Volkswagen Isn't Rebranding Itself Voltswagen (wsj.com) 63
Volkswagen is staying Volkswagen. From a report: Volkswagen's U.S. subsidiary said Tuesday the company would rebrand itself as Voltswagen of America to promote its electric car strategy, but a spokesman for the parent company in Germany later said the move was a joke. The name change, which immediately lit up social media and online news sites, was originally intended as an early April Fools' Day stunt to get people talking about VW's ambitious electric car strategy as the company rolls out its first all-electric sport-utility vehicle, the ID. 4, in U.S. dealerships, the spokesman said. The problem for VW is that everyone took it seriously, creating confusion about the company's intentions and moving the shares, putting VW's communications team on the defensive. "We didn't mean to mislead anyone," a Volkswagen spokesman in Wolfsburg told The Wall Street Journal. "The whole thing is just a marketing action to get people talking about the ID.4."
The spoof began late Monday, when VW communications in the U.S. published a draft of the press release on the company's website and then quickly took it down, according to VW officials in Germany. They left the document online long enough to grab the attention of journalists and VW fans, sparking a flood of online news and tweets. VW communications officials in the U.S. declined to comment at the time. VW's U.S. unit published the release in full again on Tuesday on the U.S. website, a move that suggested the name change was in fact real and would take effect as stated in the release in May. The press release quoted Scott Keogh as president and CEO of Voltswagen of America saying: "We might be changing out our K for a T, but what we aren't changing is this brand's commitment to making best-in-class vehicles for drivers and people everywhere." Back in Germany, a VW official told the Journal that the name change shouldn't be taken seriously. "There will be no name change," the official said. But after it became clear the joke's intended recipients were doing exactly that, officials in Germany scrambled to reach their colleagues at VW's U.S. headquarters in Herndon, Va., to pull the plug on the campaign, according to Wolfsburg officials.
The spoof began late Monday, when VW communications in the U.S. published a draft of the press release on the company's website and then quickly took it down, according to VW officials in Germany. They left the document online long enough to grab the attention of journalists and VW fans, sparking a flood of online news and tweets. VW communications officials in the U.S. declined to comment at the time. VW's U.S. unit published the release in full again on Tuesday on the U.S. website, a move that suggested the name change was in fact real and would take effect as stated in the release in May. The press release quoted Scott Keogh as president and CEO of Voltswagen of America saying: "We might be changing out our K for a T, but what we aren't changing is this brand's commitment to making best-in-class vehicles for drivers and people everywhere." Back in Germany, a VW official told the Journal that the name change shouldn't be taken seriously. "There will be no name change," the official said. But after it became clear the joke's intended recipients were doing exactly that, officials in Germany scrambled to reach their colleagues at VW's U.S. headquarters in Herndon, Va., to pull the plug on the campaign, according to Wolfsburg officials.
Re:Boycott Volkswagen (Score:4, Informative)
Fuck Volkswagen indeed, but it has to be said that the ID.3 is a good car and the ID.4 looks like it will also be pretty decent.
I don't know if they purged the people behind the emissions scandal or if the EV division is separate or what, but they have made some genuinely great electric cars that are also quite affordable.
Re: (Score:3)
VW does plenty of cross-pollination. They were doing it even before they consolidated all those brands, with occasional collaborations between the various automakers now in the group. While each brand has some autonomy, there's plenty of cooperation as well, so there's obviously some kind of top-down organization. Germans love order ;)
Seriously though, VW could have done this at any time. They didn't because it was easier not to. And of course, there's something honest to be said about this being the moment
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:1)
The run on fossil fuels. I'm done with fossil cars, I only but EVs now.
2 hours at 85 MPH is 170 miles. Their EVs will do that no problem on a single charge.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: Boycott Volkswagen (Score:2)
No it "is" not.
Nothing "is", with that company.
If somebody lies once, he can never be trusted again.
It's only "good" until you find out where you've been lied to.
Re:Boycott Volkswagen (Score:5, Informative)
Anyone who buys a Volkswagen or Audi supports an inherently corrupt corporation that has done billions of dollars of damage to our environment.
Every or at least almost every car company has cheated on emissions at some point. For example Mercedes and BMW both got fined for diesel cheating at about the same time it was happening at VW. Guess what they all have in common? Yeah, it's Bosch. They all use tons of modules made by Robert Bosch GmbH's "mobility solutions" group. Notably, PCMs (powertrain control modules) that had to be fiddled in order to cheat on emissions tests. And they had to be fiddled with Bosch's help.
However, the problem was definitely not restricted to the Germans [wikipedia.org]. FCA, GM, Nissan, and Renault have all been caught cheating on diesel emissions to some degree recently, GM, Honda and Ford have all been caught cheating on gas emissions in the past, literally all the heavy truck engine manufacturers have been dinged for using inadequate emissions logic, and so on.
