| Full title: | |
| Other names: | vw |
| Existence: | May 28, 1937 - today |
| Location: | Germany: Wolfsburg |
| Key Figures: | Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Directors |
| Products: | Passenger cars, engines |
| The lineup: | Golf II Volkswagen Jetta Volkswagen Tiguan Volkswagen Scirocco Volkswagen Touran Volkswagen Caddy |
Volkswagen was born much later than its eminent compatriots. It was also created not like the rest, which had grown from handicraft workshops, but by order of the German leadership. By force, the creation of a new car was entrusted to the talented automaker Ferdinand Porsche. Nobody cared that Porsche already had a job and was seriously loaded, that it would be very difficult for him to work at two enterprises.
Be that as it may, but at the beginning of the fourth decade of the twentieth century, another automobile company was born in Germany.
Double People's Car
In the thirties, several car manufacturers were already operating on German soil. Their chic products cost a lot and were not intended for the common population.
In the highest government circles, it was decided to strengthen the support of the leaders by the overwhelming majority of the masses. The good attitude of the rulers towards the people was to be expressed in the appearance on the markets of cheap, but solid vehicles available to everyone. It was assumed that the Germans would appreciate this gesture, and their confidence in the government would increase significantly.
The order for Volkswagen (which means "people's car") was received and successfully executed. In the mid-30s, three variants of one car were assembled. One of the prototypes was examined by no one, but by Adolf Hitler himself. The Fuhrer liked the car.
The production of an experimental batch of thirty pieces was entrusted to Daimler-Benz. What was not done with these machines to reveal their positive qualities and weaknesses! After testing, something was corrected and the car was launched into the stream.
The first Volkswagen turned out to be successful. It was easy to drive, very reliable and, most importantly, had a low retail price.
For the mass production of people's cars, production facilities were required. It was decided to build a new plant in a small town called Fallersleben. Construction began in the spring of 1938. The name of the city did not suit someone (a serious enterprise should also have an appropriate name), so the settlement was renamed the euphonious name Wolfsburg.
38
VW 38 The plant was to produce the Volkswagen 38 model. Cooling of its small motor, the volume of which was only 985 cubic centimeters, was carried out by air. According to the initial letters of the German phrase "KraftdurchFreude", the car was simply called "KdF".
A lot of money was needed to build the enterprise. It was decided to borrow them from the same people for whom the cars were intended. People purchased bonds, which were later planned to be considered as collateral for cars issued in the future. The people's car has become doubly so, because. issued exclusively at the expense of the people.
The good deed did not become a reality, very few managed to get a “four-wheeled friend”. With the outbreak of hostilities, the production of cars was curtailed.
Volkswagen rebirth
Perhaps our contemporaries would not have known about the existence of the Volkswagen brand if, after the war, the plant had passed into the hands of the Americans. And there was such a possibility. Wolfsburg ended up in British territory. The British tried to sell the plant to the United States, but a representative who arrived from the States did not find anything remarkable in it. Thanks to the short-sightedness, and, perhaps, the simple incompetence of the American expert, who failed to see the huge potential of the "people's car", cars under the Volkswagen brand exist even now.
Over time, the company grew and began to open branches in other countries. In the summer of 1953, its subsidiary production appeared in San Bernard de Campo, Brazil. It took several years to establish a full-scale production of cars. And at first they were simply assembled in Brazil from components and parts made in Germany.
The second foreign representative office of Volkswagen opened in the south of the African continent. The French branch appeared in 1960. Two years later, the company celebrated a significant event - the sale of the millionth Beetle.
Compact inexpensive cars traveled all over the planet, while the demand for them did not decrease. Therefore, more and more representative offices were opened. In the early 70s, a Mexican plant in Pueblo was launched, and then an enterprise in Brussels.
For a long "life" machines have been repeatedly upgraded. But they always retained their original style. The four-cylinder boxer engine was always located at the rear. The carrier platform also remained unchanged. The last European "Beetle" was released in the 72nd. And all these cars were collected more than fifteen million pieces. As for the countries of Latin America, cars were produced on their territory for several more decades. Taking into account cars, Latin production, the total number increases to 25 million units.
