- Volkswagen, that already produces the Tiguan SUV (segment C) in Wolfsburg, will in the future assemble some of the next generation Tiguan in its Hanover plant (about 50 000 per year). This decision was taken to make better use of the production capacity of the Hanover plant, currently underused, while the Wolfsburg site is saturated.

- The Hanover plant already produces the Transporter (T5) a commercial vehicle and a passenger car version (Kombi) as well as the Amarok a pick-up previously produced exclusively in Argentina.

- In 2013, Volkswagen produced 226 000 Tiguan models in its factory in Wolfsburg, which also produces the Golf (500 000 units) and Touran (124 000 units), these three vehicles are part of segment C. The plant produced 850 000 vehicles last year, a production level equivalent to its total production capacity.

- The Volkswagen Group has also decided to launch two SUVs from segment C marketed under the Seat and Skoda brands. The manufacturer chose the Skoda plant located in Kvasiny (Czech Republic) as a pilot production site for these two SUVs.

- The future Seat and Skoda SUVs will be based on the common modular MQB platform of the German group, that is shared by the Volkswagen Golf, Seat Leon, Audi A3, Skoda Octavia and the future Volkswagen Tiguan.

  

- Alfa-Romeo is one of the Premium subsidiaries (with Lancia and Chrysler) of the Fiat-Chrysler group (FCA). In Europe, the group is struggling to keep both the Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands, because of their similar positioning. The management of FCA has recently announced that the Lancia brand would soon disappear, except in Italy. This strategy will be accompanied at the same time by the re-boosting of the Alfa-Romeo brand. The group has announced a major product launch plan with the goal of achieving 500 000 sales in 2020 (against less than 100 000 in 2013).

- FCA will present seven new Alfa Romeo models between 2014 and 2018: a Spider based on the Mazda MX5 roadster will be launched by 2016, a sedan and an estate Giulia (segment D) in 2017, a sedan and an estate Alfetta (segment E) in 2018.

- In addition two SUVs based on a Giulietta will be launched, a compact car in 2017 and an elongated version in 2018. Alfa-Romeo will take over the Maserati platform for these models that will all be made in Italy (probably in Mirafiori).

- Furthermore, Fiat doesn't plan to replace the Mito and Giulietta, although these models could help reach global targets, by accounting for up to 100 000 units per year. It is quite surprising when one compares the Alfa strategy to the Audi, BMW and Mercedes ones who have also developed their range on these segments.

- It will be very difficult for Alfa to achieve such high goals, because of the strong competition of Premium German manufacturers who have monopolized the market for decades.