Many drivers who encounter the abbreviation VAG do not understand what it means. This abbreviation is the name of the large Volkswagen concern, which, in addition to the automobile plant of the same name, includes several hundred companies producing cars, trucks and off-road vehicles. The name VAG in full sounds like Volkswagen Audi Gruppe. It came from two concerns, the merger of which happened before the formation of other brands. In the world there are many fans of cars belonging to this group of car manufacturers, and in Europe the concern occupies a leading position, occupying 25% of the market.
What is VAG?
Often, motorists who have heard about this company do not know what official name it bears and what cars it produces. The legal name is Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, which translates as "Volkswagen Joint Stock Company". The designations Volkswagen Konzern and VAG are unofficial but widespread variants that first appeared in the print media.
Today, there are 342 car companies in the community: this will help to understand what VAG is and what is the scale of such an enterprise. According to reports, half of the Volkswagen shares are owned by the Porsche group, and the holding itself owns half of Porsche Zwischenholding GmbH. Almost three and a half hundred brands in the concern appeared as a result of the appointment of F. Piekh to the post of chairman of the board, who helped the manufacturer get out of a difficult crisis. One of the methods was the purchase of car brands, which at that time seemed unpromising and were just starting to fight for competitive places. All this, coupled with competent management and stricter quality control, made it possible for a century to create the largest concern that supplies cars to countries around the world.
All about cars of the VAG family
So, how many brands are included in this company? With the help of the resources of this automobile concern, the following brands of cars are produced:
- Volkswagen is a car manufacturer.
- AUDI is a brand formerly owned by the Daimler group, but bought out in 1964.
- Seat - the brand was bought in 1990 in full, before that, four years earlier, the company bought a controlling stake.
- Skoda is a passenger car manufacturer bought out in 1991.
- Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles is a special division that produces buses, minibuses and trucks for commercial purposes and for the transport of goods.
- Bugatti is a brand bought in 1998.
- Bentley is a company acquired from a British owner in the same year as the previous firm.
- Lamborghini is an Italian manufacturer of high-speed passenger cars, bought by a subsidiary of Audi in 1998.
- Ducati is a Mediterranean luxury motorcycle manufacturer acquired by Audi in 2012. According to press service reports, the purchase cost more than $1.1 billion.
- Porsche - almost half of the shares of this manufacturer belongs to VAG, the same concern controls new developments, the introduction of innovative engineering and design solutions.
- ItalDesign Giugiaro is an Italian firm that was acquired by Lamborghini in 2010.
- Scania is a manufacturer of tractors, dump trucks, trucks, including long ones, used for long-distance cargo transportation and transportation of heavy loads, including oversized cargo. The block of shares, accounting for almost 71% of the total, was bought out in 2009.
- MAN is another plant engaged in the production of dump trucks, trucks, hybrid engines and high-power diesel power units.
- NSU Motorenwerke is a brand that was bought in 1969, but is not used as an independent car brand.
Analysts say that in the near future we can expect a complete merger of Volkswagen and Porsche, but at the moment this remains only in theory. In any case, the VAG concern is one of the most popular manufacturers not only in Europe, but also in Russia, Asia and America, as evidenced by the steady growth in sales and stable profits in most world markets. Fans appreciate the cars of the brands that are part of the VAG for a combination of decent quality, improved functionality, stylish design and a wide price range. Manufacturers offer both relatively inexpensive and premium expensive cars for every taste.
Some facts about VAG
Fans of the concern will be interested to know a number of facts about the company:
- In 2005, enterprises produced a total of 5.22 million pieces of equipment
- In 2006, the profit of the VAG group amounted to 2.75 billion euros after deducting all costs.
- Since 2006, the company has been producing a number of Volkswagen models at the Kaluga plant.
- Despite the crisis of 2009, the company managed to increase the rate of car sales by 0.6 (this indicator demonstrates how seriously the work with customers is organized and sales markets are established).
- In 2010, the net profit of the plant amounted to 1.55 billion euros.
- The head office of the group is located in Wolfsburg.
- VAG automobile plants are located in 15 European countries, there are 48 such enterprises in total. In addition, the company owns 6 plants in Africa, the USA and Asia.
- There are also two museums of the concern in Wolfsburg, one of them is dedicated to the history of the cars ever produced by the company, and the second to production subtleties.
The official website of the VAG group of companies is located at: https://www.volkswagenag.com/
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(CEO),
Kfaus Kennberg (executive director)
Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A (subsidiary of Audi AG) ,
Bentley Motors Ltd.
Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S. (subsidiary of Volkswagen France) Scania AB
SEAT S.A.
Skoda Auto a.s.
