← The company chose a modern logo for itself back in the early 70s
Automotive history is unimaginable without the Volkswagen brand, and for many people these cars have become an integral part of life. Currently, the Volkswagen AG automobile concern is located in Lower Saxony, where the company's headquarters are located in Wolfsburg.
The history of the Volkswagen logo is as interesting as the development path of the famous automobile company. By the way, the author of the VW emblem is not exactly known until now. The first Volkswagen logo appeared back in 1933, it was an image of the letters V and W inscribed into each other, stylized as a Nazi swastika.
Volkswagen production approved by Hitler
In 1936, by order of Adolf Hitler, a new factory was opened in Fallersleben (Lower Saxony). The company was supposed to launch the production of Volkswagen cars (translated from German as "people's car"). Ferdinand Porsche began to develop Volkswagen models, which were supposed to assemble a limousine, a convertible and a car with a folding soft top. At that time, this talented designer worked for Mercedes, but at the request of Hitler, he left his post and devoted himself to the development of the "people's car".
← Ferdinand Porsche - the author of the first VW models
And for the first time these two met back in 1924 on the Solitude race track, what Hitler and Porsche were talking about then is not known. A few years after this meeting, in 1930, an automotive research office was established on the Kronenstraße in Stuttgart. The employees of this organization included Ferdinand Porsche himself, his son Ferry (Ferry), engineers Karl Rabe and Kral Frolich, who were experts in automotive transmissions, as well as Josef Kales, an expert on air-cooled engines, Josef Mikl and Erwin Komenda, who later became the designer of the Porsche 356. The company worked under the banner with the long name "DR.ING.HCF. Porsche Gmbh. Konstruktionsbüro für Motoren-Fahrzeug-Luftfahrzeug und Wasserfahrzeugbau".
Start of the "people's car"
In 1931, Ferdinand Porsche developed the first prototype of the "people's car", a small car, which the German company Zündapp ordered from the designer. In 1932, the production of this model, called the Type 12, was even started, but Zündapp quickly lost interest in the automotive industry, facing more pressing production orders.
In 1932, Porsche created a new "people's car", developed on the basis of the Type 12 model. The novelty inherits the body design from its predecessor and receives a four-cylinder engine with an air-cooled system. However, the manufacturer had to abandon the large-scale implementation of this project as well, due to an agreement signed with Fiat, according to which the models of the Italian automaker should not compete with German car companies.
In 1933, another meeting between the auto designer and the Fuhrer of Germany took place. Porsche then explained his plan to create a small-sized car model that could travel at a speed of 100 km / h, consumed no more than 7 liters per 100 kilometers and was sold at a price of 1000 marks. The new creation of Ferdinand Porsche was "enclosed" in a body with rounded shapes and had front and rear torsion bar suspension. The choice of suspension of this type was dictated by the features of the power plant of the car, as well as the intention to make the interior of the car as spacious as possible. In addition, the torsion bar suspension, due to its flexibility, has become an ideal technical solution for small cars, because the use of a rigid suspension to equip a small car would have a bad effect on the level of interior comfort. Ferdinand Porsche intended to equip his new car with a four-cylinder engine with an air-cooled system.
← One of the first models designed by Porsche
It is also worth noting that the design decisions regarding the body of the new model were inspired by Porsche and his favorite Benz racing models, which in their shape resembled a drop of water, which, as you know, has excellent aerodynamics. But soon the auto designer found another advantage of just such a rounded body shape. And it consisted in the fact that the body made in this form also had high strength indicators. Subsequently, it is this argument that will become the marketing ploy of the Volkswagen manufacturer.
← The first models of VW Hitler evaluated personally
Birth of the Volkswagen Group
And in 1934, that significant event took place, which can be considered the birth of the great Volkswagen automaker. This year, after going through numerous discussions and clarifications, the car project from Ferdinand Porsche received the signature “approved for production”.
The Fuhrer's ambition was very clear: to make sure that every inhabitant of Germany has his own car. Therefore, it was assumed that the designed cars should be economical models that are easy to manufacture and maintain.
At the end of 1935, the company is testing two prototype cars, named VW1 and VW2, which had a propulsion system in the form of a 985 cm³ engine with a power of 23.5 hp. at 3 00 rpm.
