The Volkswagen group has achieved in the midst of the industry slump, a good second quarter, and more profits than expected. The wolf Burger beat the competition significantly.
Volkswagen has increased the profit in spite of the feeble car economy strong. The world’s largest carmaker, came in the first half of the year to a profit of ten billion euros from the running of the business, such as the wolf Burger reported on Thursday. Almost two percent more than in the same period of the previous year. The turnover amounted to 125 billion Euro, which is about five percent more.
In the second quarter alone, the auto maker increased its profit by almost 30 per cent to 5.1 billion euros. The rise was particularly high, because people’s car a year ago to 1.6 billion euros, in connection with the diesel scandal were put to one side, which weighed on the balance sheet. Sales increased by almost seven percent to 65 billion euros. “The Volkswagen group has hit in the first half of the year in an overall weakening of the overall market very well,” said chief financial officer Frank Witter.
The competition falters
In contrast to the two domestic rivals BMW and Daimler, Volkswagen reiterated its forecast. Accordingly, the lower Saxony from to go with your twelve marks for this year, unchanged from an increase in sales of up to five percent and an operating margin before special items to be between 6.5 and 7.5 percent.
Earnings were based in the last few months, especially the sports car manufacturer Porsche and the two Truck manufacturers MAN and Scania, the Holding Traton SE is listed recently on the stock exchange. The main VW brand passenger Cars increased its operating profit in the half-year before special items 2.3 (previous year: 2.1) billion euros, and at Audi profit fell around half a billion to 2.3 billion euros.
The market weakness in several regions, the group was able to offset thanks to improvements in the product mix and in prices. This is mainly due to the SUV Boom, the Volkswagen magnificently earned. From the point of view of the company remains to be seen how the trade conflict between the U.S. and China developed, and whether the EU can agree with the UK on a regulated outlet. If this is not successful, could spiral the economy into even greater turmoil.
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VW: The final end of the beetleAs an “old-timer” is still in hot demand
The VW Beetle, the last model rolled out in Mexico, was presented in 2011 as “The 21st Century Beetle” – as the successor to the legendary beetle by Volkswagen, whose history had begun in the 1930s of the last century – and the still lives; for instance, in the so-called classic car meeting, where the cool metal ball is often in the center.
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VW: The final end of the beetleA car for the people …
… it should be! Had Adolf Hitler (in 1936 once the sample is seated – of course in a convertible!) by the engineer Ferdinand Porsche (the only one without a Uniform look to the “leader” called for a critical while Sitting), and Porsche delivered. The great Propaganda use was announced “Volkswagen” was no longer in the times of the Nazi rule but in series.
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VW: The final end of the beetleAround, but not nice
In 1937 the prototype of the later beetle looked like this. The model with the bulky name “type 60 (W30)” was aesthetically a disaster. Bulky as the Name of the rear end: was No Windows, large vents, and the square number plate was enough space. But from the front he was already in the way the clients learned later to love: round and sweet Googly-eye headlights.
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VW: The final end of the beetleNot nice, and some not at all
With the outbreak of war in 1939, the plans for a “Volkswagen” on ice were placed, even the car production was switched to the war effort. So who came to the beetle-developed “Kübelwagen” on all fronts – in the ice or the mud of the Russian steppes in the same way as in the Sands of the Sahara. Outwardly, nothing more is remembered almost to the pre-war car by Ferdinand Porsche.
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VW: The final end of the beetleAlready round, but the main thing is: civil
After the war, the time of the beetle began. The lack of economy in the post-war years required a small and cheap car – and since Volkswagen already had something in the drawer. This lead VW took with the support of the British occupying power. So very civil, the beetle was not even after the war, because even the police recognized the Benefits of this versatile car.
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VW: The final end of the beetleSo Spartan, we went to
And the Automobilist of the early “economic miracle” years was modest. Actually, surprisingly, from today’s point of view, the German but, as far as his car, as a very stand – and prestige-conscious. But at the time was: speedometer-meter – that should be enough! That the glove compartments had remained open, was no matter. You had anyway a lot of what could be accommodated in it.
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VW: The final end of the beetleNo fuel gauge, but the two rear Windows!
Until the 1960s, the German looked up the beetle like tail. There you could see fast of the year. The first beetle had rear a “pretzel window”, a split rear window, as this car of 1951. On the at the time decadent-appearing features such as a fuel gauge or a heating of the German Automobilist could do without for the time being.
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VW: The final end of the beetleEconomic miracle on four wheels
The nickname of the car is to go to a US newspaper in which a Journalist described how once, thousands of these cars by Germany and a picture of a small “beetle” would provide. The colleague must have been a Prophet, because about the way it came since the 1950s, also. The production in Wolfsburg and not at full speed, and afterwards came the demand.
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VW: The final end of the beetleThe dream of freedom
For many Germans, the beetle was not just a car, he was also a status symbol and a cipher for “freedom”. Finally, Otto was able to drive normal consumers in the holiday everywhere. In this model 1200 Berlina after all, even a sunroof is to be admired.
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VW: The final end of the beetleA record after another
In 1955 the millionth beetle rolled off the production line. Since the 17th century. In February 1972, at the time, number 15.007.034 was.completed, he was the most built car in the world. A day of mourning for the beetle to friends of the 30 was. July 2003: With the 21.529.464. The car ended the Era of the beetle, in its original Form. The Comeback was already on the way.
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VW: The final end of the beetleNew Beetle
The re-birth of the beetle dated the 5. January 1998. Since VW unveiled at the auto show in Detroit, the beetle in Retro-Design and named the model “New Beetle”. It is built in the VW plant in Puebla (Mexico). Most important Change: The engine moved from the rear to the front.
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VW: The final end of the beetleBeetle goes Hollywood
The beetle was always more than a car: before the war, the political object of prestige, and after the lost war engine for a whole economy. Then: the status symbol of an entire Generation and the favorite car of your children and grandchildren. No wonder this car also has a film career: As “Herbie: Fully Loaded” has he won for Walt Disney at the box office is still good.
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VW: The final end of the beetleBye-bye Beetle..
.. it was called now but finally. This car was the last of the Beetle with “Final Edition” that ran at the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico from the Band. The beetle is in the country is still very popular. Beetle Taxis dominated for decades the streets of Mexico city. The VW plant in Puebla is one of the largest of the group worldwide.
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VW: The final end of the beetleA love that never ends …
The predecessor of the Beetle the original beetle that hasn’t been built since the age of 16. But the real beetle friends is not the challenge great: you and your car darling continue to celebrate the Meeting and so long as it is in road use. In the more than 21 million vehicles produced, it should not be a lack of replacement parts so soon.
hb/ul (rtr,dpa)