Η Volkswagen Αμερικής ανακοίνωσε ότι οι John και Helen Taylor έκαναν νέο ρεκόρ αφού με ένα ντεπόζιτο κάλυψαν απόσταση 1626.1 μιλίων (2.616,9 χλμ) με το Volkswagen Passat TDI τους. Το αυτοκίνητο κέρδισε το ρεκόρ που είχε κάνει το ευρωπαικό Passat με τον 1.600αρη BlueMotion κινητήρα.
Το Αμερικάνικο Passat TDI φορά τον τετρακύλινδρο 2.0-λιτρο πετρελαιοκινητήρα απόδοσης 140 ίππων και το ταξίδι διήρκησε 3 ημέρες με το Passat να είναι φορτωμένο με αποσκευές βάρους 54.4 κιλών με το αυτοκίνητο να είχε μέση κατανάλωση 2.8 λίτρα/100 χλμ.
Παράλληλα, η κεντρική Volkswagen ανακοίνωσε ότι ξεκινά τις διαπραγματεύσεις για τις αμοιβές και τις συλλογικές συμβάσεις εργασίας τους 2012 με τα Γερμανικά συνδικάτα για τα εργοστάσια της σε Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Ανόβαρο, Salzgitter, Emden και Kassel. Η VW και τα συνδικάτα τα τελευταία χρόνια τα βρίσκουν μεταξύ τους, αλλά ακόμη είναι νωρίς να μιλήσουν για τον βασικό μισθό του 2012. Ο Martin Rosik, γενικός διευθυντής του τμήματος Ανθρώπινου δυναμικού της VW δήλωσε ότι φέτος η συμφωνία είναι κάτι περισσότερο από αναγκαία, αφού η Volkswagen αντιμετωπίζει δύσκολες εξελίξης στην αγορά, ιδιαίτερα στη Δυτική και Νότια Ευρώπη.
Συμπλήρωσε ότι πολλές αυτοκινητοβιομηχανίες μεταφέρουν τη παραγωγή των αυτοκινήτων τους σε εργοστάσια στη Κεντρική και στην Ανατολική Ευρώπη όπου το κόστος εργασίας είναι μικρότερο, σε σχέση με το όσο κοστίζει η παραγωγή ενός αυτοκινήτου στη Γερμανία, βάζοντας έτσι τη VW σε μειονεκτική θέση απέναντι από τον ανταγωνισμό. Θέληση της VW είναι να συνεχίζει να κατασκευάζει τα αυτοκίνητα της εντός Γερμανίας αλλά πρέπει να έχουνε επίγνωση στην ολοένα και πιο δραματική κατάσταση της οικονομίας.
Κάποιος να πει στον Rosik για τα τεράστια κέρδη της VW που είχε το πρώτο τρίμηνο η εταιρία του και τις πωλήσεις που συνεχώς αυξάνονται.
[Πηγή: Volkswagen]
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Start of 2012 pay negotiations at Volkswagen
Chief negotiator Rosik: We must take into account the difficult European market and the competitiveness of Volkswagen.
Wolfsburg/Salzgitter, 08 May 2012 – The negotiating committees of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft and the IG Metall trade union met today in Salzgitter for the start of pay negotiations. The leader of the Volkswagen committee, Martin Rosik, Head of Human Resources of the Volkswagen Passenger Car Brand, said: “Over the past few years, both parties have adopted a reasonable approach to basic salary. This year, a moderate pay agreement will be more necessary than ever before as we face very difficult market developments, especially in Western and Southern Europe.”
He added that it would be premature to make an offer. “Today, we discussed our analysis of the competitive situation with IG Metall,” Rosik said. “We will now need to develop a joint approach to tougher competition together with the employee side. The fact is that the situation is deteriorating dramatically.”
In key European countries, the automobile industry faces growing pressure. “There has been a drastic slump in the Spanish automobile market in the wake of the sovereign debt crisis and demand in Italy and France is falling fast. Record unemployment, falling real-term wages and government savings measures are depressing the mood of consumers in many European countries and weakening the economic situation,” said Rosik. “Especially in our domestic market, Europe, we therefore face a drastic slump in demand.”