Volkswagen is known not only for "Beetles"
Modest cars were a huge success, but this does not mean at all that there were no other models. For example, the Volkswagen Golf brand was extremely popular. It was also produced on two continents. In Europe from the 74th, and from the 78th and in South America. Since its inception, "Golf" has been repeatedly improved. Today you can meet his seventh generation.
Since the 80s, Volkswagen has been expanding into Asian markets. First, there were long consultations, then cooperation agreements were signed. And finally, in 1991, a car factory was opened in the Chinese city of Chang Chun. There they began to make the Santana model. In the same 80s, in collaboration with the US Ford, Volkswagen opened an enterprise under the sonorous name "Autolatina", this time in Argentina.
The dynamic development of Volkswagen consisted in the distribution of branches all over the planet, as well as in the creation of a whole collection of the most famous automobile brands.
The company expanded both independently and through the acquisition of already well-known industries. For example, she bought Audi from Daimler-Benz in 1965. The beginning of the 90s added the Spanish "Seat" and the Czech "Skoda" to the concern. Later, her property became the British company Bentley, the French Bugatti and the Italian Lamborghini.
Volkswagen has a wide range of its own cars. Particularly popular are such as the already mentioned Golf, and no less famous Passat, Polo and Bora. Of the latest developments, the Touareg SUV stands out. The luxury Phaeton received special praise.
The company is also known for transport represented by a commercial focus: Caravelle, Multivan, Shuttle and others.
Volkswagen products are sold all over the world. In Russia, it is in demand due to its reliability and the same ease of management that was included in the very first "people's" copy. If only it was still available to every Russian!
If you prefer not German pedantry, but French elegance, then you will probably be interested in where you can repair Citroen, Renault, Peugeot cars at an affordable price and with excellent quality.
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 1933, Adolf Hitler commissioned the famous designer Ferdinand Porsche and Jacob Werlin, one of the directors of the Daimler-Benz concern, to create a people's car that could satisfy all the needs of an ordinary buyer, while the cost of the model should not exceed one thousand Reichsmarks. Thus, the history of the Volkswagen concern began, which got its name from the German "Volks-Wagen", that is, the people's car. Jacob Werlin put forward a proposal that it was Dr. Porsche who would develop the model, and Daimler-Benz would be responsible for the technical side of the issue, providing its own production facilities in the same way. The people's car was based on the Porsche Typ 60 model. So, the first prototype of the model saw the light in 1934, and mass production of the car began 4 years later.
In 1937, the company " Volkswagen”, which was to become a symbol of the new Germany. In the shortest possible time, an ultra-modern plant was built in the city of Wolfsburg, which was laid down for the workers of the new enterprise. In 1938, army modifications of the car were presented, called Volkswagen Type 82 And 85. In general, the people's car formed the basis of a whole model range, taking a leading position in the automotive market in Germany, Austria and Holland, and the sale price of the basic version was 1550 Reichsmarks. In addition, during the years of the Second World War at the factories of the concern " Daimler"more than 30 thousand amphibians were produced based on the people's car, which were also developed Ferdinand Porsche.
However, in 1945, after the overthrow of Hitler and the end of the war, Ferdinand Porsche was imprisoned, and the city of Wolfsburg was in the British zone of occupation, which led to significant changes in the management of the concern " Volkswagen". However, before 1948, the British army managed to get about 20 thousand copies of various modifications of the people's car for their own needs. In 1949, full control over the concern " Volkswagen"passed over to the government of the Federal Republic of Germany, which was forced to start exporting brand cars to other countries. It was only in 1955 that the model received the name Volkswagen Beetle, and began to be produced in the original, civilian modification. In 1950, with the money of investors from Holland, German brand engineers began work on the creation of a full-size minibus, called Volkswagen Bulli. In the years 1953-1959 were opened Volkswagen assembly plants in Brazil, Australia, South Africa and Mexico.