In 1936, these prototypes are already being road tested on the villa track near Stuttgart. Interestingly, the test samples were found to be "little aesthetic." And no wonder, because then few guessed about the advantages of an aerodynamic body. Moreover, such cars were not suitable for mass, “folk” production. Therefore, the members of the commission, who were not very worried about what was under the hood of the tested car samples, greeted the new items with distrust and prejudice. But the 50,000 km of the test track, which these prototypes drove without problems, convinced the “judges”, and the cars were declared “fit for use”.
30 models of cars, called Type VW 38, were assembled in 1937 by order of Hitler by Mercedes. These cars of the so-called "30 Series" were followed by the Series 60 models, which were tested in the harsh conditions of the winter of 1937-38. One of the cars of this series opened the German Grand Prix in the mountains. The lightness and good handling of the car allowed him, despite a modest motor resource, to drive about 13 km in a time comparable to the results of a racing car. This fact can be considered the first sporting achievement of Volkswagen.
Factory in Wolfsburg
For mass production of models of this series, it was decided to build a factory in Wolfsburg. In 1938, the first stone was laid for the construction of the new enterprise. Subsequently, KdF-Stadt will become a real hometown for the workers of the VW company. In production, pre-production samples of the Series 60 were assembled for the beginning in the modification of a convertible, sedan and car with a soft folding roof.
← Car production in KdF-Stadt
And Hitler in those years preferred to call these cars not Volkswagen cars at all, but K.d models. F.-Wagen, which in its own way angered and shocked the designer Ferdinand Porsche, who was, in fact, the main and only creator of the 30 Series and 60 Series cars. Despite the financial plan, the implementation of which could allow every inhabitant of Germany to raise funds for the purchase of these cars, not a single car from VW reached its buyer in those pre-war years. Several produced models went to the needs of the German army, a few more were put into operation by the Nazi leadership.
← The first models of the 30th series were intended for Nazi leaders
On the eve of the war in 1939, 215 cars were manually assembled at the VW production, which are now impossible to find. In the same year, designers began to develop a military version of the K.d. F-Wagen.
Serial production of these models began in 1941, cars very quickly gained a reputation as durable and reliable vehicles. On the basis of "civilian" models, the manufacturer creates several military modifications, the most famous of which was the Kubelwagen. It was entirely aimed at the needs of the German army and became like the German "jeep". In 1943, engines of 935 to 1131 cm³ with a capacity of 24 to 25 hp began to be used to motorize such cars. But already in 1944, on August 7, work at the VW production, where 630 sedan cars and 13 convertibles had already been assembled, stopped. The plant was completely converted for military needs and began to produce V1 flying bombs here. It was precisely because of the activity of this kind that the plant was soon bombed by the Allied troops.
In 1945, American troops find an industrial town not marked anywhere on the map, located near the walls of a huge destroyed factory (the wall of the main building was more than 1 km long) and give it the name Wolfsburg.
← Volkswagen plant in Wolfsbrug in our time
After the division of Germany into four occupation zones in 1945, the plant comes under British control. At the same time, the production of VW was headed by Ivan Hirst, a young British major who had left the ranks of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Deciding that the British army needed cars, Hirst took one of the models produced at the factory and sent it as a model to the court of the leadership of the armed forces of the United Kingdom. A week later, he received an order for the production of 20,000 copies and the work of the plant was resumed.
Workers at the Wolfsburg factory assembled the first models from car wreckage left over from the bombing of the factory. They had to show remarkable skill and ingenuity in order for the production of cars to continue. Harsh times for Volkswagen did not end there. Allied Britain intended to eliminate all industrial production in order to eliminate any possibility of a new German armament. However, the plant in Wolfsburg was lucky to fall under the control of the Property Control (commission for the control of Germany) and the production was given the character of a peaceful one, aimed at transport needs.
In the period from the end of World War II until October 1946, 10,000 Volkwagen models were assembled at the Wolfsburg plant, which, despite their “popular” name, were not at all intended for sale to ordinary motorists. The plant was offered to Henry Ford, but he considered the production "unviable" and refused to develop it. In 1947, the difficulties associated with the restoration work, as well as the lack of coal, did not allow the Wolfsburg production to work at the required level. Only 8987 cars were produced, 1656 of which were exported.
The year 1948 was a landmark for Volkswagen. When the British military Heinrich Nordhof, the former head of Opel, who later became the CEO of Volkswagen, took up German-made models. It is to him that the plant owes its real revival and it was he who created the production and commercial network of VW, and also placed the company's branches in 136 countries around the world.
← Heinrich Nordhoff - the organizer of the post-war revival of VW
Thanks to the activity of the new head, the reorganization of the plant in Wolfsburg went much faster, the production volume reached 19244 cars, and soon control over the work of the enterprise passed to the leadership of the state of Lower Saxony.
The first Volkswagen models and the first resounding success
The first successful Volkswagen model is considered to be the VW 1200 (Type 1), which was dubbed Kafer in Germany, Coccinelle in France, and Beetle in England and Great Britain. The production of the VW 1200 model began in 1948, the car became known first in Germany, and then spread throughout Europe, and was subsequently exported to the United States. It was in the states that this "people's car" became the best-selling foreign car in the 50-60s. Throughout its history, the VW 1200 model has been produced in the amount of 20 million copies and outstripped the manufacturer Ford Motors and its famous Ford T model, which produced 15 million cars.
← Type VW 1200 Soft Top
In 1949, the British authorities hand over Volkswagen to the German leadership, the plant's production reaches 46632 models, the export volume is 15.7%
In the 60s and 70s, the whole world will drive Volkswagens
In the mid-50s, on the basis of the VW 1200 model, the assembly of elegant coupes and convertibles called Karmann-Ghia began (the body of the model was designed by Ghia, and the assembly was carried out by Karmann). At that time, the machines of the German manufacturer were already sold in 150 countries around the world. Many of them open branches of VW. In 1961, models such as the Type 3 and VW 1500 appeared, equipped with rear-wheel drive with an oversized engine. New models with coupe and convertible bodies began to be sold from 1963. In total, from 1961 to 1973, the release of Karmann-Ghia amounted to 3 million cars.
← Karmann-Ghia — bestseller of the German car industry
In 1968, the production of the Type 4 (VW 411) model began, equipped with an air-cooled engine with a volume of 1679 cm³. This car was the first result of the work of VW and Audi, which was bought from Daimler-Benz. Two German manufacturers united in an alliance called VAG, which was later joined by Seat and Skoda.
← VW 411 became a classic, but did not have much success
The VW 411 was not very popular between 1968 and 1974. VAG produced only 350,000 cars of this model. In order to be able to release a new model that would replace the 411, Volkswagen includes NSU. Soon the K-70 model appeared, equipped with front-wheel drive, which was produced from 1970 to 1975.
← K-70 - the first front-wheel drive Volkswagen
In the early 70s, a sudden but well-deserved success awaited the German manufacturer. In 1973, the VW concern began production of the Passat model, which was based on the platform of the front-wheel drive Audi 80. The start of production of the VW Passat put an end to the production of the VW 411 and K-70 models. Passat has been modified several times (in 1980, 1988 and 1995) and is still produced by VW.
← Volkswagen began producing its famous Passat model in the early 70s.
Now the car is the face of the German brand
In 1974, at the height of the global oil crisis, Volkswagen launched the Golf model, which was designed to repeat the success of the VW 1200. The appearance of this small front-wheel drive car marked the beginning of the popularity of compact cars throughout Europe. The Golf has a glorious and long history that has not ended to this day, and since 1975 this model has been considered one of the best-selling models in the Old World.
← Golf is the best-selling subcompact car in Europe
Already in 1974, the Volkswagen model range expanded with the appearance of the Scirocco coupe model, produced on the basis of the Golf. And a year later, the release of the Polo model, a front-wheel drive car based on the Audi 50, started. The Polo became another massive success for the Volkswagen group and brought the company significant income.
The Volkswagen concern is known all over the world. This is indeed the largest group of companies involved in the production of cars. The parent company (or, as they say, the parent company) is located in Wolfsburg and is called, as everyone knows, Volkswagen AG. Well, this concern has a very rich and long history and a lot of interesting facts. So it is worth talking about it in more detail.
Porsche and Volkswagen
So, the headquarters of this concern is located in Germany, in Wolfsburg. The company was named "Volkswagen", which means "people's car" in German. To date, about half of the shares are owned by such a holding as Porsche SE. Nevertheless, the Volkswagen concern owns all one hundred percent of the ordinary shares of the intermediate holding, which is called Porsche Zwischenholding GmbH. In general, in fact, "Porsche" is the car that produces "Volkswagen". Today, management companies are negotiating to combine the firms into a single structure, which could be called VW-Porsche. It is also interesting that Martin Winterkorn (a fairly well-known personality in the automotive world) until September 2015 served as chairman of the board of both Volkswagen and Porsche.
But that is not all. Today, the Volkswagen Group consists of 342 companies that produce cars and provide services related to this area. It is the largest car manufacturer in the world. And of course, the undisputed leader of the European car market. 25% of the cars that drive on the roads of the continent are produced by Volkswagen.
About history
The Volkswagen concern begins its history in 1937. The founder of the company is Ferinand Porsche. It was he who created the so-called Society for the preparation of Volkswagen mbH. And in 1938, they began to build the first Volkswagen plant. Of course, it was in Wolfsburg. In addition to the automotive industry, the plant was engaged in another type of activity. The Volkswagen AG concern then provided logistics and financial services. And besides that, he had a small food business.
In the 1990s, the company began to experience major difficulties. There were some serious financial problems. But thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit of Ferdinand Piech, everything worked out. In fact, this man saved Volkswagen. The concern switched to a 4-day working week, began to follow an offensive policy and began to develop at an even faster pace. In the end, the company managed to acquire just a huge number of popular brands.
Rolls Royce and Suzuki
From 1998 to 2002, the Volkswagen automobile concern was engaged in the production of cars such as Rolls-Royce. All people know about these luxurious models, even those who are not familiar with the auto world. This topic is quite interesting. A division of the Volkswagen Bentley group was engaged in the production of these cars under an agreement with another company - BMW. Why? But because the Munich company bought from such a concern as Vickers, the rights to this brand. And since 2003, only BMW has the right to manufacture and produce cars with the eminent Rolls-Royce emblem.
In 2009, the Volkswagen Group stepped even further - it entered into an alliance with a company such as Suzuki. The firms exchanged blocks of shares (German manufacturers got 20% of Suzuki's shares) and announced the joint development of so-called ecological machines. But in 2011, the alliance broke up, which was announced to the world.
2015 scandal
In September of the current year, 2015, a worldwide scandal broke out around Volkswagen. The concern was accused of the fact that the program that the developers used in the on-board computers they produce determined one important moment. Namely, in what mode the machine works - in normal or in test mode. This program was started in cars with diesel power units. Including VW Jetta, Audi A3, Golf, Passat, Beetle. When testing began, the car automatically switched to an environmentally friendly mode of operation. A very smart and thoughtful system, I must say. However, this turned out to be a huge disaster for the concern and financial costs.
The Environmental Protection Agency said that for absolutely every car that does not meet US standards, the company will have to pay a fine of 37.5 thousand dollars. It turns out a fabulous amount. After all, since 2008 the concern has sold 482,000 cars. And the total amount of fines can reach 18 billion! To date, half a million of its vehicles have been recalled from the United States. This is also a loss. The chairman of the company, Martin Winterkorn, apologized publicly after the incident and said that he would definitely support the investigation. By the way, the ministry is engaged in it. After that, Martin retired after more than a dozen years working at Volkswagen.
Acquired companies before 2000
So, it is worth talking in more detail about what is included in the Volkswagen concern. Naturally, the main part of it is the Volkswagen company, which produces cars. The company is not formalized as a “daughter” of the parent concern, but is a division directly reporting to the management of VW AG.
In 1964, the company "Audi" was attached to this structure. It was purchased from Daimler-Benz. Next after Audi was a company such as NSU Motorenwerke. She was bought in 1969. This brand has not been used as an independent brand for a long time - since 1977. And before that, the company produced motorcycles and cars.
They took over the Spanish brand Seat, which has existed since 1950. Volkswagen owns 99.99% of the company's shares. The most interesting models began to appear after Seat joined the German structure. For example, SEAT Bocanegra with a 180-horsepower engine, which was designed by Lamborghini specialists.
In 1991, the company acquired the Czech Škoda, and then returned to Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. This company was once part of VW AG, but in 1995 it became an independent brand. Or rather, a division. Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini - these brands are known all over the world today. And these are concerns owned by Volkswagen since 1998. That year was a shock year for the company. After all, these cars are considered one of the most popular, well-known and actively bought by people.
Acquired firms after 2000
The Volkswagen Group continued to acquire shares further. In 2009, he bought almost 71% of Scania AB. This production is engaged in the development and production of dump trucks, buses, trucks, truck tractors and diesel engines. Another company, MAN AG, bought in 2011, produces all of the above, as well as hybrid powertrains in addition. VW AG owns 55.9% of the company's shares.
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A and ItalDesign Giugiaro are two other manufacturers bought by Volkswagen. The first of these companies is one of the leading manufacturers of premium motorcycles. And the second is a studio engaged in the design of cars. Interestingly, 90% of the shares of this company in 2010 were bought by the Lamborghini holding. So Volkswagen was already the owner of the studio, but after the paperwork was completed, it also became the official owner.
And one more interesting information. VW AG acquired the Russian Aleko in 2013 (it was under this TM that the well-known cheap Moskviches were sold for some time). The right to use this brand and any emblems belongs to the German concern until 2021.
Financial questions
In 1991, in March, in order to optimize the organizational structure, the German concern decided to form an internal division that would deal with financial issues. It was named Volkswagen Finanz. In 1994 it became a closed joint stock company. This banking and financial structure gets full access to international financial markets, as well as the opportunity to finance on very favorable terms. This division deals with important issues. For example, financing the development, production and purchase of machines for corporate and individual customers. It also provides banking, leasing and insurance services to these individuals. In general, useful activity and, most importantly for the company, profitable.
About profit
And a couple of interesting facts in the end. In 2010, VW AG made a huge amount of money, amounting to 57.243 billion euros! But out of all this, the net profit turned out to be only 1.55 billion. It seems small compared to the revenue. However, this is actually a lot of money. After all, all expenses that go to almost 350 companies are taken into account. Because the profit is really solid. Therefore, it is not surprising that Volkswagen is by far the largest, richest and most famous company.
The history of the world-famous Volkswagen car brand began almost 80 years ago, and during this time, cars of this brand have earned a reputation for being reliable and at the same time beautiful and stylish cars. Let's look at how this brand developed and when the word "Volkswagen" was first heard in the history of modern automotive industry.
Autumn 1933.
During a meeting at the Kaserhof Hotel in Berlin, Adolf Hitler, in a conversation with representatives of Daimler-Benz and Ferdinand Porsche, put forward the demand that a reliable, strong and at the same time inexpensive car should be developed for the German people. The cost of such a car should not exceed 1000 Reichsmarks, and it was this requirement that became the most important, because the car should be available to almost any segment of the German population. In addition, one of Hitler's demands was that cars should be assembled in a new factory, which was to become a symbol of German productivity and development. 
It is worth noting that Adolf Hitler directly had a hand in developing the concept of the future car. He sketched a sketch of the future beetle and asked for the name of the designer who would take up the development of this auto-ombile. Then Jacob Werlin, who was at that meeting a representative of Daimler-Benz and suggested that Ferdinand Porsche take up the development of the car. On the same day, the name "Volks-Wagen" was first uttered, which means "people's car" in Russian.
The first drawings of the beetle
After quite a bit of time, in January 1934, Porsche brought drawings of the ordered car to the German Reich Chancellery. It was developed on the basis of the Porsche Typ 60 and already in June of the same year, a contract was signed to develop three new Volkswagen prototypes. Only 20 thousand Reichsmarks were allocated per month for the project, and the development period was limited to 10 months.
The requirements for the car were quite stringent and at the same time precise:
- Track width 1200 mm
- Maximum power - 26 hp
- 5 seats
- Maximum speed - 100 km / h
- Average fuel consumption is 8 liters per 100 kilometers.
- The cost of the car when selling - 1550 Reichsmarks
Development time has been extended
Despite the fact that the car was already practically developed on paper and ready for serial launch, new government requirements have made their own adjustments. The first prototypes were ready only in September 1936 and it took 2 years to develop the prototypes. However, despite this, the first four-door car from Volkswagen and a two-door convertible were born and a further 30 prototypes were ordered, which were subsequently produced and assembled at the Daimler-Benz plant.
Testing of cars was carried out by the trade union organization "German Labor Front". The same organization also made a decision regarding the suitability of the car for use. 
Construction of the Volkswagen plant
It all started with the fact that on May 28, 1937, a company was founded, the name of which could be translated into Russian, as LLC for the preparation of the German People's Car. A year later, not far from the city of Fallersleben, in 1938, the first stone of the plant was laid, which will produce cars that will later receive the title of the most reliable and affordable. In September of the same year, the plant was renamed Volkswagen GmbH.
A very large amount of money was invested in the construction of this plant by the KdF (Kraft durch Freude) company, and it was in her honor that the cars of the future, at the suggestion of Adolf Hitler, began to be called KdF-Wagen.
Unfortunately, the Second World War, which began just a year later, confused the plans of the industrialists, and the new plant managed to produce only two car models that were marked V38 and V39s. The first model was a trial, but the second was already a demonstration, and both of these cars have changed quite a lot compared to the first sketches. Door handles and openings were upgraded, and two rear windows were added to the car. This "people's car" had every chance of gaining immense popularity, but unfortunately, the plant received a huge flow of military orders and the development of Volkswagen went in a slightly different direction.
Volkswagen during World War II
Since the Volkswagen plant was the newest at that time, a variety of types of military equipment were produced there during the war, ranging from vehicles designed to deliver ammunition and personnel, and ending even with military developments of amphibious vehicles. However, during the liberation part of the war, in 1946, this plant was destroyed almost to the ground.
American air raids practically left no stone unturned from the factory building, and after the war it had to be restored. England was engaged in this, in whose zone of influence the city of Wolfsburg fell after the war, which was originally built as working settlements for the plant. After the restoration, England ordered 20,000 cars from this plant, but they did not begin to be mass-produced until many years later.
The first sights of foreigners on Volkswagen
The new car from Volkswagen attracted attention in Hannover at the export fair. In fact, it is this moment that should be considered a turning point in the fate of the Volkswagen concern. Orders for the production of cars from abroad poured in, which showed the really high quality of the car presented at the fair.
Of course, first of all, residents of Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland and other countries turned to the people's car from Germany, but later the car became popular all over the world.
Change of leadership
In 1948, Heinrich Nordhoff became CEO of Volkswagen. Along with him, the top management also changed and it now consisted entirely of engineers who had both international experience and out-of-the-box thinking. It was this approach that made it possible to modernize the current car models produced at the restored plant and make them even better.
The emergence of a new elite also introduced such changes in the activities of the concern as the emergence of a network of technical stations and car service centers for car maintenance. At the same time, a network for selling cars to the west was being established, and the management did not lose, relying on the export of cars.
As a result, about 15 thousand cars were sold on the domestic market by the end of 1948, but the export market was literally full of them - about 50,000 cars were sold.
The plant returns to German control
History of the Volkswagen Beetle:
Somewhat later, the time of British control over the plant came to an end and in September 1948 the plant completely came under the control of the FRG.
This stage of the existence of the plant and the concern as a whole should be characterized by intensive development, an increase in the level of sales and an improvement in the quality of car production.
Hard work and an extraordinary approach to the production of cars has paid off. 27 years after the complete destruction of the plant and the end of World War II, the Volkswagen Beetle has broken a sales record. Prior to that, the Ford Model T held the championship.
The prototype of the modern "Transporter"
In the 50s, the first model of a truck produced by Volkswagen entered mass production. Even then, in its concept, it was very reminiscent of a modern Transporter and was inferior to it only in beauty and power. Since the car was constantly modernized and improved, it continued to gain immense popularity from year to year. Over time, the Bulli became very firmly established in the market for practical and reliable trucks, and it became widely used for transporting commercial goods.
It is worth noting that modifications of this car for special needs and even fire engines based on the Bulli were also released. 
Back to Volkswagen cars
Since the new management of the concern took the export of cars very seriously, over time a whole network of subsidiaries opened around the world. The purpose of these enterprises was the sale of Volkswagens, and perhaps it was thanks to this that the millionth Beetle was produced in 1955, which later became known as the car of the century.
This car was produced until 1991, which speaks of the really highest level of skill of engineers and designers and how high-quality the assembly of this car was.
However, the history of the Beetle does not end there, and already in 1998, the first car based on the Volkswagen Lupo rolled off the assembly line at a plant in Mexico. Despite the fact that the wheelbase of this car is different, the shapes and outlines of the Beetle, beloved by everyone, have been preserved, and the car itself has less modern characteristics and solutions, without which motorists no longer imagine driving a car.
Volkswagen Group today
Over the years of its existence, this company has achieved tremendous success. The war and the complete destruction of the plant stood in its way, but perseverance and truly German pedantry allowed this world-famous plant to rise from the ashes. 
Now the headquarters of Volkswagen is a world-famous glass and concrete tower, which cannot even be called a factory. This is a real working museum and factory, where there is not even a speck of dust on the parquet floor.
Here, each of the 9 car brands united in the Volkswagen concern has its own place, and the most important thing is that anyone who comes to Dresden can visit this tower.
In the post-war years, when the factories of the automaker were under the control of the British administration, Henry Ford could become the owner of the company, but the deal did not take place - the Americans considered that the company "was not worth a penny", and their "people's" car "Beetle" absolutely did not correspond to technical parameters that must be presented to passenger cars. In subsequent years, VW showed how deeply wrong the overseas automotive gurus were.
In the early 50s, the automaker produced about 65% of all cars in Germany, which provided the company with a turnover of 1.4 billion dollars. The golden years were the 70s, when the company created two legendary models at once - the Passat and the Golf, where the latter became the founder of a whole class of cars.
The VW Group includes brands such as Volkswagen, Skoda, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Audi, Seat, Bentley, as well as Scania and MAN truck companies.
Where are VW cars assembled?
Initially, the production of "folk" cars was carried out directly in Germany, but in the course of the development of the brand, factories began to appear on other continents, in particular in South and North America, as well as in Africa. The pioneer was the company's plant, built in the city of San Bernard, in Brazil, where for more than 15 years they have been producing the legendary Beetle, and now there is one of the main offices responsible for the design of future brand cars.
Currently, Volkswagen automobile plants are located in 12 major countries, including: Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, Russia, Poland, Belgium, Spain, the Czech Republic and a number of other countries. The company's revenue over the past few years far exceeds the mark of 60 billion euros, which allows the automaker to be called the largest automaker in the world.
The model range of the company consists of the following models:
Where is the Volkswagen Golf assembled?
VW Golf is the founder of golf-class cars, the latest generation of which is currently produced in Germany, in the city of Wolfsburg. At the same time, most of the cars of the previous generation were produced in Russia and Brazil.
Where are Volkswagen Passats assembled?
VW Passat is a full-size sedan, representative of the D-class. The assembly of cars of this model has now been established at factories in the cities of Kaluga (Russia), Emden and Mosel (Germany), Luanda (Angola), Solomonovo (Ukraine), and Changchun (China).
Where are Volkswagen Beetles assembled?
The VW Beetle is the company's iconic car, which is now produced in Mexico.
Where are Volkswagen Polos assembled?
VW Polo - represented by two modifications - "hatchback" and "sedan", the first is produced in Spain, Poland and Germany, and the second - mainly in Russia.
Where are Volkswagen Touaregs assembled?
VW Touareg is a full-fledged SUV, the production of which is now established in the cities of Bratislava (Slovakia) and Kaluga (Russia). The concept of the car is the basis of the luxury SUV Porsche Cayenne.
Where are Volkswagen Transporters assembled?
The VW Transporter is no less legendary than the Beatle model and can become a great commercial and family car. The production of the model is now presented in the cities of Hannover (Germany), Poznan (Poland) and Kaluga (Russia).
Where are Volkswagen Amarok assembled?
VW Amarok is a modern company car belonging to the pickup class. The model is produced in Hannover, as well as in the city of Pacheco, located in Argentina.
Where is the Volkswagen Jetta assembled?
VW Jetta is another popular model of the company, which combines the spaciousness of a sedan and the charge of a hatchback. Cars designed for the European and American markets are made in Mexico, but the Russians are offered models made in Russia at a plant in Kaluga.
Where are the Volkswagen Caddy assembled?
VW Caddy is an excellent commercial vehicle that is actively acquired by large companies, as well as small entrepreneurs. The assembly of the model is carried out in Germany, as well as in Russia, while in the first case the cars are delivered to the European, and in the second - to the Russian and Eastern markets.
VW is famous for its attitude to the quality of cars produced, so regardless of the country and city in which this or that model of the company is produced, it certainly meets strict corporate standards. This is achieved through the use of modern equipment, as well as strict quality control at all stages of assembly.