With that said, I don't believe that Mazda has a history of cheating on emissions, only of making vehicles which inherently tend to wear and produce poor emissions — specifically, cars with rotary engines. But they were some of the first to notice that something stinky was going on at VW because while VW was developing their early TDI motors, Mazda was working on a similar engine and they couldn't figure out how VW was getting their performance numbers while also meeting the emissions regulations. As it turned out, they weren't. So perhaps Mazda's small size makes them hesitant to cheat on emissions as they might actually be punished.
Re: (Score:3)
Re:Boycott Volkswagen (Score:4, Insightful)
The VW thing was about unlocking performance after the emission testing right?
The VW thing was about detecting the test conditions and shifting to an eco tune which was never used in real world driving.
But if we are being honest, people dont buy VW because of those things. They buy it for 2 reasons. 1) VW have great responsiveness and performance.
That's what VW couldn't manage while not using DEF injection and also meeting emissions standards. They didn't want to make the cars more expensive with a $1000+ DEF system, and they didn't want to make them sluggish. Instead, they implemented a software "defeat device" which detected the test conditions and gamed the test.
Mazda managed it just a few years later, so it's not something that was impossible. VW just gave up and cheated instead.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
So technically if one set the software to always be in test mode they Would be compliant.
They recalled affected models and reprogrammed them to make them drive in a mode that would pass the test, which reduced their mileage.
Every prius driver i get behind takes off like 60yr old blind betty. Takes them a good 4 min just to get to 35mph.
I just wish they would stay out of the passing lane when they're not passing, which they generally aren't doing.
Re: Boycott Volkswagen (Score:2)
So? "Everyone does it" makes crime OK now?
It's not even fucking true that is was "everyone".
Fuckig shill.
Re: Boycott Volkswagen (Score:2)
Got anything to back it up?
And even if: That means you boycott them ALL.
Or are you saying you're a spineless fuck with no principes and no standards.
Re: Boycott Volkswagen (Score:3, Insightful)
Fuck everyone. The corporate phbs promised science fiction and unicorn farts to stay in the good graces of the politicians and the engineers had to cheat to make it happen because there was no way it was going to happen honestly.
That's the lesson we should have all learned from Richard Feynman: "nature cannot be fooled." You cannot have more than about 120 mpg or whatever the number is even with a perfect engine because of air resistance, you cannot get more than maybe 90% or so of that mpge because of elec
Re: (Score:2)
Fuck everyone. The corporate phbs promised science fiction and unicorn farts to stay in the good graces of the politicians and the engineers had to cheat to make it happen because there was no way it was going to happen honestly.
Mazda managed to get their light diesel to be peppy and meet emissions standards. It wasn't impossible. It was just too hard for VW, whose competence has been grossly exaggerated.
Re: (Score:2)
However it seems, that VW took its punishment in stride and seemed to work to make sure they are not going the same route again.
Many car makers would just be passive aggressive with news rules and finding loopholes to delay implementation and waiting for an administration that will give them a free pass.
For example GM was required to have a particular percentage of its fleet Electric. So they bought a bunch of Golf Carts, and updated the firmware to make them go at road speeds. Never sold too many. When
Boycott Volkswagen (Score:2)
Quoting the Slashdot story: "... originally intended as an early April Fools' Day stunt..."
It's NOT an "April Fools' Day stunt" if it is not on April 1, and there is no explanation. It seems that Volkswagen is still extremely lacking in management ability.
Re: (Score:2)
"We didn't mean to mislead anybody, just to make them look foolish by tricking them."
Wait, what?
Re: Boycott Volkswagen (Score:2)
It's a good excuse for *LYING*.
"Good", in the sense of, "Ir gets morons like OP to actually fall for it. lol.".
With a world full of online Trolls... (Score:3)
...April Fools Day, and the gags that go along with it, are essentially pointless and obsolete now.
Re: (Score:2)
Deceptacons (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Who thought this stunt would be a good idea?
This is such a waste of time and resources, and in return, you get negative publicity. If they wanted that, why not make a bunch of racial slurs. It would go viral, give you negative publicity, and be much cheaper. This is always a red flag to me. If a company has plenty of time to make stupid April Fool's jokes, they are clearly too top heavy and have people sitting around wasting time, or they lack any focus on actually doing work. I suspect both.
Re: (Score:2)
He doesn't want to get into trouble with DreamWorks?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Except it worked. For a few days, there was lots of discussion about VW's push into electric vehicles. As a joke, it wasn't really funny, but as a viral marketing strategy, it certainly was effective.
The amount of Trolls (including those in marketing) is really only a side effect.
The fact that society as a whole, is stupid and gullible enough to believe it every damn time, is the actual problem to solve.
Re: (Score:2)
An epidemic of unserious people (Score:2)
Touch screen gear selectors, securities-fraud-level april fools jokes, Mary Barra doing her best Steve Jobs impersonation announcing a new EV lineup.