By 1960, 9 new models of the brand " Volkswagen", which were based on the platform Volkswagen Beetle. Thanks to the use of a base that has been proven over the years, the new modifications were completely devoid of shortcomings, which significantly reduced the cost of producing new cars, which only needed to replace the body and power unit for certain needs of the target buyer.
The next important step in the history of the German automobile company was 1965, when Volkswagen Group bought the Audi brand from Daimler-Benz, including it in its composition by combining the top management and design staffs. This is how the company was born Volkswagen-Audi", later renamed to " Volkswagen Group».
In 1969, after becoming part of the concern " Volkswagen" entered a small firm for the construction of power units called " NSU", the company's management decided to move away from the classic layout beetle proposed Ferdinand Porsche. So a year later, the first front-wheel drive cars of the brand " Volkswagen", in which the power unit was located in front. In parallel with this, active work was carried out to create the first joint venture with the brand " Audi» car, which became in 1974 Volkswagen Golf compact hatchback, the progenitor of the class of cars of the same name. The model was distinguished not only by its compact dimensions, but also by a good combination of convenience, dynamism and lightness, which allowed it to become a new sales leader in the German automotive market.
In the same year, the last copies of the model rolled off the assembly line at the company's factories in Wolfsburg. Volkswagen Beetle, but their production was continued by the factories of the brand " Volkswagen in Brazil and Mexico. In Europe, it was replaced by two models at once - trade wind And Golf. In just 2.5 years of sales of the Golf compact hatchback, more than one million cars were sold, which made the German brand one of the leaders in the European automotive industry, and the resulting profit formed the basis for the creation of a new generation of production facilities " Volkswagen". In 1975, on the wave of success Golf, its simplified modification was also presented - Volkswagen Polo, under the hood of which there was a power unit with a capacity of 40 horsepower. In addition, in 1976, a sedan version of the Volkswagen Polo was developed on the basis of the Audi 50.
In 1983, the next update of the company's model range began. Volkswagen", so were presented second generation Golf and Jetta models, a compact sedan built on the basis of a small hatchback, with the same range of engines, but in a completely redesigned body design. It was also presented new generation of sports model Volkswagen Scirocco, under the hood of which are motors with a capacity of 120 to 200 horsepower.
In 1982, the leadership of the German concern signed an agreement on close cooperation with the Spanish automaker " SEAT”, which experienced financial difficulties, but successfully kept afloat, due to the release of inexpensive cars, popular among ordinary buyers. However, financial problems still broke the Spanish brand. This led in 1986 to the transfer of a controlling stake in 51% of the company's shares under the control of the brand " Volkswagen", which paid all the debts of the company" SEAT”, and also included it in its composition, using it as a production facility for the production of its models in the automotive market in Spain and Portugal. Also in 1982, the world's first five-cylinder engines installed on Volkswagen Passat second generation.
In 1988 it was introduced Volkswagen Corrado model, which took the place Sirocco models among the current cars of the company, and she Sirocco has been discontinued. Successful financial performance and consistently high sales of the Group's vehicles " Volkswagen” allowed the management to think again about acquiring a new division that would help the German brand to occupy new niches in the automotive market.
In 1990, Europe was hit hard by the economic crisis, but due to the right strategy and huge profits, concern "Volkswagen" remained one of the few industrial enterprises of the European continent, which was not subjected to a significant decrease in demand for its products and a sharp drop in profits. However, the Czech company " Skoda”, specializing in the creation of inexpensive cars for the Eastern European market, was much less fortunate, the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Before the engineers of the German concern, the prospect of creating another model range of cars loomed, which led to the complete absorption of the Czech manufacturer " Skoda", and for the company" Volkswagen» access to the automotive market of Eastern Europe was opened.
