Setting a few "facts" straight

[ScharfR@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-01-16 12:47:35 EST, coolidge@nicom.com (George S Achorn
III) writes:

<< Audi and VW are like Chrysler and Plymouth if you will. The only overlap
 in their product lines is perhaps the A4 and the new Passat >>

And the new Audi A3 versus the Golf/GTI.
 
 
<<	Porsche is the last privately owned Sports car builder in the world. >>

What about TVR?



<<  They are still owned by the family of Ferdinand Porsche. I think at one
time VW
 had some controlling interest, but the Porsche's and the Piech's bought it
 all back. >>

Actually, Volkswagen had exclusive rights to Porsche's outside development
capacity until the late '60s.  After that Porsche began cultivating its major
business in contract development for most of the players in the car business.
 VWAG never had any financial/ownership interest in Porsche and the
Piech/Porsche families have never relinquished their control over the company
except to sell non-voting stock to raise capital.



<< 	Ever wonder why the way cool Avus and Spyder Quattro's were never built?
 Porsche was week and almost selling out at the time, possibly to Benz or
 BMW. VW did not have the cash to buy, they were also weak. So, with the 911
 redesign about to happen, an Avus and especially the Spyder would have
 possibly killed Porsche as a private company, and there is more than one
 person on VWs board who didn't want that to happen.   >>

Pure conjecture.  Sounds nice, but few facts.  More likely scenario is that
Audi (and VW) simply didn't have the money to "productionize" either of these
show cars.  Neither one was anywhere near ready for serious production when
shown in Frankfurt/Tokyo.