VW plans to extend range with eye on China, U.S.

FRANKFURT, Sept 1 Reuters reported that Europe's biggest carmaker Volkswagen is planning to increase the number of models it makes by 30 percent as it seeks to grow in the United States and China, its chief executive said in remarks published on Sunday.

Volkswagen AG currently produces some 50 models.

"In the medium term it will be 65 models," Chief Executive Bernd Pischetsrieder said in an interview with German newspaper Bild am Sonntag. "Among them will be a very basic VW of Polo-size for markets like Brazil or China."

Pischetsrieder, who took over as VW chief in April, also said the carmaker needed to focus more on the U.S. market and would consider launching another convertible after the success of the New Beetle Cabrio.

Other new models could include a new two or three-seater and a "small, unusual" sports utility vehicle produced by Audi.

VW, which is trying to drive down costs, renew top sellers like the Golf and Passat and re-align its brands to stop them from competing against eachother, denied on Saturday a magazine report that its finance chief would step down early.

Weekly news magazine Der Spiegel said in an article released ahead of publication on Monday that Bruno Adelt, 62, would have his contract cancelled at a meeting of VW's supervisory board on September 6.

"Volkswagen denies the Spiegel report," VW spokesman Kurt Rippholz told Reuters on Saturday. "Mr Adelt's contract will not be terminated