Volkswagen AG(Volkswagen AG), a German automobile concern. Produces cars, trucks, minibuses. The headquarters is in Wolfsburg.
In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche), a famous German designer (founder of the world famous German automobile company Porsche AG), received an order from the National Socialist government of Germany to develop a modern passenger car.
And already in 1935, such a car was mounted. It was called "Volkswagen", which literally means "people's car" in German. After two years of testing, the VW30 series was launched in 1937, and by 1938 the car had acquired a look familiar to many generations. Volkswagen was immediately appreciated by designers, engineers and drivers. They started talking about it, numerous publications appeared, in 1938, in a New York Times article, Volkswagen was dubbed the “beetle” for its external resemblance. This nickname has taken root so much that it has become the hallmark of the car.
For the production of the "people's car" May 26, 1938 in the city of Wolfsburg began construction of the largest European car factory Volkswagen. But the impending war prevented the production of this car. Only a dozen were produced. The car really liked the fascist bosses. Hitler himself rode it with pleasure.
During World War II, work on the construction of Volkswagen was suspended, and the unfinished plant was converted to the production of military products.
After the end of the war, the enterprise fell under the control of the British, in whose zone of occupation Wolfsburg was located. In the fall of 1945, the British authorities gave the plant an order for 20,000 vehicles. But only almost ten years later, mass production of the car in its original modification began. In 1947, the Volkswagen was exhibited at the Hannover export fair and attracted a lot of attention. The plant received the first foreign order from Holland for a thousand cars, and in 1948 orders began to arrive from Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden and other countries.
In January 1948, the management of Volkswagen changed, Heinrich Nordhoff, a representative of a new generation of German technocrats, became its general director. The revamped leadership consisted of graduate engineers with international experience in car factories and the ability to think outside the box. With their arrival, the car was improved and modernized. In 1949, models with a new body type began to be produced - a convertible and a limousine. In serial production, the interior equipment became more comfortable, a partially synchronized engine was installed.
A network of car service and technical stations for car maintenance was established. Constant work was carried out with Western clients. Volkswagen has built a strong car distribution network.
By the end of 1948, the export of the car, which gained worldwide fame, amounted to about 50 thousand cars, about 15 thousand were sold on the domestic market.
By this time, the plant was freed from British allied control, and on September 6, 1949, Volkswagen was completely transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany.
A new stage in the development of the plant began, which was primarily marked by an intensive increase in production and an increase in sales.
By 1950, 100 thousand cars were produced, by 1951 - 500 thousand cars, and on August 5, 1955, a solemn ceremony was held to mark the release of the millionth Volkswagen 2. The motto of this time in the life of the Germans is becoming a popular phrase associated with Volkswagen - "He is a member of my family" .
The reliability and affordable price of the car, proven over the years, have strengthened the export capabilities of the car. Volkswagen is already sold in 150 countries around the world. Subsidiaries appear abroad - in 1953 in Brazil, in 1956 in South Africa, in 1957 in Australia, in 1964 in Mexico (beetle has been produced here since 1998, which has become a real hit of the season with Hollywood stars) and other countries.
The first modification of the standard Volkswagen-1200 in 1955 was the Karmann-Ghia sports coupe, the brand of which was made up of the names of the companies that created it: the body was designed by the Italian company Ghia, and it was assembled at the German bodywork company Karmann in Osnabrück. In 1961, the program was replenished with a new Volkswagen-1500 with a sedan body and an increased displacement engine, on the basis of which the next versions of the Karmann-Ghia coupe and convertible were produced.
In 1965, Volkswagen bought Audi from Daimler-Benz, creating the Volkswagen-Audi concern, known by the acronym VAG. Later, it included the Spanish company SEAT (SEAT) and the Czech plant "Skoda" (Skoda). Currently, Audi AG is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen concern, which has been granted full independence.
The first result of the merger in 1968 was the VW-411 with an air-cooled engine with a working volume of 1679 cc. The model was very reservedly accepted by buyers. In 1969, after joining the NSU company, the first Volkswagen with front-wheel drive appeared, which received the K-70 index. It could be purchased with either 1594 or 1795 cc engines. In 1969-1975, in collaboration with Porsche, sports cars Volkswagen-Porsche-914 "with 4- and 6-cylinder engines in 1679 and 1991 cc were produced. In 1970, the VW-181 appeared with a utilitarian open body, reminiscent of army vehicles its development in 1979 was the light all-wheel drive army vehicle lltis.
