Flying Spur*chromes*rear Exec Seats*black/red*carfax Cert*we Finance*fla on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Wolfgang D?rheimer retakes the reins at Bentley and Bugatti

Wolfgang Dürheimer is still in play, with Bentley Motors announcing that he will return to the Chairman and CEO slot of the English company and French division Bugatti on June 1, 2014. He'll probably remember those chairs from the last time he filled them, since he was promoted to both positions in 2010 and remained there until September 2012, when he was installed as the head of R&D at Audi. That job only lasted until June of 2013, his nine-month tenure reported to be full of corporate drama that lead to his dismissal from the position.
But as if on gardening leave, he's been in the low-profile position of General Representative of the Volkswagen Group responsible for motorsport. Once back at Bentley, he will take over as the company works on getting its SUV to market and expanding its range. Both of those briefs Dürheimer will know well, having proved his ability at Porsche in the first decade of the new millennium. And even though no longer at Audi, his hybrid days don't appear to be over, as Bentley recently announced that it will hybridize of 90 percent of its lineup.
Dürheimer will also take on a third position, joining a VW Group committee focused on the US and Chinese markets. His successor at Bentley and Bugatti, Wolfgang Schreiber, has been promoted to "a leading position within the Volkswagen Group." There's a brief press release below with the official words.

VW Group to split brands under four holding companies

The Volkswagen Group is planning a tremendous shift in its internal structure that will decentralize operations by splitting its 12 brands into four different holding companies. Here's the breakdown. Things will be split logically, considering the inter-sharing of parts, platforms, and engines. The Volkswagen brand, Seat, and Skoda make up a passenger vehicle division led by former BMW man Herbert Diess. Audi, which is tightly intertwined with Lamborghini and motorcycle manufacturer Ducati, will be managed by current Audi exec Rupert Stadler. Porsche and Bentley, which are already quite close, will be joined by Bugatti and run by Matthias Mueller. Finally, a commercial vehicles division will include Volkswagen Commercial, Scania, and Man. Former Daimler exec Andreas Renschler will take care of the big vehicles. The massive move, according to Automotive News Europe, is part of an internal VAG effort to move away from the structure established by ousted Chairman Ferdinand Piech, who favored a compact, but highly centralized, management structure to oversee the independent actions of the company's brands. Criticism of Piech's arrangement stemmed from the company's slow responses to changes in the market, ANE reports. The new structure should make for a more efficient, streamlined company that's better able to make crucial decisions. What are your thoughts? Should VAG decentralize, or did Piech have the right idea? Have your say in Comments.

Drive a Bentley | The List #0017

There's just something about a Bentley. The brand exudes luxury. There's nothing quite like driving or getting chauffeured in one of these classically British vehicles. On this episode of The List, hosts Jessi Combs and Patrick McIntyre head all the way to the UK to investigate Bentley's heritage and drive a shiny new Mulsanne. To start the trip off, our hosts drop by the Bentley Factory in Crewe to learn how the cars are made. Every aspect is crafted with precision and care, taking up to two weeks to complete each car. Our hosts even busted a few stereotypes about the brand during their trip. "I thought Bentleys were supposed to be grandma cars," said Jessi, enjoying the high life in the luxurious back seat of the Mulsanne. "It's more of a beast than anything," Patrick responds from behind the wheel. From learning about the 400-hour manufacturing process for one vehicle, to getting behind the wheel and feeling the power of the 505-horsepower engine, this is an episode of The List you won't want to miss. Click here to find more episodes of The List Click here to learn more about our hosts, Jessi and Patrick Bentley The List Videos Original Video bentley mulsanne jessi combs patrick mcintyre