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I'm not saying I didn't have a great 2008. I just made it a chore. I made it look laborious.

I had the greatest year of my career in 2007. It's a year that I'm very proud of.

Regardless of whether we are in an upturn or a downturn, our goal is to ensure the Volkswagen Group reaches the top of the automotive industry.

For sure, 2010 was the best year I've ever had. It couldn't have gone any better for me. Even if I just won the Olympic gold medal, that would have made it the best year of my career and the best day of my life, period. Winning the World Cup races and the overall title just topped it off.

By the time the 2008 election arrived, we had finally won the Iraq War, or we were on the road to winning it. We won starting in the summer of 2007 going into late 2011.

I wasn't really happy with the way 2008 turned out for me. I wanted to change some things.

VW grows with the challenges. We continue to do, even when times are tough.

The U.S. market has the highest priority for Volkswagen.

Combining their operating business will make Volkswagen and Porsche even stronger - both financially and strategically - going forward.

I went seven years between 2002 and 2009 without winning. Then I did win in '09.