# Audi vs Volkswagen Argument Regarding EV Powertrains Bunk Says Automotive News



## [email protected] (Apr 9, 2004)

Earlier this week Audi and its parent The Volkswagen Group were in the headlines in the Financial Times Deutschland because of an apparent debate between the management of the two companies regarding how to proceed with new EV and hybrid technologies. At the center of the supposed debate was the powertrain technology shown in the A1 e-tron with its rotary engine range extender. 

According to the FTD report, Volkswagen was pushing for a standard strategy across all 10 brands and a Volkswagen source of FTD was claimed to have called Ingolstadt's push to proceed with the A1 e-tron drivetrain "anarchic". 

Automotive News now reports that a representative from Audi denies the claim and that a rep from Volkswagen was unavailable for comment.

*So What's Our Take?*
We're guessing FTD's source wasn't all that strong. Yes Audi does have a healthy dose of autonomy from the Volkswagen Group and even manages the Lamborghini brand. Still, the Volkswagen Group has always stayed quite unified in its moves and the fact that Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is closely tied to both Martin Winterkorn and Ferdinand Piech make this hard to believe. Further, this A1 e-tron concept may have even begun gestation while Winterkorn or his chief engine czar Wolfgang Hatz were at Audi. In other words, we find the notion of a feud hard to believe.

Read more of the Automotive News report after the jump.

* Full Story *


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