Volkswagen Marine
Porsche
Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (subsidiary of Audi AG)
ItalDesign Giugiaro
The Volkswagen Group consists of 342 companies involved in the production of vehicles and related services. As of September 2011, Porsche Automobil Holding SE (also known as Porsche SE) owns 50.73% of the voting shares of Volkswagen AG. In turn, Volkswagen AG owns 49.9% of the ordinary shares of the intermediate holding Porsche Zwischenholding GmbH (the remaining 50.1% is directly owned by Porsche SE), and Porsche Zwischenholding GmbH owns 100% of the shares of the luxury car manufacturer Porsche AG. Negotiations are underway to merge into a single structure VW-Porsche. Until September 2015, Martin Winterkorn was simultaneously Chairman of the Board of Porsche SE and Volkswagen AG.
According to the results of 9 months of 2009, it was the world's largest car manufacturer. Ranked 14th on the Fortune Global 500 in 2009. The leader of the European car market (more than 25%).
Story
The concern originates from the company founded by Ferdinand Porsche in 1937 in Berlin, the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH (Society for the Preparation of a German People's Car under the National Socialist organization Strength Through Joy). In early 1938, construction began on the first Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg; On September 16 of the same year, the company was renamed "Volkswagenwerk GmbH". After World War II, the factories came under the control of the British military administration.
On August 22, 1960, the Volkswagen Plants limited liability company was founded, which, after the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany, became owned by the state of Lower Saxony. By decision of the annual general meeting in 1985, the name of the company was changed to "Volkswagen AG". In addition to the automotive and motorcycle industries, the concern provided financial and logistics services and had a small food business.
In the early 1990s, the concern experienced great difficulties. Appointed Chairman of the Group in 1993, Ferdinand Piech turned out to be an excellent crisis manager. He practically saved the concern by moving it to a four-day work week. Until 2015, Piech played one of the key roles in the concern. It was he who achieved outstanding success, choosing an offensive policy and acquiring a whole galaxy of popular automobile brands.
Corporate structure
Financial divisionIn March 1991, in order to optimize the organizational structure, Volkswagen forms an internal division called Volkswagen Finanz, which in January 1994 becomes independent within the group as a closed joint-stock company Volkswagen Financial Services. 100% of the share capital belongs to Volkswagen AG. As a banking and financial structure, Volkswagen Financial Services gains access to international financial markets and the opportunity to finance projects on favorable terms. The Group's financial division, Volkswagen Financial Services, is currently the largest financial operator in the automotive market in Europe, headquartered in Braunschweig. Assets of Volkswagen Financial Services at the end of 2009 amounted to more than 60.2 billion euros. Volkswagen Financial Services employs more than 5,000 people worldwide, including 3,600 employees based in Germany itself. The division deals with:
ActivityIn 2010, the revenue of the Volkswagen AG concern amounted to €57.243 billion, net profit - €1.55 billion. In 2009, despite the global crisis and the general decline in car sales, the company managed to increase car sales worldwide by 0.6%. This is a sales record, which reached the level of 6.23 million vehicles. In 2006, the concern sold 5.72 million vehicles worth €104.9 billion (net profit for this period amounted to €2.75 billion). More than 370 thousand people worked at the Group's enterprises. In 2005, the concern produced 5.22 million and sold 5.19 million vehicles. 7.5% of sales came from Germany, 44.7% from Europe, 15% from North America, 6.6% from Asia Pacific, 4.4% from South America and 1.8% from Africa. Revenue in 2005 amounted to €95.3 billion, an increase of 7% compared to 2004, VW's net profit was €1.12 billion (€697 million in 2004). In April 2019, it was reported that Volkswagen, together with the Chinese company Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC), are planning to build a new factory for the production of electric vehicles in China. According to preliminary data, the construction of a new production facility will require about $750 million. ProductionThe Volkswagen AG concern owns 48 automobile manufacturing enterprises in 15 countries of Europe and in six countries of America, Asia and Africa. More than 370 thousand people work at the enterprises of the group, more than 26,600 vehicles are produced daily, authorized sales and service of vehicles are carried out in more than 150 countries of the world. Volkswagen in RussiaVolkswagen Group Rus LLC is the official distributor of Volkswagen, Audi, ŠKODA, Bentley, Lamborghini, Ducati and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles in Russia. The activity of the company as a single importing company dates back to 2003. The General Director is Markus Ozegowicz. In 2014, Volkswagen Group Rus became the official partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi. To organize the transfer of guests, the company provided the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee with more than 3,000 Volkswagen, Audi, Škoda and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, most of which were produced at the company's Russian plants. In March 2016, the company put into operation a