I'm sure that protecting their trademarks is important from a legal
standpoint, but protecting their market is important from a business
standpoint.
Nothing like attacking your loyal and electronically-vocal enthusiasts over
their use of the name for a mailing list!

I don't know what sway the "vanagon" community holds with VW these days,
but obviously Porsche is involved, and you know there are web sites,
mailing lists and newsgroups devoted to all manner of vehicles: jeeps,
landbruisers, volvos, bmws, porsches, harleys, saabs, toyota trucks, etc
all have their following.

maybe the executive staff, and possibly the marketing & public relations
departments should be given notice that they're creating a lot of ill-will
among the very people that buy & recommend their vehicles?

just a thought...

-rick