Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[VW gains control of MAN with stake increase]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/06/vw-gains-control-of-man-with-stake-increase/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/06/vw-gains-control-of-man-with-stake-increase/http://www.autoblog.com/2012/06/06/vw-gains-control-of-man-with-stake-increase/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

VW logo and MAN truck logoReuters reports Volkswagen has upped its stake in Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg - better known as MAN - from 73.76 percent to a full 75 percent. While that may seem like a slight jump, the move allows Volkswagen to ask for a domination agreement, which would give the automaker full control over the commercial vehicle company. Volkswagen and Audi currently share a similar understanding. MAN shares increased by around 9 percent on the news, with some investors believing Volkswagen could pay as much as $118 per share in a takeover bid.

Technically, Volkswagen hasn't made a decision on either a takeover or a domination agreement, though the company says it's keeping all of its options open at the moment. CEO Martin Winterkorn says the larger stake in MAN "marks an important milestone for achieving our joint goals in the commercial vehicles business as elsewhere through close cooperation." Just how close that cooperation will become in the near future remains to be seen.

Volkswagen has been slowly increasing its stake in MAN for the past year.

VW gains control of MAN with stake increase originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen is on the rise, and has its eye on becoming the largest automaker in the world. But the VW Group is about more than just cars. Their considerable holdings and expanding corporate tree also encompasses several heavy truck manufacturers, and that part of the business has now been cleared to expand.

We first reported on Volkswagen's intent to acquire a larger stake in MAN - the truck, bus and turbodiesel engine manufacturer that is not only the oldest company listed on the German stock exchange, but itself also one of the largest.

The move has now received European regulatory approval, clearing the way for Volkswagen's commercial vehicle division to increase its stake in MAN SE from 30.5 percent to 53.71, while increasing its voting rights to a majority 55.9 percent. The acquisition is expected to reduce overhead and redundancies between MAN, Scania and Volkswagen's own truck operations, opening the door for the larger company to become the largest truck manufacturer in the European market. Follow the jump for the official announcement.

Continue reading Volkswagen cleared for MAN truck takeover

Volkswagen cleared for MAN truck takeover originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>manman seman trucksvolkswagenvolkswagen groupvolkswagen manvwvw groupvwagWed, 05 Oct 2011 18:20:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20072134/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/10/05/volkswagen-cleared-for-man-truck-takeover/20072134/article-detail.xml 20072134 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/20100623mnaktivo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/10/20100623mnaktivo.jpg <![CDATA[Volkswagen acquiring 55.9% stake in MAN SE to become Europe's largest truckmaker]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/08/volkswagen-acquiring-55-9-stake-in-man-se-to-become-europes-la/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/08/volkswagen-acquiring-55-9-stake-in-man-se-to-become-europes-la/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/07/08/volkswagen-acquiring-55-9-stake-in-man-se-to-become-europes-la/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MAN trucks

There's plenty of room to get lost in the Volkswagen Group. In addition to the VW brand, the group controls Skoda, Seat, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti. But we can't forget its truck divisions. In addition to being Europe's largest automaker, VW is also one of its largest producer of trucks as well, producing VW commercial vehicles while holding nearly three-quarters of the shares in Swedish truckmaker Scania and a significant stake in MAN as well.

That's last bit's about to increase, though, as a new deal in progress will see Volkswagen increase its holdings in MAN SE from 30.5 percent to 55.9 percent. According to Bloomberg, the deal is still pending regulatory approval, but is expected to lead to increased cooperation between Scania and MAN, helping both companies reduce overhead.

The latest move in Volkswagen Group chairman Ferdinand Piëch's expansion plan, the takeover will make the German industrial giant that much bigger. Both Volvo (which also produces Mack and Renault trucks) and Daimler (which owns Freightliner, Mitsubishi Fuso, Thomas, Sterling and Mercedes-Benz trucks), each hold about 21 percent of the European truck market. But because MAN and Scania together account for some 30 percent of European heavy-duty truck sales, the acquisition is expected to catapult VW into position as the largest truckmaker in Europe.

Volkswagen acquiring 55.9% stake in MAN SE to become Europe's largest truckmaker originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>commercial trucklorrymanman seman trucksscaniasharesvolkswagenvolkswagen agvolkswagen groupvolkswagen trucksvw agFri, 08 Jul 2011 08:58:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19985320/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/07/08/volkswagen-acquiring-55-9-stake-in-man-se-to-become-europes-la/19985320/article-detail.xml 19985320 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/man-trucks_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/07/man-trucks.jpg <![CDATA[<strike>Destroy</strike> Travel the Earth in the MAN Action Mobil Globecruiser]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/22/strike-destroy-strike-travel-the-earth-in-the-man-action-mobi/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/22/strike-destroy-strike-travel-the-earth-in-the-man-action-mobi/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/22/strike-destroy-strike-travel-the-earth-in-the-man-action-mobi/#commentsFiled under: , ,



The Action Mobil Globecruiser is more of a superhero support vehicle than something meant for the average guy or gal. The stats: 783-cubic-inch, 530 hp six-cylinder diesel, 12-speed automatic, permanent AWD, two locking differentials, ABS, a 219-gallon fuel tank, a 154-gallon water tank, 2.4-inch thick sandwich plate fibreglass walls and doors, burglar-proof windows, insulated plumbing, and heating via water radiators. Oh, and it's got a flushing, porcelain toilet.

If you think you need a vehicle like this, either your name is "U.S. Military" or you dress up in a funny costume with rubberized six-pack abs and fight for justice while your tuxedo'ed helpmeet follows you around -- and pulverizes the Earth -- in this 31-foot colossus. And you're probably rich, because the Globecruiser costs €490,000. We think it's 42,000-pounds of straight-up cool, and a much hoped-for candidate for the Autoblog Garage.

