Will This Man Drive Volkswagen?

Ferdinand Piech has cut such a powerful figure at Volkswagen that it's hard to imagine the company without the autocratic Austrian at the helm. Piech, after all, pulled VW out of a deep slump in the mid-1990s with wonderfully engineered new models. But even bigger-than-life figures have to leave the stage eventually: Piech, 63, is required by company rules to step down in 2002. The crucial question: Who will take his place?

Well, the German auto industry is currently abuzz with rumors that a clear front-runner in the race to succeed Piech has emerged: Bernd Pischetsrieder, 52, the former head of BMW who joined VW less than two years ago. VW won't comment, and company insiders are circumspect. "I think there's a 60% probability he'll get it," says one executive. "But you never know with Piech. He is always good for a surprise."