Volkswagen Faces Tough Times, Still Plans World Dominance

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

“The coming months will be anything but easy,” Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn told Reuters today at VW’s annual shareholders’ meeting. Nevertheless, he still plans to rule the world.

Except for North America and China, all other regions carry “often significant uncertainty” Winterkorn said. At home in Europe, the market would be “extremely weak” for the foreseeable future, Volkswagen AG’s Vorstandsvorsitzender predicted.

Yesterday, Volkswagen reported a first-quarter operating profit 26 percent down to a still very respectable $3 billion. Undaunted, Volkswagen wants to match last year’s record earnings of 11.5 billion euros and set new delivery records.

“Regardless of whether we’re in an upturn or downturn, it’s our goal to ensure that VW reaches the top of the automotive industry by 2018,” Winterkorn said. We read that as the Strategie 2018 still being in place. A few months ago, works council chief Bernd Osterloh declared mission accomplished and said the company needs a new strategy.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

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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 7 comments
  • Commando Commando on Apr 25, 2013

    "Volkswagen Faces Tough Times, Still Plans World Dominance" The choice of words and how it sounds, appeals the Made in the USA side of me. You know what I'm talking about.....

  • Lorenzo Lorenzo on Apr 25, 2013

    Are you sure it's Winterkorn who will be ruling the world? Surely not while Ferdinand Piech or his buxom wife are alive.

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