Would you ride a Volkswagen?

Beetle manufacturer wants to get onto two wheels

Posted: 16 April 2008
by Visordown News

Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piech, who fronts Europe’s largest automotive manufacturer, is interested in his group acquiring a bike brand. ‘I would still like a small, valuable motorcycle manufacturer,’ Piech said in an interview for Germany’s Stern magazine held jointly with his cousin, Porsche chairman Wolfgang Porsche.

He reportedly regrets missing out on Ducati when it was in serious trouble in 1985. ‘We could have snapped it up for peanuts then,’ admits Piech, a 71-year-old Austrian billionaire who actually owns and rides a Ducati.

Piech and Porsche, the two grandsons of VW Beetle creator Ferdinand Porsche, are currently backing the reunification of their companies in a controversial takeover of Volkswagen by Porsche. The latter raised its stake in VW last year to 31 per cent and aims to acquire majority control as soon as all the European and German regulatory authorities approve the deal. Trades unions representing Volkswagen workers, led by militant convenor Bernd Osterloh, are opposed to the takeover.

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Discuss this story

Perry Edsell

I would. Depending of course on what type of bike they build. I imagine they could go the same route as bmw. Perhaps it would be best not to buy there first modle though and see the reviews a year later to be sure. VW do make reliable cars and certanly turned skoda around, so I cant see why they couldn't use there good engineering skills and strive for perfection when it comes to a bike.

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 09:38

Velocifero

Are they planning to make a bike?
Would you ride a Vauxhall?

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 12:10

ink ink

The Amazonas, a <a href="http://www.visordown.com/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazilian</a>-built motorcycle manufactured from 1978 to 1990, used a modified 1600-cc Beetle engine and gearbox. With a dry weight that could top 350 kg (800 pounds), the Amazonas was billed as the world's biggest (heaviest) production <a href="http://www.visordown.com/wiki/Motorcycle" title="Motorcycle">motorcycle</a>. The VW transmission's reverse gear, rare in a two-wheeled vehicle, was a useful feature in such a heavy motorcycle. There was later the Kahena with similar construction.

http://www.brazilianvws.com/mediac/400_0/media/2007_03170040.JPG

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 12:40

toby mac

I had a nasty prang in my VW car last week and it was the solidness of the car that saved me. not many cars go 70mph-0mph in the space of 80yrds via a lampost and a tree and allow their driver to get out unscathed. I'd buy any bike that VW makes. They might not be the coolest, but they're the safest in the world. Sold.

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 13:35

RiceBurner

I doubt VW/Porsche would actually design and build their own bike - they're FAR more likely to buy an existing small manufcturer, eg Voxan or buy a brandname part of an existing setup , eg Benelli (which is IIRC part of the Cagiva group).

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 13:40

AlmightyDutch

Just think if they had bought Ducati all those years ago. We may not have seen all these italian exotics, but instead a functional and relliable motorcycle.

A VW bike would be a nice change though. Be good to see what other poeples idea's for push two wheels forward.

Also, with Porsche owning 31% of VAG would we see a special Porsche model much akin to Audi RS's? Now we're talking.

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 13:57

iBurty

Like the article says, they most likely would buy some existing manufacturer.

But can you imagine, if they did build their own bike. It would be functional, reliable, pretty quick, chunky looking and oh-so-boring. But it would have storage space and cup holders.

Posted: 17/04/2008 at 14:57