The ancestor of the new generation of Volkswagen is the front-wheel drive Passat, released in 1973. It was offered in numerous variants with engines ranging in displacement from 1297 to 1588 cc. The following year, a sporty Scirocco appeared with a 3-door coupe body and engines from 1093 to 1588 cc, as well as a compact 3- and 5-door Golf hatchback. In the first 30 months of production, 1 million Golf cars rolled off the assembly line, turning Volkswagen into one of the largest car manufacturers in Europe. In 1979, the Golf cabriolet appeared and was always in high demand.
MModel Golf I, which appeared in 1974, proved to be the most successful: modern, economical, reliable, it was such a model that could stir up the international market. Golf marked a new stage of competition in the production of a class of compact cars, which became almost officially called the "golf class". If during the development of new models in 1973-1974 the concern's losses exceeded 800 million German marks, then already in 1975, due to the large demand for them, it was possible to cover all costs. Just 3 years after the launch of Golf I, the millionth car of this brand was produced. In 1983, the Golf II saw the light of day, and eight years later, in 1991, the Golf III debuted, which, like previous models, maintained the Golf's high reputation. In the twenty-three years since the start of production, 17 million Golfs of three generations have been produced. In 1995-1996 Golf III was the leader in the number of sales in Europe. In 1997, the debut of the new Golf IV took place, only in the first days after which more than 60 thousand orders were accepted.
At the beginning of 1975, the "little brother" Golf was introduced - a three-door front-wheel drive Polo, similar in design to the Audi-50 and offered with engines with a displacement of 895-1272 cc. The inexpensive and practical Polo also became very popular and strengthened Volkswagen's financial position. Based on the Polo, a three-volume Derby sedan version was offered.
Since 1980, based on the Golf, the Jetta model has been produced with a 4-door sedan body. In 1992, it was replaced by a similar car (already on the third generation Golf chassis), called the Vento.
In 1981, the Passat and Scirocco were upgraded, and a year later, the Santana sedan appeared on the basis of the Passat, which for the first time included a 5-cylinder petrol S engine with a displacement of 1994 cc.
In the period 1988-1995, the only 3-door coupe Corrado in the program, the successor to the Scirocco, was assembled.
Station wagon and convertible Variant models on third-generation chassis have continued to be produced since 1993. Two Variant Syncro models with 2.0- and 2.9-liter engines have an all-wheel drive chassis.
The compact third-generation Polo has been in production since 1994. Bodies 3- and 5-door hatchback, Polo Classic sedan and 5-door Variant station wagon. 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with a displacement of 1.0-1.9 liters and a power of 50-101 hp.
The comfortable Vento family of the first generation is equipped with 4- and 6-cylinder engines of 1.6-2.8 liters with a capacity of 75-174 hp.
The high-capacity station wagon Sharan has been produced since 1995 in 5-7-seater versions, on front- and all-wheel drive chassis. The power of gasoline and diesel engines with a working volume of 1.9-2.8 liters is within 90-174 hp.
The fifth generation Passat model family was shown in 1996. Unlike previous cars produced since 1988, they are again unified with the same type of Audi models "A4" and "A6". This made it possible to use more powerful and modern Audi power units of a longitudinal arrangement. Passat models are produced only with sedan and 5-door station wagon Variant bodies and are equipped with 4-, 5- and 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines of 1.6-2.8 liters with a capacity of 90-193 hp. Several Variant models in Syncro trim have all-wheel drive chassis.
In 1999, the BORA model of a comfortable sedan was released.
Several Volkswagen sites in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and China produce a number of models that differ significantly from European products. Among them are the Gol, Parati and Santana models, created on the chassis of the Golf and Passat models of previous generations.
The Mexican branch continues production of the "1.6i" model of the "Beetle" type with a 1.6-liter engine of 44 hp, and since the beginning of 1998, the production of a fundamentally new front-wheel drive car "Beetle" (Beetle) on the chassis of the Golf models has been mastered, outwardly similar to the famous "Beetle".
At present, the Volkswagen concern is one of the largest in terms of sales in the world, has its factories in 15 countries, produces products under five trademarks Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT. Since 1998, the concern has owned the Rolls-Royce brand. In addition to passenger cars, the plant also produces trucks and minibuses. The Volkswagen Group includes: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, SEAT S.A., Skoda Automobilova, Volkswagen-Saxony GmbH.
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 factory 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.
Volkswagen is currently the largest car manufacturer in Europe and the second largest in the world.
Today, the German group, which once started with the production of ultra-budget "Beetles", offers products for any buyer. All this thanks to the unification of several brands under a single management.
The group's corporate portfolio includes eight legendary brands, most of which were in a difficult financial situation at one time. The companies were forced to make an alliance with the German manufacturer as it was a matter of their survival.
