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Giorgetto Giugiaro sells shares in legendary styling house to Audi

Giorgetto Giugiaro undoubtedly stands among the great automotive designers of the 20th century, having penned the original Volkswagen Golf and Delorean DMC-12, among countless others. However, the great stylist is now longer an employee or even an owner of the company that bears his name. According to Automotive News, Giugiaro and his son, Fabrizio, sold their remaining 9.9 percent of Italdesign Giugiaro to Audi on Sunday, June 28, and the two resigned from the business the following day. The news about this just came out, though. The exact reason that the two men left the company hasn't been made entirely clear. According to Automotive News, a statement said that Giorgetto Giugiaro went "to dedicate more time to his personal interests." Italdesign Giugiaro remains open and intends to keep growing, though, the same announcement asserts. After stints at Bertone and Ghia, Giugiaro founded Italdesign in 1968. He created some masterpieces there, including '70s wedges like Maserati Merak, Lotus Esprit, and much more. The 2000s weren't so kind and 90.1 percent of the company was sold to Volkswagen Group in 2010. Former Audi design boss Wolfgang Egger took over styling duties there in late 2013, but he only lasted for about a year, leaving in late 2014. Since the sale, Italdesign has continued to work, including with the Gea concept at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and the very mean-looking Parcour in 2013. Giugiaro's designs are still highly prized, as well. On September 5, Bonhams is auctioning the Maserati Boomerang concept by him and expects to get around $4 million for it. The gallery above offers a few more examples of his and Italdesign's concepts for VW Group over the years.

VW recognizes second union at Chattanooga plant

The ongoing story of organizing workers at Volkswagen's factory in Chattanooga, TN, continues to get more complicated. Following an independent audit, the automaker has now recognized a second union at the plant called the American Council of Employees. The group was founded there last year to offer an alternative to the United Auto Workers. "I'm not anti-union. I understand that a properly run union can benefit people. We will be that union," Sean Moss, president of the ACE, said to Reuters, according to Automotive News. The group claims to represent at least 15 percent of the workers at the plant. Acceptance of the ACE has led to an interesting situation in Chattanooga because VW also recognized the UAW at the factory in December 2014, and the group has claimed to represent at least 45 percent of workers there. According to Automotive News, each union has access to management, but the UAW has more because of its larger contingent of supporters. However, neither organization has a collective bargaining agreement with the automaker. Moss may have a rough time increasing support among employees at the factory. According to Automotive News, many anti-UAW workers there are completely against unions in general. Getting these folks to join his group isn't an easy task. The UAW has been working to fully represent the VW factory for years. However, the group lost a vote to do so in 2014. It eventually created a union local there to try to build support. All of the effort comes ahead of a $900 million plant expansion to add about 2,000 jobs and build a new crossover in Tennessee. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Erik Schelzig / AP Photo Plants/Manufacturing UAW/Unions Volkswagen chattanooga vw chattanooga chattanooga tennessee ace

Skoda's next concept is a 300-mile electric SUV

If you thought Volkswagen wasn't serious about electric vehicles, think again. Its subsidiary Skoda will reveal an electric SUV concept called the Vision E at the Shanghai auto show in a few weeks. Not only is it the fourth all-electric concept shown by the VW group (following the I.D., I.D. Buzz, and Sedric), but it previews the electrified future of Skoda, which announced that it will have five pure EVs in its lineup by 2025. The Vision E is just as impressive as the company's electric ambitions, too. It boasts a roughly 310-mile range on a charge, and packs a motor that makes about 300 horsepower. The car will be capable of level 3 autonomy, which will allow it to operate autonomously on highways, in stop-and-go traffic, and to find parking spaces. Its top speed isn't amazing at around 111 mph, but it isn't a sports car. Rather, it's an "SUV coupe" similar to the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. As such it has a more sedan-like back. The styling is also unique with full-width headlights and foglights, and another lighting element that extends from the front fender down the doors. The only obviously Skoda styling cue is the bulge down the center of the hood. The Vision E is also similar to the X6 and GLC Coupe in other ways. Its specs are quite close to those crossovers, particularly the Mercedes. It's a few inches shorter than the GLC Coupe, but it's an inch wider. It also makes the same amount of horsepower as the entry-level X6 and outguns the Mercedes by an impressive 59 horsepower. Of course, these are figures currently only projected and hypothetical since the Vision E is a concept, but it helps us get an idea of what this vehicle is like. So far, Skoda has only released sketches of the concept. We'll have to wait until the Shanghai show to see the real thing. Related Video: