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From YourSITE.com Events Coverage The Volkswagen Group’s ‘Night of Driving Ideas’ concept began at last September’s Frankfurt Auto Show – a master evening reveal of the group’s most highlighted new models and concepts. Volkswagen Group boss Dr. Martin Winterkorn followed with another all-stops-pulled event in Geneva, kicking off the night confirming the group’s purchase of a controlling share in truckmaker Scania – their new “ninth brand”. Also, Winterkorn mentioned Porsche’s intent to buy a controlling share of the VW Group as a whole. This news was just the beginning.
Featuring a high-budget James Bond inspired film, a spy named only “X” pilots his way around Europe using the various new cars of the Volkswagen Group. Audi is featured early in the film, with Audi boss Rupert Stadler offering some of the best acting of the bunch, quipping “You’re late!” when the spy known as X arrives for his Audi brief. Even Audi development chief Michael Dick makes an appearance when his baby the R8 V12 TDI painted crimson red made a cameo.
That wouldn’t be the only time for the R8. Following Stadler’s arrival in an A4 Avant and a short introduction on stage, Dick piloted the crimson R8 V12 TDI under the spotlights to join the Audi chief. Now dubbed the “R8 V12 TDI Le Mans”, we hear this might be the same car shown in Detroit, but with a handsome new paint job and some minor changes.
Another mid-engine car from the group was the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4. ‘560’ is for 560 horsepower from the new 5.2-liter mill found beneath the hood – bumped from 5.0 to the same displacement as the Audi S6 and S8. ‘4’ stands for the car’s permanent all-wheel drive. Lamborghini boss Stephan Winkelmann also confirmed that the car’s eGear system has also been substantially improved.
Other new Volkswagen Group cars were also stars this evening. The biggest news was Volkswagen’s reveal of a new production-ready Scirocco and there was also a seven-passenger Caddy van from their commercial division. Bentley showed their Brooklands coupe, Bugatti a black-on-black Veyron, but not the special Bugatti Veyron by Hermes planned for tomorrow at the show. Skoda showed the new Superb with unique new dual trunk that makes the car a traditional sedan or a five-door, while Spanish subsidiary SEAT showed a great-looking 3-door concept called Boca Negra that will hopefully be heavily copied when the next-generation Ibiza comes to fruition.
After the presentation, attending journalists were ushered into the Volkswagen Brand World – a large hall with sections dedicated to each of their marques. All of the cars presented were on display, though the R8 was spirited away to be put on the Audi stand at the expo center, replaced by a white Q7 V12 TDI.
It’s hard not to be impressed by the momentum of the Volkswagen Group. Audi itself leads the charge, continuing at its own break-neck pace. In addition to the A4 Avant, Q7 V12 TDI and R8 V12 TDI design study shown this evening, the new TT 2.0 TDI, Q7 V12 TDI coastline design study and the 2008 season B8-based A4 DTM racecar will all join the fold on the Audi stand at the Geneva Pal Expo center tomorrow morning.
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