2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 15:44
The dispute between Suzuki and VW continues to come to a head. Now the Japanese want to reach an arbitration verdict that the Wolfsburg return their share. But Europe's largest automaker is not thinking about it.
Threats, finger pointing and deep distrust: the Japanese small car maker Suzuki wants to get rid of its major shareholder Volkswagen at all costs. The noise is getting worse. According to the latest reports, the Japanese want to force VW to sell its share through an arbitration award. According to the cooperation agreement, this is possible. VW doesn't see it that way. However, only those involved know what exactly is in the contract. And whether this path can end the feud is more than questionable.
Volkswagen is currently bursting with strength and, according to observers, should rise to number two in the automotive world this year, behind General Motors and ahead of long-time industry leader Toyota. Europe's largest carmaker was able to present brilliant sales figures on Friday - experts assume that VW will sell more than eight million cars this year and make billions in profits. And yet: the glossy facade is starting to crack.
VW is fighting on many construction sites
The powerful VW patriarch Ferdinand Piech should not be satisfied. The 74-year-old is considered impatient and assertive, he is used to holding the strings in his hand. But at the moment he has to see how his projects are by no means going down the drain, but are also not going smoothly. The VW management around Piech and VW boss Martin Winterkorn has to take care of their investments - that costs energy and time that is lacking in the operational business of the Golf, Passat, Audi or Skoda.
It's not just the argument with Suzuki. The integration of the sports car manufacturer Porsche into the group has also been delayed. And possibly a new conflict is looming with BMW - in the struggle for influence at the carbon fiber manufacturer SGL Carbon, because the particularly light and robust raw material is extremely important for the cars of the future. After all, a construction site is just about to have the topping-out ceremony: the majority takeover at MAN seems to be about to receive the final approvals - even if it is still not clear what the future truck alliance with MAN and Scania will look like.
In any case, VW wants to stick to the alliance with Suzuki regardless of all quarrels. The carmaker stated that once again on Monday. VW is well advised with this, says NordLB auto expert Frank Schwope. "You should give the story time so that the wounds can heal and try to start the partnership again in five to six years," says Schwope. After all, Suzuki boss Osamu Suzuki is well over 80 years old.
VW can sit it out
If VW gave up its shares now, the competition would be played into the hands, says Schwope. Even if the project is currently stuck in a dead end - Volkswagen has enough funds and time to sit it out. And he thinks it is quite unlikely that VW could be forced to sell the Suzuki shares. "Normally a company cannot defend itself against its shareholders." Arbitration would be very unusual in itself.
Volkswagen and Suzuki have been in a clinch for weeks - they accuse each other of breaking contracts and violating the rules. At the end of 2009, the car manufacturers started with great hopes for a common future. The Japanese hoped that VW would gain access to new technological developments, and VW wanted to benefit from Suzuki's expertise in small cars - especially in India, where its subsidiary Suzuki-Maruti is by far the market leader. Volkswagen bought around 20 percent of Suzuki for 1.7 billion euros, which in turn took a 1.5 percent stake in Volkswagen. But now the partners are in front of a pile of broken glass. (dpa)
