Posts Tagged ‘Suzuki’
Porsche + Suzuki + Volkswagen = top auto group [almost]
Why are these men smiling?
Germany’s Volkswagen AG will buy a one-fifth stake in Suzuki Motor Corp for $2.5 billion, tapping the Japanese firm’s expertise in small cars and dominance in India as VW seeks to become the No.1 automaker.
The move is the second coup this week for ambitious VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech, coming on the heels of the German carmaker’s $5.8 billion purchase of a 49.9 percent stake in sports car maker Porsche AG.
Piech’s top lieutenant, VW Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn, was hopeful the Suzuki alliance would help catapult the Wolfsburg-based carmaker past industry leader Toyota Motor Corp ahead of plan.
“If that succeeds faster (than 2018), we’re happy,” a grinning Winterkorn told reporters as he sat next to Suzuki’s nearly 80-year-old CEO Osamu Suzuki at a Tokyo press conference…
“I don’t want you to misunderstand: Suzuki is not becoming a 12th brand for Volkswagen,” Suzuki said when asked whether the company might get a German CEO in the future. “I don’t want other folks telling me how to do things…”
Volkswagen, with its 10 brands including Audi, Skoda, Seat and Porsche, has said it wanted to become the world’s No.1 automaker by 2018 — a goal it would reach with relative ease if Suzuki became a subsidiary…
In modern markets a 20% stake really is a controlling interest in a corporation. Though, Volkswagen – and Piech – have the corporate smarts to manage a familial relationship with Suzuki. It’s probably going to be easier than the soap opera that has accompanied the acquisition of 49,9% of Porsche.
Malware launched from tech blog – Gizmodo
Visitors to technology blog Gizmodo are being warned that they could have picked up more than tips about the latest must-have gadget.
According to security firm Sophos, the website was delivering advertisements “laced with malware” last week.
A statement on the Gizmodo website admits that it was tricked into running Suzuki adverts which were in fact from hackers.
It follows a similar problem on the New York Times website. Last month the New York Times’ website was targeted by a gang of hackers who purchased ad space on the site by posing as internet telephone company, Vonage.
In both cases the adverts served up fake anti-virus software – known as scareware.
Scareware attempts to convince users that their computer is infected with viruses and trojans, and tricks them into downloading “remedies” which are harmful and can be used by criminals to get at information such as credit card details.
“What is particularly audacious about this plot is that the criminals appear to have posed as legitimate representatives of Suzuki in order to plant their dangerous code on Gizmodo’s popular website,” he added.
It’s called social engineering, folks. You know that.
Remember – there is no patch for stupid.
