drastic sales swings

[intrigued]

http://wot.motortrend.com/6520377/auto-new...rter/index.html

Burn Toyota!!! I'd much rather have the world sales leader be a german car rather then toyota

[Intrepidation]

And to think we laughed when they mentioned planning to be #1 last year.

[CaddyXLR-V]

I like VW and dislike Toyota. So this is good news to me. Isn't VW still bigger than GM in China also?

[Intrepidation]

Just goes to show you don't have to build it to be reliable...just build what people want.

[siegen]

Volkswagen Group owns 9 brands, including a commercial brand, while Toyota owns 3. Looks like VW is taking the GM approach to becoming number one. I hope it doesn't bite them down the road.

[balthazar]

TMC~ toyota, scion (numbers combined at will with toyota's to serve the purpose of the moment), lexus, hino commercial (used to build cars also) plus majority ownership of Daihatsu. That's 5, not 3. toyota, according to wiki, also has 522 subsidiaries- tho obviously those are not vehicle manufacturing entities.

VW Group~ VW, audi, seat, skoda, lambo, bent, bug, VW Commercial and majority ownership of scania. There's the 9. Plus porsche owns 35% (a controlling interest, tho not exercised) of VW... making a case that that's 10 brands under 1 roof.

VW definately is following the GM model, but toyota is also- just farther behind. Case has been made that scion could just as well be badged with the '3 hula hoops' logo.

# of brands is not the answer to any 1 question.

[ocnblu]

A step in the right direction. Die, Toyota, DIE. Just look at that sharp little Polo in the photo... if only we could get a 3-door version of that car... the true successor to the Golf Mk I.

[Intrepidation]

It's how you manage those brands and how many are sold in one market that is key.

[Cory Wolfe]

I like this picture.

[daves87rs]

I like this picture.

[daves87rs]

It's how you manage those brands and how many are sold in one market that is key.

[toyoguy]

VW definately is following the GM model, but toyota is also- just farther behind. Case has been made that scion could just as well be badged with the '3 hula hoops' logo.

# of brands is not the answer to any 1 question.

except Toyota created Lexus and Scion

VW did not create Audi, Lamborghini, Skoda, Seat, Veyron, Bentley, Bugatti or Scania.

Edited April 18, 2009 by toyoguy

[toyoguy]

Just goes to show you don't have to build it to be reliable...just build what people want.

or just the American and Japanese markets have imploded while European markets have not yet, but sooner or later they'll collapse as well.

Goes to show you what pathetic management can do to a company. GM is a vastly superior company compared to VW and shouldn't ever be behind VW in sales.

[balthazar]

except Toyota created Lexus and Scion

How would this effect the discussion at hand ?? If anything, it lends more creedence to VW for offering mostly autonomous brands as opposed to badge-engineered versions under different divisions. Toyo did not create Hino or Diahatsu... but again- origin is immaterial to how many brands a Corp "needs".

[Camino LS6]

This warms my heart!

Death to Toyota!

[Oracle of Delphi]

This warms my heart!

Death to Toyota!

You have a heart ???

[Camino LS6]

You have a heart ???

Yeah, but don't go spreading it around.

It would be bad for my reputation.

[gm4life]

Yeah, but don't go spreading it around.

It would be bad for my reputation.

:AH-HA_wink:

[Intrepidation]

Sieg Heil!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Sieg Heil!

[Lamar]

Balthy, you left out that Toyota owns a small stake in Subaru also, which is strong enough to cause the upcoming Legacy to look like somewhat of a Corolla.

[balthazar]

True; I ignored minority stakes on purpose, figuring they were more 'investments' than legitimately-owned brands.

Subaru has yet to build an aspirationally-styled vehicle.

Just read in another thread where buyacargetacheck still thinks toyota is made up of only TWO brands.

[6t5frlane]

Volkswagen Group owns 9 brands, including a commercial brand, while Toyota owns 3. Looks like VW is taking the GM approach to becoming number one. I hope it doesn't bite them down the road.

WOW So there are 9 different brands running around with theior Check Engine light on all the time

[A Horse With No Name]

Just goes to show you don't have to build it to be reliable...just build what people want.

I'd rather own a Jetta with a problem with a window lift motor problem than a Tacoma with a frame rust issue....

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

WOW So there are 9 different brands running around with theior Check Engine light on all the time

Lucas electrical is alive and well!

Seriously, I think the biggest problem with the VW is its dealer network in the US. In the VW TDI club we've got some guys who are ACE VW wrenches and all of our cars run great....

Chris

[MyerShift]

From experience I would say that VW's dealerships seem shady in how they deal with people and their problems.

For God's sake, they accused me of taking my Golf V "off road" and that was why my transmission failed!