VW Officially Announces R GmbH Performance Subsidiary

Volkswagen has officially launched the new R GmbH performance subsidiary.

Meant to meet the “increased global demand for individualized vehicles with contemporary sportiness and exclusivity”, the subsidiary will handle sales and development of high performance and Exclusive (aka Individual) models. In essence, R GmbH is Volkswagen’s answer to BMW’s M and Mercedes’ AMG divisions.

Described as the “specialist for sporty exclusive models from Volkswagen in the future,” R GmbH has already taken responsibility for the Scirocco R, the Golf R, the R-Line design packages, and the aforementioned Exclusive range.

Based in Warmenau, Germany (near VW’s Wolfsburg headquarters) R GmbH employs a staff of more than 350 people. In the future, the subsidiary promises to intensely the sportiness of Volkswagen R models.

Demand for cool cars down in the recession

Could the recession mean the end of cool cars over substance for the motoring industry? This may seem a little over the top, but a number of news stories have emerged in the UK press recently concerning how consumers are being deterred from buying cool flash cars instead of those which are considered more practical, and are refraining from adding sporty extras to their existing cars. So are necessities such as car insurance and fuel economy taking the place of the look and style of the UK’s vehicles?

According to an article at justgoodcars.com, industry research has found that 36% of motorists surveyed said that their limited budgets are the most important factor when considering the purchase of a new car. Additionally, the reliability of the vehicle was also said to be influential in the decision, with one in five buying because of their trust in the manufacturer as opposed to the style or look of the vehicle itself.

Additionally, drivers who have bought cars with the intention of modifying or ‘souping’ them up in the last year have been forced to think twice as research published at myfinances.co.uk highlights the added expense to insurance costs. For example, the added cost of a new spoiler on a 2000 Ford Focus for a 17 year old will be a massive £688.84 a year, whilst something as innocuous as decals and stickers could push the yearly extra cost up by another £6225.22!

According to Gerry Bucke of Adrian Flux Insurance there is an intriguing irony with the latter. He stated: "Young drivers of modified cars are on average 20% less likely to have an accident and make a claim than young drivers in cars with a standard specification. The truth is, guys who modify their cars tend to be involved in fewer accidents. They invest heavily in their cars and take more care of them."

So what does this say for the motoring industry? Are we likely to see an end, or at least a pause, of people spending money on car style? The reports in the press would certainly suggest so, but whilst we might be gradually letting superficial aspects of our vehicles slide, with credit crunch cut-backs we will no doubt see individuals opting for cheaper cars rather than greener ones also. If manufacturers really want to sell new cars they will need to be able to offer cheap simplicity in order to match those that can be bought second hand.

Instruction for buyers of car parts

Car fans may be in a position to get the details of new car accessories from various web sites. There are very many web sites that offer comprehensive information to consumers of the car accessories. One may also find new car accessories from auctions that take place online (eBay, or other). Internet sellers can also offer new accessories at lower prices since their overheads are essentially less.

Only original car accessories

Once the car accessories have been selected, one can shop around and compare the various price offers. Due to special demands for these types of things, one will find many shops offering the unique parts. Before buying at Internet market, ensure that you gain a full information regarding the car accessory since one may come across unfair sellers who claim to have the most original car accessories and charge exorbitantly for them.

Find out the add-ons to the accessories being bought by inquiring from persons who have purchased the parts to avoid buying other accessories that may not necessarily be part of the main accessory that is required.

Trust only to authoritative dealers!

The accessory should be inspected properly to ensure that it is as ordered. This will guarantee from sellers who require one to sign on the receipt waving their right to return such parts in case they are faulty or non-standard. For people purchasing in online store this option of returning faulty parts may not be available. Such purchases therefore should only be from a dealer who is really reputable.