle the Volkswagen Gesetz. Porsche can own as much of VW as they want. With the law on the books, Porsche can’t fight the power from Hannover or Berlin.
The German Parliament is set to vote on it today. Brussels hates the new law even more than the old. If it is passed, European Trade Commissar (yes, the EU has Commissars) Charlie McCreevy will file papers with the High Court (yes, the judges get high) “before Christmas.” Then, said Court shall decree again. With the law gone, Porsche can pocket all of Volkswagen’s profits as theirs and rule the world of Volkswagen from Zuffenhausen. In his letter to the parliamentarians, Wiedeking “can’t see any reason why Volkswagen should be treated different than Daimler, BMW, or Siemens.” Good point. But will the logic play in Berlin? As the camshaft turns. The saga continues.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Look here you busybodies. As long as the journo crowd, and some people inside our org are around, we will be producing 911 'variants'. Do you have any idea how capital intensive this is? "Ass-engine-Nazi-slot-car"? Tell P.J. O'Rourke to get a coupla engineering degrees and come join the team. Keeping the uberest of Uber-Beetles able to meet safety and emission regs is a huge PITA. Not to mention having to develop the next round of super-computer-in-the-trunk, just to help the stability system prevent this pendant nightmare from pirouetting like Tanya Harding in every corner. These relics don't really sell. We have to constantly create new, profitable cars to give this deutschemark dracula it's fix. Even worse, the younger dr.eng. are really getting tired of detuning and de-powerplanting every new car, only because some of us can't have the 911 looking like the pathetic cry for help that it really is. So lighten up, OK? There are some people inside and outside of Porsche who still think that the ultimate Beetle-Evo, is somehow the iconic Porsche. Keeping the 911 swirling the bowl for another 20 years is gonna take more money than god has. We really do need every pfennig we can loot from hedgies and VW. Or you will never see a 'new' 911 ever again... Signed, Your friends at Porsche (In the interest of full disclosure, I do NOT work for Porsche. I do sometimes work on Porsches. I have also had a few late nite, in lotsa beer there is veritas sessions. With Porsche wayinsiders.)
Commissar McCreevy? Falco must be spinning in his grave.