The automotive industry is no longer the domain of hard-nosed and serious-minded people. Not sure if it ever was, maybe they were always clowns behind closed doors, but at least they had the good sense to wear suits and ties and keep their crazy in check in public.
God help us when the silliness culture gets into aerospace, medicine, and electricity generation.
Re: (Score:1)
Gear Selectors don't need to physical anymore. Most are so Drive by Wire Anyways that they are just there for the sake they were there in the past.
Also the suite wearing thing was more of a cultural issue. Back in the 1950's nearly every white collar job people wore a suit. Today a suite sends a different message, where it use to be I take my job serious, now it just states, I am being formal because I need to Impress a person.
Re: (Score:3)
Suits were a sign of respect for fellow workers and put people into work mode. Now it's just show up in your PJs and it's all good - then people wonder why it seems like they are working all day and night, there is no 'work mode attire' anymore.
Re: (Score:2)
Physical / not physical doesn't matter, the point is that if every car makes theirs different it is hard to just switch cars and go.
Manuals are pretty much the same though.
Re: (Score:2)
Suits were/are a form of collective stupidity: let's force everyone to wear cumbersome, uncomfortable, expensive clothing by judging them on their looks instead of their performance.
I'll show my respect of my coworkers by treating them decently regardless of what they're wearing.
Re: (Score:2)
Try rocking yourself out of a snowbank with a touchscreen.
Re: An epidemic of unserious people (Score:2)
Teslas are made by and for Californians. That's why they aren't equipped for cold or rainy weather (touch screen windshield wipers wtf)
Duh (Score:2)
Anyone who thought this was real probably believed the IHOB [usatoday.com] story.
Re: (Score:2)
Kind of obvious for anyone with German knowledge (Score:2)
A linking "s" is not used after Volt in a German compound word, so changing "k" for a "t" would not be enough, the "s" after Volt must be deleted as well.
Re: Kind of obvious for anyone with German knowled (Score:2)
Voltswagen -- Volt's Wagen -- "des Voltes Wagen" -- "der Wagen des Volt(e)s" -- "the car of the volt".
Maybe you should learn German first. Not Denglish.
Re: (Score:2)
Right back at you. Using articles for names is a shitty habit. Besides, the name is Volta, not Volte, you dumbass.
In related news... (Score:1)
Ford will not be changing to "Farad"
Oldsmobile will not be changing to "Ohmsmobile" ...
Re: (Score:2)
Oldsmobile is gone. Part of the GM Restructuring from bankruptcy over a decade ago.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: In related news... (Score:2)
GM will become GE...
Re: (Score:2)
theyu changed their mind (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Pretty sure that the Germans already tried that brand and the world said no thanks
It didn't make too much sense. (Score:2)
It didn't seem to make that much sense. As Volkswagen is a well known brand even in the United States. Even changing its name, would create a bit of confusion and perhaps make it seem like their product is a 3rd party ripoff name. Like Sorney and Magnetbox.
However companies had done stupid stuff like that in the past, sometimes with success and other times with failure.
But at this point while a lot of traditional automakers are putting big words behind their electric cars, they only have a small number of A
Re: (Score:2)
Re:It didn't make too much sense. (Score:5, Funny)
If they were to redraw a logo with a pair of lightning bolts, this would have very different connotations in Germany. Perhaps best to just leave things as they are.
Jokeswagen (Score:3)
Volkswagen already is a joke.
Re: (Score:2)
It would be. But it's a very close #2 in the world by number of cars produced.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
WSJ? (Score:2)
Seriously, you couldn't link to any other website than the freakin' WSJ?
April 1st is the only April fools day. (Score:4, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
Any PR releases that are supposed to be "early" April fools jokes that are released with a serious tone, are not funny. This makes Volkswagen's marketing people look like buffoons. Stop and think about what you release as people take it seriously, as long as it's not released on the actual April 1st.
Dumb move.
Agreed. My guess is the release of the draft PR was a mistake that basically ruined the entire joke and the subsequent early issue of the press release was an effort to salvage the joke.
Either way, it's perfectly legit to setup a joke before April 1st, but to actually make it early is a dumb move.
So I got fooled (Score:2)
into registering voltswagenforums.com?
Fak...
They should still take advantage of the hype. (Score:2)
They should still take advantage of the hype they generated, and call a particular car model Voltswagen.
Canceling my id.4 order (Score:2)
I didn't buy a Tesla because they are annoying. Bought Bolt EV instead. Have money down on id.4, but I don't want to buy from another embarrassment.
Thanks again, mass media! (Score:2)
That's how we got SJWs:
No matter if it's crazy, or if it is a joke,
you take it ALL seriously
because you're a slowpoke.
Whatever's growing in a hole,
it makes you get a sturdy pole,
to shine a spotlight on that shit;
ruining the world with it.