Volkswagen has a bit of a reputation in the German auto industry as carrying some “bloat”. Workers are paid 20% more than the German average, the company has funded the high-profile but incredibly costly Bugatti Veyron, and remarkably few synergies have been developed with its other automotive divisions such as Audi. Recently appointed VW CEO Martin Winterkorn has been working hard to change some of VW’s ways, but Porsche’s entry as majority shareholder will likely shake things up even more. (more…)

Ford Motor Co. has finally sold Aston Martin, a sports car maker it owned along with Land Rover, Jaguar and Volvo, to a British consortium. The consortium is led by Prodrive boss dave Richards, and this could mean a ot of technological collaboration with his company, which is renowned for its motorsport innovations. The price is said to be 439m Pounds, although Ford will retain a 40m Pound stake in the company.

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