Volkswagen
The brand was founded by Adolf Hitler in 1938. Today it specializes in the mass segment. The most famous models: Golf, Passat, Polo, Tiguan.
Audi
Specializing in the premium segment. The brand was merged with Volkswagen in 1964. The most famous models: A4, A6, R8. In 1993, the management company Audi AG acquired the Ducati and Lamborghini brands, while remaining the property of Volkswagen.
Porsche
Specializes in premium and super premium segments. Although he was one of the founders of the first Volkswagen plant, the company he created joined the German giant only in 2007. Today the allies are each other's mutual shareholders. The most famous models: Cayenne, Panamera.
Bentley
In 1929, the English manufacturer of premium cars was sold to Rolls-Royce. In 1997, after the financial crisis, the Rolls-Royce brand was sold to BMW, and the Bentley brand went to Volkswagen. The most famous models: Continental GT, Flying Spur.
Skoda
This brand survived the German occupation, the Soviet era and was merged with Volkswagen in 1991. Change of strategic partner allowed to increase production by 5 times. Today Skoda specializes in the mass budget segment. The most famous models: Octavia, Fabia, Yeti.
SEAT
In 1986, due to financial difficulties, the Italian concern FIAT sold a 99.9% stake in the Spanish automaker to the Volkswagen Group. Today the brand specializes in the mass segment. The most famous models: Ibiza, Leon.
Lamborghini
At the turn of the 60-70s. of the last century, the Italian sports car manufacturer has changed hands several times. In 1998, the brand was bought by Audi AG and ended up under the wing of Volkswagen. The most famous models: Aventador, Huracan.
Bugatti
In 1956, this legendary brand actually ceased to exist. In the late 80s, the Italian entrepreneur Romano Artioli revived production and in 1998 sold the asset to the Volkswagen concern. Today the brand specializes in the super premium segment. The most famous model: Veyron.
What other companies belong to Volkswagen
- MAN– manufacturer of trucks, truck tractors, dump trucks, buses, hybrid and diesel engines;
- Scania– manufacturer of trucks, truck tractors, dump trucks, buses and diesel engines;
- Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles– manufacturer of commercial vehicles (buses, minibuses, tractors);
- Ducati Motor– motorcycle manufacturer;
- ItalDesign Giugiaro- car design studio
For some time there were rumors about Volkswagen's intention to buy the Italian-American alliance Fiat-Chrysler in order to become the world's largest automaker, but this deal did not take place.
Volkswagen AG (Volkswagen AG), German automobile concern. Produces cars, trucks, minibuses. The headquarters is in Wolfsburg.
In 1934, Ferdinand Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche), a famous German designer (founder of the world famous German automobile company Porsche AG), received an order from the National Socialist government of Germany to develop a modern passenger car.
And already in 1935, such a car was mounted. It was called "Volkswagen", which literally means "people's car" in German. After two years of testing, the VW30 series was launched in 1937, and by 1938 the car had acquired a look familiar to many generations. Volkswagen was immediately appreciated by designers, engineers and drivers. They started talking about it, numerous publications appeared, in 1938, in a New York Times article, Volkswagen was dubbed the “beetle” for its external resemblance. This nickname has taken root so much that it has become the hallmark of the car.
For the production of the "people's car" May 26, 1938 in the city of Wolfsburg began construction of the largest European car factory Volkswagen. But the impending war prevented the production of this car. Only a dozen were produced. The car really liked the fascist bosses. Hitler himself rode it with pleasure.
During World War II, work on the construction of Volkswagen was suspended, and the unfinished plant was converted to the production of military products.
After the end of the war, the enterprise fell under the control of the British, in whose zone of occupation Wolfsburg was located. In the fall of 1945, the British authorities gave the plant an order for 20,000 vehicles. But only almost ten years later, mass production of the car in its original modification began. In 1947, the Volkswagen was exhibited at the Hannover export fair and attracted a lot of attention. The plant received the first foreign order from Holland for a thousand cars, and in 1948 orders began to arrive from Switzerland, Belgium, Sweden and other countries.
In January 1948, the management of Volkswagen changed, Heinrich Nordhoff, a representative of a new generation of German technocrats, became its general director. The revamped leadership consisted of graduate engineers with international experience in car factories and the ability to think outside the box. With their arrival, the car was improved and modernized. In 1949, models with a new body type began to be produced - a convertible and a limousine. In serial production, the interior equipment became more comfortable, a partially synchronized engine was installed.
A network of car service and technical stations for car maintenance was established. Constant work was carried out with Western clients. Volkswagen has built a strong car distribution network.
By the end of 1948, the export of the car, which gained worldwide fame, amounted to about 50 thousand cars, about 15 thousand were sold on the domestic market.
By this time, the plant was freed from British allied control, and on September 6, 1949, Volkswagen was completely transferred to the Federal Republic of Germany.
A new stage in the development of the plant began, which was primarily marked by an intensive increase in production and an increase in sales.
By 1950, 100 thousand cars were produced, by 1951 - 500 thousand cars, and on August 5, 1955, a solemn ceremony was held to mark the release of the millionth Volkswagen 2. The motto of this time in the life of the Germans is becoming a popular phrase associated with Volkswagen - "He is a member of my family" .
The reliability and affordable price of the car, proven over the years, have strengthened the export capabilities of the car. Volkswagen is already sold in 150 countries around the world. Subsidiaries appear abroad - in 1953 in Brazil, in 1956 in South Africa, in 1957 in Australia, in 1964 in Mexico (beetle has been produced here since 1998, which has become a real hit of the season with Hollywood stars) and other countries.
The first modification of the standard Volkswagen-1200 in 1955 was the Karmann-Ghia sports coupe, the brand of which was made up of the names of the companies that created it: the body was designed by the Italian company Ghia, and it was assembled at the German bodywork company Karmann in Osnabrück. In 1961, the program was replenished with a new Volkswagen-1500 with a sedan body and an increased displacement engine, on the basis of which the next versions of the Karmann-Ghia coupe and convertible were produced.
In 1965, Volkswagen bought Audi from Daimler-Benz, creating the Volkswagen-Audi concern, known by the acronym VAG. Later, it included the Spanish company SEAT (SEAT) and the Czech plant "Skoda" (Skoda). Currently, Audi AG is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen concern, which has been granted full independence.
The first result of the merger in 1968 was the VW-411 with an air-cooled engine with a working volume of 1679 cc. The model was very reservedly accepted by buyers. In 1969, after joining the NSU company, the first Volkswagen with front-wheel drive appeared, which received the K-70 index. It could be purchased with either 1594 or 1795 cc engines. In 1969-1975, in collaboration with Porsche, sports cars Volkswagen-Porsche-914 "with 4- and 6-cylinder engines in 1679 and 1991 cc were produced. In 1970, the VW-181 appeared with a utilitarian open body, reminiscent of army vehicles its development in 1979 was the light all-wheel drive army vehicle lltis.
The ancestor of the new generation of Volkswagen is the front-wheel drive Passat, released in 1973. It was offered in numerous variants with engines ranging in displacement from 1297 to 1588 cc. The following year, a sporty Scirocco appeared with a 3-door coupe body and engines from 1093 to 1588 cc, as well as a compact 3- and 5-door Golf hatchback. In the first 30 months of production, 1 million Golf cars rolled off the assembly line, turning Volkswagen into one of the largest car manufacturers in Europe. In 1979, the Golf cabriolet appeared and was always in high demand.
The Golf I, which appeared in 1974, turned out to be the most successful: modern, economical, reliable, it was such a model that could stir up the international market. Golf marked a new stage of competition in the production of a class of compact cars, which became almost officially called the "golf class". If during the development of new models in 1973-1974 the concern's losses exceeded 800 million German marks, then already in 1975, due to the large demand for them, it was possible to cover all costs. Just 3 years after the launch of Golf I, the millionth car of this brand was produced. In 1983, the Golf II saw the light of day, and eight years later, in 1991, the Golf III debuted, which, like previous models, maintained the Golf's high reputation. In the twenty-three years since the start of production, 17 million Golfs of three generations have been produced. In 1995-1996 Golf III was the leader in the number of sales in Europe. In 1997, the debut of the new Golf IV took place, only in the first days after which more than 60 thousand orders were accepted.
At the beginning of 1975, the "little brother" Golf was introduced - a three-door front-wheel drive Polo, similar in design to the Audi-50 and offered with engines with a displacement of 895-1272 cc. The inexpensive and practical Polo also became very popular and strengthened Volkswagen's financial position. Based on the Polo, a three-volume Derby sedan version was offered.
Since 1980, based on the Golf, the Jetta model has been produced with a 4-door sedan body. In 1992, it was replaced by a similar car (already on the third generation Golf chassis), called the Vento.
In 1981, the Passat and Scirocco were upgraded, and a year later, the Santana sedan appeared on the basis of the Passat, which for the first time included a 5-cylinder petrol S engine with a displacement of 1994 cc.
In the period 1988-1995, the only 3-door coupe Corrado in the program, the successor to the Scirocco, was assembled.
Station wagon and convertible Variant models on third-generation chassis have continued to be produced since 1993. Two Variant Syncro models with 2.0- and 2.9-liter engines have an all-wheel drive chassis.
The compact third-generation Polo has been in production since 1994. Bodies 3- and 5-door hatchback, Polo Classic sedan and 5-door Variant station wagon. 4-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with a displacement of 1.0-1.9 liters and a power of 50-101 hp.
The comfortable Vento family of the first generation is equipped with 4- and 6-cylinder engines of 1.6-2.8 liters with a capacity of 75-174 hp.
The high-capacity station wagon Sharan has been produced since 1995 in 5-7-seater versions, on front- and all-wheel drive chassis. The power of gasoline and diesel engines with a working volume of 1.9-2.8 liters is within 90-174 hp.
The fifth generation Passat model family was shown in 1996. Unlike previous cars produced since 1988, they are again unified with the same type of Audi models "A4" and "A6". This made it possible to use more powerful and modern Audi power units of a longitudinal arrangement. Passat models are produced only with sedan and 5-door station wagon Variant bodies and are equipped with 4-, 5- and 6-cylinder petrol and diesel engines of 1.6-2.8 liters with a capacity of 90-193 hp. Several Variant models in Syncro trim have all-wheel drive chassis.
In 1999, the BORA model of a comfortable sedan was released.
Several Volkswagen sites in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and China produce a number of models that differ significantly from European products. Among them are the Gol, Parati and Santana models, created on the chassis of the Golf and Passat models of previous generations.
The Mexican branch continues production of the "1.6i" model of the "Beetle" type with a 1.6-liter engine of 44 hp, and since the beginning of 1998, the production of a fundamentally new front-wheel drive car "Beetle" (Beetle) on the chassis of the Golf models has been mastered, outwardly similar to the famous "Beetle".
At present, the Volkswagen concern is one of the largest in terms of sales in the world, has its factories in 15 countries, produces products under five trademarks Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT. Since 1998, the concern has owned the Rolls-Royce brand. In addition to passenger cars, the plant also produces trucks and minibuses. The Volkswagen Group includes: Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, SEAT S.A., Skoda Automobilova, Volkswagen-Saxony GmbH.
Website: www.vw.com
Representation in Russia:
The Volkswagen Group, headquartered in Wolfsburg (Germany), is one of the world's leading and largest European automakers. In 2018, 10,834,000 vehicles were handed over to customers worldwide (2017: 10,741,500 vehicles; 2016: 10,297,000 vehicles; 2015: 9,930,600 vehicles; in 2013 - 9,731,000 vehicles).
The group includes twelve brands from seven European countries: Volkswagen - passenger cars, Audi, Seat, ŠKODA, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, Volkswagen Commercial vehicles, Scania and MAN.
The group's model range covers a wide range of vehicles from motorcycles and economical small cars to luxury cars. The commercial vehicle segment has options ranging from pickup trucks to buses and heavy trucks.
The Volkswagen Group is actively involved in other business areas such as large diameter diesel engines for marine and stationary applications (turnkey power plants), turbochargers, gas and steam turbines, compressors and chemical reactors. The concern also manufactures automotive transmissions, special gearboxes for wind turbines, plain and clutch bearings.
In addition, the Volkswagen Group offers a wide range of financial services, including dealer and customer finance, leasing, banking, insurance and fleet management.
The Volkswagen Group has 123 plants in 20 European countries and 11 countries in North and South America, Asia and Africa. Every weekday, the group's 642,292 employees around the world produce about 44,170 vehicles and work in other business areas. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries around the world.
The aim of the concern is to produce attractive and safe cars that are competitive in today's market and set world standards for their class.
Strategy TOGETHER 2025
"Strategy TOGETHER 2025" is a program of the Volkswagen Group, which is the beginning of the largest restructuring in the history of the company. Changes from one of the best car manufacturers to achieve a leading position as a supplier of sustainable mobility. To do this, the Volkswagen Group is transforming automotive production and plans to launch more than 30 next-generation all-electric vehicles by 2025, with a focus on vehicle charging technology and autonomous driving. The development of cross-branding and intelligent mobility solutions will also become one of the company's key activities. The strategic partnership with Gett, established in 2016, was the first step in this direction; in the coming years, services such as robotic taxis and car sharing will merge. Successful transformation of the company also implies the development of innovation. The Volkswagen Group is driving digital excellence across all brands and across all industries. At the same time, the Volkswagen Group continues to develop partnerships and strategic investments, increasing the efficiency of its activities.
