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Volkswagen rolls out all-new Polo R WRC

Volkswagen may have ruled out producing a road-going Polo more potent than the new GTI, but on the rally stage, the Polo R WRC has proven absolutely dominant. Introduced to the World Rally Championship in 2013, the Polo R won ten out of the baker's dozen rallies in its debut season, and all but one last year to win both titles two years running. That's quite an act to follow, and the task falls to the machine you see here. The new second-generation Polo R WRC was just revealed at Autostadt in Wolfsburg. The rally machine has been substantially reworked for 2015, with a new livery, new bodywork and new oily bits. In fact, Volkswagen says it has revised three quarters of the components, and while it has not yet detailed the "many new ideas [implemented] under the bonnet," it has identified the hydraulic gearbox as "the biggest innovation." Further details are still to come, but this is our first look at the new machine with which Sebastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala and Andreas Mikkelsen – who finished last year's championship in first, second and third, respectively – will tackle this year's championship, starting with the Rally Monte Carlo on January 22-25. FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) New technology, new design: presenting the second generation Polo R WRC - World premiere of the 318-hp Polo R WRC in Wolfsburg - Member of the Board, Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, launches title defence - WRC kicks off with the iconic Rally Monte Carlo from 22–25 January Wolfsburg (15 January 2015). In top form, both technically and visually: Volkswagen presented the second generation of the Polo R WRC in Autostadt, Wolfsburg. The works team from Wolfsburg has its sights set firmly on another successful defence of its titles in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with a new car and a new look. Volkswagen completed a clean sweep of all the World Championship titles when the Polo R WRC made its debut in 2013, before repeating this impressive feat last season. Continuity is the key to the driving line-up for 2015: double world champions Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) and team-mates Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) and Andreas Mikkelsen/Ola Floene (N/N) will roll down the starting ramp and head onto the first special stage of the year for Volkswagen at the legendary Rally Monte Carlo on 22 January. "The new Polo R WRC has undergone intense further development, both on the inside and the outside," said Dr.

$1.4B hedge fund suit against Porsche dismissed

Investors have canvassed courts in Europe and the US to repeatedly sue Porsche over its failed attempt to take over Volkswagen in 2008 (see here, and here and here), and they have repeatedly failed to win any cases. You can add another big loss to the tally, with Bloomberg reporting that the Stuttgart Regional Court has dismissed a 1.4-billion euro ($1.95B US) lawsuit, the decision explained by the court's assertion that the investors would have lost on their short bets even if Porsche hadn't misled them.
Examining the hedge funds' motives for stock purchases and the bets that VW share prices would fall, judge Carola Wittig said that the funds didn't base their decisions on the key bits of "misinformation," and instead were participating simply in "highly speculative and naked short selling," only to get caught out.
With other cases still pending, the continued streak of victories bodes well for Porsche's courtroom fortunes, since judges will expect new information to consider overturning precedent. If there is any new info, it could come from the potential criminal cases still outstanding against former CEO Wendelin Wiedeking and CFO Holger Härter, who were both indicted on charges of market manipulation.

Volkswagen Group, BMW Z4 top Total Value Awards by Strategic Vision

It was just nine months ago that Strategic Vision announced its 2011 Total Value Awards, but you don't have to wait until next year for the 2012 awards. The Volkswagen Group keeps its lead as the number one brand, with seven products taking top category spots: Golf, Jetta Wagon, CC, Eos and Audi A3 Wagon, Q5 and Q7. Strategic Vision says "true innovation" - "rich and impactful, intuitive, motivational, in-depth and is able to trigger description by the user in great specificity" - is the open secret of the brands with the strongest showings. Results are culled from 77,153 owners covering more than 350 new cars bought between September of 2011 and 2012 ranked in the Total Value Index (TVI).
Other notable winners are Hyundai-Kia following VW in the brand category and having the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Sorento among category winners, the BMW Z4 taking the premium roadster category and the highest overall score of any vehicle, the Chevrolet Volt continuing to gather silverware in the Special Category, nabbing the second-highest score of all and representative of "nearly perfect innovation," and Chrysler and Dodge being most improved.
Check out the press release below for your day's dose of jargon and all the winners.