At the same time, another eminent brand, Porsche, also falls under the control of the Volkswagen concern., which is rapidly suffering economic collapse due to spending on modernization and expansion of production that exceeds income. As a result, for the next 16 years, the brand " Porsche"was completely under control" Volkswagen", another brainchild Ferdinand Porsche. However, in 2007, after the correct distribution of excess profits, the management company " Porsche", which completely redeemed the concern" Volkswagen, ceding to him full control over the activities of the company for the production of sports cars Porsche AG.
It is noteworthy that it was in the 90s that the designers of the company " Volkswagen"begin to conduct their experiments to create a universal platform for the construction of various cars of the same class, and the first experiments were carried out on models Golf, Bora, Audi 50 And SEAT Albea. Thanks to the use of a single platform, the concern no longer needed to conduct lengthy field tests of each of the models, and the cost per vehicle was reduced by 22%.
The next turning point in the history of the German concern " Volkswagen"became 1998, when three brands of premium cars passed under the control of one of the largest automakers in the world at once -" Bentley », « Lamborghini" And " Bugatti". A year later, under control Audi", which became an independent division of the brand" Volkswagen", the brand was transferred" Lamborghini”, which received a serious technical basis for the production of new sports cars. Marche " Bentley"in the new hierarchy of the German concern, the share of one of the largest players in the luxury car market was assigned, due to the fact that, in addition to all the property of the English brand, under control" Volkswagen"also hit the production facilities of the company" Rolls-Royce". The production of a number of cars began, which, without too much modesty, began to be called cars for millionaires.
At the same time, the most difficult task was assigned to the French brand " Bugatti”, whose engineers were commissioned in 2000 to create the most powerful and fastest car in history, using all the latest developments of the company“ Audi". After 5 years, a chapter called the Bugatti Veyron was inscribed in the history of the German concern, and a car with a power unit with a capacity of one thousand horsepower became the first hypercar in history, setting a number of speed records.
The 2000s were also marked by the massive participation of the concern " Volkswagen» in motorsport competitions. Between 2000 and 2013, factory teams " Audi" And " Bentley won 11 victories in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans marathon, setting many records, as well as providing the concern with the most advanced developments in the field of kinetic energy recovery, aerodynamics and selective dual clutch transmissions.
Also, in 2002, the first off-road vehicles of the Volkswagen brand were presented, for the promotion of which it was decided to start participating in the legendary Paris-Dakar rally, where in the middle of the 20th century the company " Porsche". Racing prototype models Volkswagen Touareg won first places in the Paris-Dakar 2009-2011 races, displacing more experienced competitors from the leading positions. In addition, these developments allowed the company " Volkswagen» start serial production of all-wheel drive chassis for light hatchbacks and sedans. And since 2011, it was decided to start performing with the factory team " Skoda» in the World Rally Championship, where in 2013 Volkswagen prototype under the control of a French rider Sebastian Ogier won in the individual competition, breaking the dominance of the brand " Citroen', which lasted almost 10 years.
By 2012, all cars of the concern " Volkswagen» were modernized, and the total number of sales markets reached 150. In addition, the company is actively investing in the development of its business in China, the third largest automotive market in the world.
Released in 2013 Volkswagen e-Golf is an electric version of the "C" class hatchback. This is the most environmentally friendly version in the history of the Golf model. The car is equipped with climate control with the possibility of heating and cooling in the parking lot, a multimedia system with navigation, heated windshield and LED headlights. Volkswagen Golf GTE - front-wheel drive hatchback class "C" with a hybrid power plant. The world premiere of the model took place at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014. In motion Volkswagen The Golf GTE is powered by a 150-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged petrol engine and a 102-horsepower electric motor. With. In 2015, a restyled version of the model was released. Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid. This is a class "C" sedan with a hybrid power plant. The hybrid component left a certain imprint on the performance and design of the Jett. The electric motor and batteries completely increased the mass of the car, so optimizing the aerodynamics of the sedan was extremely important.
