#MAN

Torsus’ Praetorian, heavy-duty, off-road 4X4 buses, has announced a number of technical advances. These rugged off-road buses are made to cross some of the most inhospitable terrains on earth.

Volkswagen Group is reorganizing itself into a decentralized organization with four holding companies to better handle high production costs.

MAN is now officially part of the Volkswagen empire. MAN stockholders approved a profit and loss transfer agreement that “ends MAN’s autonomy,” as Automobilwoche [sub] reports.

A bit kinkily, that agreement is called a “domination” agreement in Germany. It defines a corporate power exchange.

In the late 70’s, Volkswagen had plans to take over truck maker MAN and to sell a whole range of commercial vehicles, from light vans to heavy trucks under the MAN brand. MAN was never taken over, much to the relief of Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle division in Hannover that feared for its independence. Some 35 years later, the plan is close to become reality.

At yesterday’s annual shareholder meeting, Volkswagen had nothing but good news: A record year 2010, a record first quarter 2011, a company that is rolling in cash. Instead of thanking management for the good numbers and the (smaller than expected) dividend, ingrate shareholders bawled Winterkorn out.