VW boss Herbert Diess
The car manager does not find the works council’s criticism of the management board justified.
(Photo: REUTERS)
Düsseldorf A war of words has begun in Wolfsburg. A day after the VWWorks Council had publicly complained about massive problems with the start of production of the new Golf 8, reports VolkswagenCEO Herbert Diess to speak. In a post on the LinkedIn career network the CEO contradicts his own works council. From the company’s perspective, production of the Golf 8 was successful.
CEO Diess goes one step further. “According to the quality indicators that we closely observe from customers and dealers during each attempt, the Golf attempt has been one of the best we have ever had,” Diess wrote in his LinkedIn post on Friday. He therefore congratulates the technical development of the group and the production team at the Wolfsburg plant.
With the start of production of the new Golf in the eighth generation, a good basis was also laid for sister models from other group brands, which were also launched this year. This called the A3 from Audi, the Skoda Octavia and the Seat Leon. In the coming months the product range will also be expanded to include the Golf with its sporty GTI and GTD variants, Diess continues. The GTE plug-in hybrid also followed.
From Herbert Diess’ point of view, the Golf has convinced dealers “all along the line” since it started selling in December. The new Golf is again the top model in the compact class for carbon dioxide reduction, digital networking and security. “In comparison tests, the Golf also surpasses premium competitors with confidence,” emphasizes the VW boss.
Criticism of “overzealous board members”
The day before it had sounded very different at the Volkswagen works council in Wolfsburg. Instead of the planned 100,000 copies of the new Golf 8, just under 8,400 units were produced at the main Wolfsburg plant last year, VW works council chief Bernd Osterloh criticized in the in-house newspaper “Mit determination”.
The question of guilt was quickly resolved by Osterloh. “Overzealous board members want to put too much technology into a car too quickly – and they have failed,” he wrote. “The board of directors caused chaos at the golf launch with wrong decisions and wrong priorities. Fortunately, the workforce is ready with all flexibility to clear up this chaos again. It will be a lot of work, but we know what we are doing it for, ”added Daniela Cavallo, the deputy chairwoman of the works council.
Osterloh also complained that the variety in the Golf model range had been reduced too much just to somehow get the production started. So there were no aggregates, colors and equipment, as well as an economical 1.0 TSI base engine. “After all, it is almost ten percent of the customers that would be covered,” emphasized the works council chief.
ID.3 should be delivered in summer
Like Chief Executive Diess in his LinkedIn replica, Bernd Osterloh had never given any names directly. But everyone in Wolfsburg knows that the works council chief’s criticism is aimed directly at Diess and the VW development area. This will pose further conflicts between the chairman of the board and the head of the works council in the coming weeks. A castle peace between the two sides that was closed three years ago could break permanently.
As with the Golf 8, there are major problems with the new software for the first pure electric model ID.3. Volkswagen plans to deliver more than 30,000 copies to its first customers this summer, but the software for the new car is still not ready. The vehicles are already being produced – but without software. As soon as it is ready, it will be uploaded to the ID.3 copies that have already been produced in the coming weeks.
Volkswagen hopes that the software will be ready by the end of May, it was said in corporate circles. If the company manages to meet this schedule, 400 to 500 electric cars could be retrofitted with the new software every day. The vehicles would therefore be delivered to customers in good time in the summer.
More:Golf 8 becomes a problem for VW – this is Osterloh’s criticism