Volkswagen

The German automobile company Volkswagen Group was created in 1937 by the German Labor Front. Headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen is Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen translates as “People’s Automobile” in German.

Because of the declining economy after World War I, many Germans could not afford a car, and as such, independent projects and companies were created to help build cars for Germans. In 1938, Volkswagen received its official name as well as established its manufacturing plant in Wolfsburg to help build cars for the German population.

The outbreak of World War II delayed the production of Volkswagen’s first model, but prototypes were built, such as the famous Beetle model. In 1946, car production reached 1,000 vehicles a month to help reset the German economy. By 1955, the sales of Beetle models reached 1 million. Another popular model built at that time was the Type 2 commercial vehicle and Karmann Ghia.

In 1949, the first Volkswagen was sold in the United States. In 1955, Volkswagen of America was formed. Popular Beetle advertisements led to high sales throughout the 1950s and 1960s in the United States.

By the 1970s, the Beetle became the most-produced car in the world, surpassing the Ford Model T. By 1973, Beetle sales were declining and as such, Volkswagen released new models such as the Passat, Scirocco, Golf and Polo. All of these models shared similar features, such as parts and engines.

Volkswagen saw success in the 1980s and 1990s with production of future generations of the Passat and Golf models. In 1994, Volkswagen released a retro-themed Concept One car that closely resembled the original Beetle, producing the car in multiple colors. Five years later, the Beetle was named the fourth most influential car of the 20th century.

In the 2000s, Volkswagen introduced Touareg and Tiguan SUV models. In addition, Volkswagen began producing hybrid technology in their Polo and Golf models. In the future, Volkswagen plans to offer hybrid options for all models.

In 2016, Volkswagen offered plug-in electric vehicles in nine models. Along with innovative technology, Volkswagen also announced its partnership with Israeli cybersecurity company, Cymotive, to help improve vehicle security in their models.

Popular Volkswagen models include: Jetta, CC, Golf, Passat, Tiguan and Touareg. Manufacturing sites are located throughout the world, including: Germany, Mexico, United States, China and Indonesia.

In addition, Volkswagen is heavily involved in motorsport, with vehicles participating in formula racing, World Rally Championship and Dakar Rally. Volkswagen has notched recent wins in at the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Dakar Rally in Argentina and Chile and at the 2013 World Rally Championship.