By Hector Fratty, Editor in Chief
Last Wednesday, I was visiting the Geneva auto show analysing the Lexus LS300 when a team of around ten people approached to see the same car. Surprise: it was Martin Winterkorn, CEO VW, surrounded by his board members.
Over about ten minutes’ time—probably a total of around 30 times during Geneva visit—the ten people scrutinised the car in detail. First the exterior, evaluating the fitment gaps between adjacent parts including the headlamps and the rear lamps. It was funny to see more than 50 fingers touching the car simultaneously! (picture 1)
Then the interior of the car was analysed, Winterkorn at the front, testing the different parts of the car. (picture 2)
A discussion was then held between these VIPs probably to list the strengths and weaknesses of the car in comparison with the VW Group’s equivalent car. (picture 3)
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In those 10 minutes I discovered one of the reasons for VW’s recent success: