Volswagen Group

Volkswagen Group (sometimes abbreviated to VW Group and previously known as VAG) is a German automobile manufacturinggroup. As of 2008, Volkswagen was ranked as the world’s third largest motor vehicle manufacturer.

The Group's parent company Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, (FWB: VOW3), usually abbreviated to Volkswagen AG, develops vehicles and components for all marques of the whole Group, and also manufactures complete vehicles for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles marques. Volkswagen Group is divided into two primary divisions: the Automotive Division, and the Financial Services Division. The Group consists of 342 Group companies, which are involved in either vehicle production or other related automotive services.

Corporate Structure, Brands And Companies

The Volkswagen Group comprises nine active automotive companies, and their corresponding marques:

 AUDI AG, the Audi Group, and the Audi marque

99.55% ownership; the Audi marque is the sole active marque of the former Auto Union, bought from Daimler-Benz on 30 December 1964.

Audi AG wholly own the private high performance subsidiary company, quattro GmbH.

 Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., and the Lamborghini marque

100% ownership by Audi AG; company was bought in June 1998.

 Bentley Motors Limited, and the Bentley marque

100% ownership by Volkswagen AG; the company (at the time known as Rolls-Royce & Bentley Motors Ltd.) was bought on 28 July 1998 from Vickers, but did not include the 'Rolls-Royce' brand name. The Rolls-Royce marque was subsequently restarted by BMW who had licensed the brand from Rolls-Royce plc.

 Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S., and the Bugatti marque

100% ownership via the Volkswagen France subsidiary, Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. was created after Volkswagen Group purchased the right to the Bugatti marque.

 SEAT, S.A., and the SEAT marque

100% ownership since 1990; initially in 1982 a co-operation agreement with Audi AG; 51% and 75% ownership in 1986, being the first non-German subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.

 Škoda automobilová a.s., Škoda Auto, and the Škoda marque

100% ownership since 2000; initially in 1991 a co-operation agreement and 31% ownership.

 Volkswagen Passenger Cars, and the Volkswagen marque

the founding marque of the company, 100% ownership.

 Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV), or German: Volkswagen

Nutzfahrzeuge (VWN) 100% ownership; started operations as an independent entity in 1995. VWCV/VWN is in charge of all commercial vehicle developments within the Group, and has control over Scania AB and is a major shareholder in MAN SE.

 Scania AB (publ), and the Scania marque (controlling shareholder)

Acquired July 2008 becoming the 9th marque of the Group, 70.94% of voting rights as of 30 November 2009.

Note: From July 1998 until December 2002, the Group's Bentley division also sold cars under the Rolls-Royce marque, under an agreement with BMW, which had bought the rights to the Rolls-Royce name, but not the Rolls-Royce operations. From 2003, only BMW has been able to make cars under the Rolls-Royce marque.

The Group also owns five inactive marques, via Audi AG:

 Auto Union (the Auto Union company, together with NSU Motorenwerke AG (NSU), were merged into "Audi NSU Auto-Union AG" in 1969. The name was shortened to "Audi AG" in 1985, and the interlocked four-ring badge from Auto Union is still used by Audi AG).

 Dampf-Kraft-Wagen (DKW)

 Horch

 NSU Motorenwerke AG (NSU) - bought in 1969 by Volkswagen AG, and merged into Audi AG; the NSU brand has not been used since 1977. However, the current Audi AG shares trade under the ticker symbol "NSU".

 Wanderer

These heritage marques are retained and managed through the companies Auto Union GmbH and NSU GmbH, both of which are 100% owned by Audi AG.


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_group