Volkswagen Powertrain, Technical Development Personnel Next To Get The Axe?
According to Germany’s Bild tabloid, the next Volkswagen personnel to be shown the door could be three people integral to powertrain development during the time when vehicles were fitted with “defeat devices”.
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi Board Member for Technical Development; Wolfgang Hatz, Porsche Board of Management; and Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neußer, Head of Powertrain Development at the Volkswagen Group are rumored to be the next executives and managers to be fired, though a final decision won’t be made until Friday.
Hackenberg joined Audi in 1985 after working for the Automotive Institute for seven years. From 2002 until 2007, he was responsible for electronics in Audi vehicles, along with superstructure and electrics development. In 2007, Hackenberg was appointed Member of Volkswagen’s Brand Board for Development. He became a member of Audi’s Board Management, responsibility for Audi’s technical development as well as the technical development of all the Volkswagen Group’s brands in 2013.
Hatz joined Volkswagen in 1989 after leaving BMW where he was a powertrain engineer. At Porsche, we was part of the company’s Formula 1 engine development efforts. He left the company in 1993 and returned to Volkswagen Group in 2001 where he was responsible for Audi powertrain development. He assumed that same responsibility with Volkswagen in 2007 and was appointed to Porsche AG Board of Management in charge of Research and Development in 2011.
In 2012, Hatz was replaced by Neußer as Head of Powertrain Development at the Volkswagen Group. Neußer joined Porsche in 1996, assumed responsibility for Porsche engine construction in 1998, drivetrain development in 2001, and powertrain development for Volkswagen’s passenger cars brand in 2011.
More by Mark Stevenson
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Looking back, you wonder why it took so long to catch VW in the act. That it eventually would have come out, there's no doubt about it. Call it arrogance then that VW managers thought that they would not get caught.
With heads rolling throughout the VW chain of command, how much actual work do you think is getting done around VW's technical centers these days? Also with so much high level turnover, what projects are going to be delayed or destroyed? The competition probably isn't sitting around worrying about internal politics all day long.