How Porsche will be integrated into VW

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 20 November 2009 12:32 Although Porsche won't be a fully integrated member of the Volkswagen group before mid-2011, the sports car maker can even at this early point in the merger no longer make independent strategic decisions. After all, Martin Winterkorn has effectively been appointed head of the Porsche SE Holding which in turn employs the Porsche AG chairman Michael Macht.  With a takeover as costly and complicated to fund as this one – all in all, VW will have to fork out a staggering €16 billion to absorb the latest family member – it is only logical that the new owner wants to get the restructuring process going asap. Overnight, Porsche has become easily VW's most expensive brand.How VW will integrate PorscheTo protect and eventually enhance its value, the powers in Wolfsburg will leave no stone unturned to rearrange the product portfolio, to streamline R&D, to shake up purchasing and production, and to ensure a variety of synergies which are estimated to range from €500m to €750m per year.

CAR's video guide to the 2010 Paris motor show

Rather than embroiling themselves in our live blogging from the 2010 Paris motor, the senior statesmen of CAR (executive editor Gavin Green, contributing editor Ben Oliver and European editor Georg Kacher) have instead retreated to the comfort of a Rolls-Royce Phantom to discuss the 2010 Paris motor show. Click on the video below to watch the three of them debate the themes, trends and stars of this year's Mondial de l'Automobile.Paris motor show 2010: the full A-Z reviewParis motor show 2010 – the CAR live blogParis motor show 2010: a reader's review    

2012 BMW M5 Touring? No, it’s the Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring

The Alpina B5 BiTurbo Touring We haven’t even had the 2012 BMW M5 launch yet, never mind thinking about the Touring. Although it would seem that BMW has no intention of making a touring version of the 2012 M5. Not that BMW are exactly reliable when it comes to M-Car denials.