[Source: Gizmodo]

Destroy Travel the Earth in the MAN Action Mobil Globecruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click image for photo gallery

If road- tripping with Granny and Grandpa in their greyhound-sized RV with a Saturn SL2 in tow doesn't peg your excitement meter, perhaps you're the kind of person who'd prefer to explore the road less traveled (or experience plain old roadless travel) in something like a Unicat expedition vehicle.

The Unicats resemble Dakar support trucks on the outside, but are fitted with interiors that look like they'd be right at home in a cabin cruiser. There's a reason the company refers to their rigs as "land yachts." Unicat takes the concept of RVing to its outermost extremes. For example, the Amerigo International 4x4 (above) has an operating range of 2,000 miles with a full fuel load and can handle almost any terrain -- rock, desert, water four feet deep, etc. -- while providing the amenities someone who just laid out $600,000 probably expects. For instance, there's a queen-size bed, a working galley, and a bathroom inside the big box behind the cab. redundant GPS systems help you find your way into and out of the middle of nowhere, and instead of a sensible Saturn sedan, the Unicats can be outfitted with any number of terrain-appropriate supplemental vehicles ranging from a dirt bike, to a quad, to a Zodiac inflatable boat. Since it's classified as an RV, you don't need a special license to drive the thing, either. Mahalo Daily's Veronica Belmont got a guided tour of an Amerigo International by Unicat CEO Avi Meyers, which you can watch after the jump.

We've also included galleries of a pair of the company's other offerings, the Amerigo Unimog 4x4, and our favorite, the Unicat EX70-HD / MAN TGA 6x6 -- a six-wheeled monster with a loft bedroom, hideaway storage for a quad, an espresso machine, and a dishwasher. If the Jawas didn't have Sandcrawlers, they'd be tooling around in one of these.

[Sources: Mahalo Daily, Unicat]

Gallery: Unicat Amerigo International 4x4 RV

Continue reading VIDEO: Unicat Amerigo International 4x4 RV guided tour

VIDEO: Unicat Amerigo International 4x4 RV guided tour originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>4x46x6amerigo internationalAmerigoInternationalexpedition vehiclesExpeditionVehiclesmahalo dailyMahaloDailymanunicatunimogThu, 07 Feb 2008 20:12:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/1109349/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2008/02/07/video-unicat-amerigo-international-4x4-rv-guided-tour/1109349/article-detail.xml 1109349 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/02/ucat_amint_lo03_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2008/02/ucat_amint_lo03.jpg <![CDATA[Diesel in F1? Ferrari driver thinks so]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/12/diesel-in-f1-ferrari-driver-thinks-so/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/12/diesel-in-f1-ferrari-driver-thinks-so/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/12/diesel-in-f1-ferrari-driver-thinks-so/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

It sounds so absurd it hardly seems worth entertaining. But it seemed just as unlikely for diesel-powered prototype-class race cars to dominate at Le Mans until Audi did just that. Now Peugeot is following suit with its own high-tech, state-of-the-art diesel race car, the 908 LM, which the French company hopes can do for them what the R10 did for Audi. With over 700 horsepower from an all-aluminum 5.5-liter twelve-cylinder common-rail direct-injection twin-turbo diesel (try saying that three times fast), the sleek cat just might.

Marc Gené came to a different conclusion after driving the 908 for the first time, though: "Having driven the Peugeot, I think that diesel is a feasible route for F1 in the future." Gené is joining the Peugeot team at Le Mans right after he re-signed as a test driver for Scuderia Ferrari, but with a limit on testing imposed by the FIA, he has a little more time on his hands.

Diesels still bear a certain lethargic stigma, but with modern diesel technology seemingly getting closer to gasoline engines with every passing day, some see it as only a matter of time. It would take a massive change in regulation by the FIA, but it would certainly make previous rule-changes like the abolishment of turbos and the switch to V8s seem like mere footnotes in motorsport history.

[Source: GrandPrix.com]

Diesel in F1? Ferrari driver thinks so originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dieself1ferrariformulaGenégenelelmmanmansmarconepeugeotMon, 12 Feb 2007 19:38:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/752421/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/02/12/diesel-in-f1-ferrari-driver-thinks-so/752421/article-detail.xml 752421 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/f2005-marc-gene_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/02/f2005-marc-gene.jpg <![CDATA[Big Wig to Big Rig: Pischetsrieder to oversee truck merger]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/13/big-wig-to-big-rig-pischetsrieder-to-oversee-truck-merger/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/13/big-wig-to-big-rig-pischetsrieder-to-oversee-truck-merger/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/11/13/big-wig-to-big-rig-pischetsrieder-to-oversee-truck-merger/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The earliest reports on the "resignation" of Volkswagen group CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder indicated that while he'd be replaced as chief executive, he would be retained to take on "special assignments". What such ambiguous duties might entail was a mystery, but it's looking like he may be put in charge of managing a merger between two major European truck companies.

MAN has been maneuvering to buy out Scania with offers over $13 billion, but the Swedish company has been fighting to maintain its independence from the Germans (sound familiar?). Volkswagen AG happens to be the largest shareholder of both companies.

At the moment, Volkswagen is neither confirming nor denying the reports of Pischetsrieder's potential re-assignment. The supervisory board is due to meet on November 17, when they'll make their decision, so we'll just have to sit tight until then.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]

Big Wig to Big Rig: Pischetsrieder to oversee truck merger originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>berndboardbuyoutceomanmergerPischetsriederscaniatakeovertruckvolkswagenvwMon, 13 Nov 2006 19:34:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/700899/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2006/11/13/big-wig-to-big-rig-pischetsrieder-to-oversee-truck-merger/700899/article-detail.xml 700899 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/scania-man_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2006/11/scania-man.jpg -1 2