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Volkswagen looking to acquire Proton, Lotus?

Let's say you're an automaker bent on world domination looking to grow your sales. That's going to have you looking at Asian markets, because that's where some of the biggest growth has been, and that's exactly what Volkswagen is doing as it considers making another run at Malaysia's Proton.
Reuters reports that Volkswagen is interested in at least a partial stake, if not a controlling interest in Lotus-parent Proton as a way to continue a production presence in the region without having to build its own factory.
Volkswagen already builds the Passat in a DRB-HICOM facility in Pekan, Malaysia, and plans are in place to build the Jetta and Polo there, as well. With both southeast Asia and its relationship with Proton figuring so importantly in Volkswagen's plans for expansion, buying into Proton can help ensure stability. Volkswagen is being tight-lipped about the whole idea, but CEO Martin Winterkorn did recently say, "it's our clear goal to continue the successful (expansion) course of past years with great dynamics and stability," which sounds an awful lot like deals are on the table to smooth the path to further growth.

Volkswagen e-Co-Motion concept poised for delivery to Geneva

With Nissan getting ready to launch the e-NV200, it appears Volkswagen is looking to go after the same zero-emission commercial vehicle market with the all-electric 2013 e-Co-Motion Concept. Debuting next week at the Geneva Motor Show, the e-Co-Motion Concept might be small in size, but VW says it has cargo and payload capacities that should be perfect for small businesses.
Measuring 179 inches long, 75 inches wide and 77 inches tall, the e-Co-Motion Concept has about the same footprint as the current Golf, and it has a cargo capacity of 162 cubic feet and a maximum payload of more than 1,700 pounds. There isn't too much information on the e-Co-Motion just yet - such as what electric components and platform are used - but the press release posted below states while the concept is shown as a cargo van, future body styles could include a passenger wagon or a refrigerated box van.

2014 Volkswagen XL1 [w/video]

World's Most Efficient Car Impresses, Not Without Compromises
Among our many duties at the recent Geneva Motor Show, we were offered a pretty exclusive drive in the new Volkswagen XL1 hyper-efficient plug-in diesel hybrid. There is so much that is interesting about a car like this reaching production from a major automaker that it's tough to know where to begin.
First off, you should know that - at least for this generation - there is absolutely no chance in Albuquerque that this "1-liter vehicle" (i.e. a vehicle that can burn just one liter of fuel to travel 100 kilometers, or 62.1 miles) will ever make it into the hands of North American customers. We, too, were having trouble imagining an XL1 in typical American traffic, surrounded by comparatively massive pickups and SUVs. The driving experience had us recalling a couple of weeks in 1999 when we drove the then-revolutionary Honda Insight hybrid on US roads. We keenly remember the feeling of being very small and vulnerable, even as we felt proudly green in our 61-mpg Tochigi pod. Thing is, the Volkswagen is smaller still, and nearly as light despite its more complex drivetrain and safety features.