Bentley's Continental GT V8. Image: Bentley Motors
The Volkswagen Group currently encompasses an impressive number of automobile brands, including (off the top of our head) Audi, VW, Seat, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti and to some degree, Porsche. Given that broad a family lineup, you’d expect see the occasional management shakeup between brands.
That’s allegedly the case with Bentley and Bugatti head Wolfgang Dürheimer, who Autoblog (via Automotive News Europe, subscription required) reports will soon be moving to Audi. Dürheimer will be replacing Audi’s development chief, Michael Dick, who is expected to retire later this year. Joining Dürheimer in the shuffle is Volkswagen’s marketing head, Luca de Meo, who will replace Peter Schwarzenbauer as head of Audi’s sales.
Also out at Audi are head of procurement Ulf Berkenhagen and production head Frank Dreves. Berkenhagen will move to Volkswagen’s commercial vehicle division as head of purchasing, while Dreves will join Dick in retiring later this year. The moves seem designed to reduce tha average age of members on Audi’s board of management, which Audi views as necessary to achieve its ambitious sales targets in the coming years.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