In addition, more and more automakers are producing at plants in Central and Eastern Europe, where labor costs are considerably lower. “As a result, they can produce their vehicles at much lower cost than we can at our German plants,” Rosik underlines. “This places us at a clear competitive disadvantage and makes the situation still worse.”
Furthermore, the other markets are affected by extreme pressure on prices. Competitors from the Far East are surging aggressively onto the markets and benefit from lower labor costs. For example, labor costs in the Korean automotive industry are only about a third of those in Germany.
“We want to continue to make cars in Germany,” Rosik underlined. “However, we must be aware of the increasingly dramatic situation and find the right answers together with IG Metall.”
The collective agreement of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft covers the plants at Wolfsburg, Braunschweig, Hanover, Salzgitter, Emden and Kassel. The results of the pay negotiations which started today will also be adopted for Volkswagen Financial Services AG.
Negotiations are due to continue in Hanover on May 25, 2012.
VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT SETS WORLD RECORD FOR LONGEST DISTANCE ON ONE TANK OF CLEAN DIESEL FUEL
- Mileage experts John and Helen Taylor complete 1626-mile drive in Chattanooga-built Volkswagen Passat TDI®-without stopping for fuel!
- Record set using a stock 2012 Passat TDI SE with six-speed manual transmission
- Average of 84.1 miles per gallon during three-day trip
- Shows mileage benefits of VW Clean Diesel technology
Herndon, VA – The world’s most fuel-efficient couple has done it again. John and Helen Taylor were determined to break the record for the farthest distance traveled on a single tank of fuel. They decided to attempt the record in the U.S. with a stock 2012 Volkswagen Passat SE TDI Clean Diesel vehicle equipped with a six-speed manual transmission. The previous record for the most miles covered on a single tank of diesel was 1526.6 miles, achieved with a VW Passat 1.6 BlueMotion® diesel in Europe.
The result? A new record of 1626.1 miles, achieved on one tank of ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel under real world driving conditions. That’s an incredible 99.5 miles better than the old mark. Over the course of three days and driving through nine states, the couple averaged 84.1 miles per gallon, spending only 4.65 cents per mile. The three-day drive commenced on May 3, 2012 in Houston, TX and ended on May 5, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. To make the drive as realistic as possible, the couple included 120 pounds of luggage and drove during daylight hours to experience normal traffic situations. Additionally, the couple took turns driving and didn’t travel more than 14 hours per day.
“We’re excited to have broken the record for the longest distance driven on one-tank of fuel,” said John Taylor. “The Passat TDI was the perfect car for the trip. It offers plenty of interior and cargo space, yet is frugal enough to help us achieve this record.”
The Passat’s 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel inline four-cylinder engine produces 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque and with a manual transmission delivers an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 43 mpg on the highway. The TDI engine is equipped with a Selective Catalytic Reduction System (SCR) that fulfills emissions requirements in all 50 states. The Passat-built at the world’s only LEED Platinum certified automotive factory in Chattanooga, TN-was named Motor Trend’s 2012 Car of the Year.
“The Passat was engineered and designed to be a comfortable yet fun to drive alternative in the midsize segment. The TDI Clean Diesel version unites driving dynamics and fuel efficiency that isn’t found in the competitive set,” said Rainer Michel, Vice President of Product Strategy, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “We’re honored that the Taylors chose the 2012 Passat TDI as the vehicle to set this outstanding distance record. Their record shows just how economical the Passat TDI can be in the right hands.”
Prior to the drive, the speedometer and odometer were calibrated by a state certified testing station in Houston, Texas. Law enforcement officers from the city of Houston, Texas oversaw validation of mileage, fuel fill-up, and gas tank sealing at the beginning of the drive. A Loudoun County, Virginia Sheriff’s Deputy verified completion of the drive and mileage prior to removing the fuel tank seal.
The Taylors have made a career out of driving efficiently and conducting workshops globally on fuel-efficient driving techniques. They have collected more than 90 world fuel economy and vehicle-related records from drives around the globe.
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