Volkswagen to NASCAR?

[PabloTeK]

A little update to the story on the front page a while back:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/Volkswagen-l...

Fox Sports said:

HOMESTEAD, Fla.

A NASCAR official confirmed the sanctioning body has a meeting scheduled with Volkswagen in January.

While Volkswagen competition representative Hans-Joachim Stuck emphatically denied any interest in American stock cars at Homestead one year ago, in a recent interview with Financial Times Deutschland the former racer discussed possibly taking the brand to Formula One and NASCAR. Reports earlier this month confirmed VW wouldn't pursue F1 after all.

Although Stuck said last year that VW needs to be in a series where the company can "display our German technology, and (NASCAR) is a marketing (platform)," perhaps the automaker's changed its tune? Or its interest in NASCAR's sports car series, Grand-Am, could be picking up again.

When VW unveiled its new assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., in September, Dr. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the board of management at Volkwagen AG, announced to 700-plus dealers from the U.S. and Canada that he aspired to take his brand “to the top of the auto industry by 2018.”

Certainly, NASCAR's “marketing (platform)" could be the perfect vehicle to accomplish that task.

VW holds the distinction of being the largest automaker in Europe. In the U.S., however, recent tallies from October show VW of America only holding a 2.1 market share of cars sold, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Certainly interesting, can't think what team they'd be going with...

[Allyc85]

I really hope this dosnt come off, id rather see VW in rallying

[Mazda Baiter]

I fail to see how they can showcase their technical prowess in NASCAR.

[Northern Munkee]

Mazda Baiter said:

I fail to see how they can showcase their technical prowess in NASCAR.

Of course it doesn't, but as a 'marketing' platform in the US. Are they following the Toyota thinking?

[onomatopoeia]

Mazda Baiter said:

I fail to see how they can showcase their technical prowess in NASCAR.

You never know, they might want to make a version of the Golf with a 900bhp pushrod V8

[The Wookie]

VW testing their NASCAR entry yesterday:

[EDLT]

Northern Munkee said:

Mazda Baiter said:

I fail to see how they can showcase their technical prowess in NASCAR.

Of course it doesn't, but as a 'marketing' platform in the US. Are they following the Toyota thinking?

Acura (Honda) have a NASCAR team as well don't they?

I thought the only reason Toyota went in to NASCAR was to sell more pick-up trucks.

[onomatopoeia]

EDLT said:

Northern Munkee said:

Mazda Baiter said:

I fail to see how they can showcase their technical prowess in NASCAR.

Of course it doesn't, but as a 'marketing' platform in the US. Are they following the Toyota thinking?

Acura (Honda) have a NASCAR team as well don't they?

No. Chevrolet, Ford, Chrysler (as Dodge) and Toyota are the only manufacturers represented in the NASCAR national touring series.