Martin Winterkorn is more and more upset by Porsche’s will to interfere with the VW’s operations and has threatened to resign.
Porsche’s will to interfere with the VW’s brands generate more and more frustration among companies’ executives, especially at Audi. The German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reports that premium carmaker’s managers are more and more concerned by Porsche involvement. In an attempt to increase its sales to 1.5 million vehicles by 2018, the carmaker has started expanding its lineup and some models are competing with Porsche models. Unhappy with the results, Porsche has started to interfere with the future lineup. The rumoured R4 has been canceled by Audi. It isn’t confirmed whether Audi took the decision alone, but the R4 was expected to compete with the Porsche Cayman.
This isn’t the first time it might happen. A longtime rumour suggests that Porsche had obliged Audi to cancel a similar project fifteen years ago. Audi was developing the Quattro coupé which would have competed with the future Porsche Boxster. Under pressure from Porsche as rumoured, the German carmaker canceled the project.
Aware of the situation, the former Audi’s CEO has sent a warning to Porsche. How will Piech react? The former VW CEO and Porsche shareholder brought Winterkorn at the head of VW and also helped Porsche to acquire 31 per cent of VW.
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