← 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 Group, also known as Volkswagen Konzern, Volkswagen Group or VW Group, is a group of automotive companies, among which Volkswagen AG is considered the parent company. The headquarters of the Volkswagen Group is located in Wolfsburg. With the owners of the VW Group, not everything was unequivocally clear until 2012. Until then, Porsche SE had owned 50.73% of the shares of Volkswagen AG, although the latter owned 100% of the shares of Porsche GmbH. Porsche is now wholly owned by the VW Group.
Martin Winterkorn is the head of Volkswgaen AG and also the Chairman of the Management Board of Porsche SE.
The Volkswagen Group includes 342 companies, but not all of them are engaged in auto production: many of them simply provide services related to the production of cars. The VW Group has repeatedly become the world's largest automaker, where it traditionally battles with General Motors, Toyota and Renault-Nissan.
In 1998 - 2002, being the owner of Bentley, concern Volkswagen Group part-time produced prestigious Rolls-Royce cars, although for this the company had to conclude an agreement with BMW. However, since 2003, when BMW bought the rights to Rolls-Royce from Vickers, the production of Rolls-Royce brand cars has remained the privilege of the Bavarian brand BMW.
In December 2009, the Volkswagen Group entered into an agreement to develop sustainable vehicles with the Japanese company Suzuki. At the same time, the German concern got a 20% stake in Suzuki. The alliance did not last long: in the fall of 2011, it broke up.
VW Group corporate structure
It specializes in the production of passenger cars and is directly subordinate to the management of Volkswagen AG.
The last of the former members of the Auto Union group, bought out from the Daimler concern in 1964.
NSU Motorenwerke. Belongs to the VW Group since 1969 and is listed as part of the Audi Division. As an independent brand, it has not been used since 1977.
Since 1986, the German concern has owned 53% of the shares (controlling stake). This year, VW Group signed a contract to buy SEAT from the state. In 1990, the VW Group became virtually the sole owner of SEAT: it owns 99.99% of the shares of the Spanish automaker.
VW Group has had exclusive rights to this Czech automaker since 1991.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. It produces commercial vehicles: minibuses, buses and tractors. Until 1995, this division was part of Volkswagen AG, but thanks to Bernd Weidemann, it became an independent division within the VW Group.
The company became the property of the VW Group in 1998, when it was sold by the British concern Vichers. The German concern also received Rolls-Royce as a "load", but without the right to sole production of cars under this brand, since the British sold the brand itself to another German automaker - BMW.
Crashed after the failed supercar EB110, the French brand barely kept afloat until it was bought by the VW Group in 1998.
The deal for the purchase of this Italian brand was concluded with Audi in 1998.
The German concern bought a 70.94% stake in the Swedish truck manufacturer in 2009. With a controlling stake in Scania, VW Group has full control over the production of truck tractors, trucks and dump trucks, buses and diesel engines under this brand.
The deal to purchase a controlling stake in MAN took place in 2011 (VW Group owns 55.9% of MAN shares). Under this brand, truck tractors, trucks and dump trucks, buses, diesel and hybrid engines are produced.
Porsche AG has been owned by the VW Group since 2009 with a 49.9% stake. In 2011, the merger between Porsche and Volkswagen failed, but in 2012, Volkswagen bought Porsche, making it the 12th brand in this group of companies. Since then, the VW Group has owned a 50.1% stake in Porsche, for which the company laid out 4.49 billion euros.
The Italian superbike manufacturer has been owned by Audi AG since spring 2012. The deal to buy Ducati from Investindustrial SpA cost the German VW Group $1.1 billion.
Since 2009, VW Group has been one of the largest shareholders in Suzuki Motor Corporation.
As of 2013, the VW Group owns the Russian trademark Moskvich. The right to use this brand and all its emblems belongs to Volkswagen until 2021.
The VW Group owns 48 automobile manufacturing enterprises: there are VW Group plants in 15 European countries, in six American, Asian and African countries. The enterprises of the group employ more than 370,000 people. The daily production volume exceeds 26,600 vehicles. Authorized sales and service points for VW Group vehicles are located in more than 150 countries around the world.