new warehouse for spare parts and accessories in the city of Chekhov near Moscow. In February 2018, the company's plant won the Transformer of the Year award for the best performance among Volkswagen brand plants in the world. In July 2018, the company expanded the boundaries of its activities and received the status of an official importer of Volkswagen brands - passenger cars and Volkswagen-Commercial vehicles in Kazakhstan. In November 2018, the Volkswagen Group Rus plant in Kaluga produced the 500,000th Volkswagen Polo sedan in the Drive configuration with a 1.6-liter engine with 110 hp. With. and a 6-speed automatic transmission. This car was handed over to the Russian car sharing operator Delimobil. In 2018, the company's sales in the Russian market amounted to 211,800 vehicles. The market share in 2018 reached 11.8%. The volume of sales of all brands of the Volkswagen Group in Russia amounted to 229,800 (including the results of sales of brands Porsche, MAN and Scania). In 2018, the company's production sites produced 200,000 vehicles: 143,500 vehicles at the company's plant in Kaluga and 56,500 vehicles at the production site in Nizhny Novgorod. The volume of engine production amounted to 161,000 engines, 44,000 of which were exported to production sites in Spain and the Czech Republic. Factory in KalugaOn May 29, 2006, the company signed an investment agreement with the administration of the Kaluga Region and the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia on the construction of an automobile plant near the city of Kaluga, in the technopark Grabtsevo. The initial investment in the project amounted to 570 million Euros. Initially, the plant, opened on November 28, 2007, produced Škoda Octavia cars using SKD technology. In October 2009, the plant launched the production of full-cycle bodies, including welding and painting. At the end of October 2009, Volkswagen Group Rus announced work on a project for a budget B-class sedan, created on the basis of the Volkswagen Polo hatchback specifically for the Russian market. At the beginning of June 2010, it became known about the practical readiness of the car, called Volkswagen Polo sedan. The car was put into production at the plant in Kaluga in the summer of 2010. The plant currently produces Volkswagen Tiguan , Volkswagen Polo and Škoda Rapid . In 2013, the level of production localization was estimated at 50%. In November 2016, a new body shop with an area of 12,000 sq. m. Additional capacities of the enterprise made it possible to organize the production of the second generation Volkswagen Tiguan. The total investment of the Volkswagen Group in the production of the new Tiguan amounted to 180 million euros. In June 2017, production of the updated Škoda Rapid started at the plant in Kaluga. engine plantIn 2015, a plant for the production of 1.6 MPI engines of the EA211 series was opened in Kaluga. The plant's capacity is 150,000 engines per year. In February 2016, the millionth car rolled off the assembly line in Kaluga, which was a Volkswagen Polo Allstar with a locally produced engine. In October 2016, the 200,000th 1.6 MPI EA211 series engine was produced since the opening of the engine factory. In 2018, 161,000 engines were manufactured, of which 44,000 were exported. Production in Nizhny NovgorodSince 2012, the company has also started producing cars at the production site of the GAZ Group in Nizhny Novgorod. The contract assembly agreement with the Russian GAZ Group was signed on June 14, 2011. . In accordance with the agreement, GAZ has now organized a full cycle of production of Škoda Octavia and Škoda Kodiaq cars. In June 2017, Volkswagen Group and GAZ Group signed a cooperation agreement in three areas:
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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.
The Volkswagen Group is one of the world's largest automotive companies. It currently consists of 12 companies:
Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley, Man, Scania, Volkswagen commercial vehicles, Porsche and Ducati.
A few facts about each company that is part of the concern.
The beginning of the creation of the Volkswagen company was laid in October 1933 in Berlin, where Adolf Hitler announced the need to create a reliable and inexpensive car for the people of Germany.
The Führer's demand was embodied in metal by the brilliant designer Ferdinand Porsche, who presented already in January 1934 the drawings of the first car for the people, which was called the "people's car" ("Volks-Wagen"). The basis of the people's car was the previously developed model Porsche Typ 60.
During World War II, work on the construction of Volkswagen was suspended, and the unfinished plant was converted to the production of military products.
VW opened its divisions in 1959 in Brazil - "Volkswagen do Brasil S.A.", and then in Mexico "Volkswagen de Mexico S.A. de C.V."
The Golf I, introduced in 1974, marked a new stage of competition in the production of a class of compact cars that became almost officially called the "golf class".
Volkswagen has given the world iconic vehicles and is firmly in first place in many automotive niches.
Autostadt (Autostadt) - a real city within a city with a length of more than 5 km and an area of 25 hectares, which is the communication platform of the Volkswagen Group, its individual brands and customers. The complex is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Germany, which is visited annually by about 2 million people. The Volkswagen Autostadt is located on the bank of an artificial canal between the center of Wolfsburg and the Volkswagen factory.
Volkswagen has its own football team (VFL "Wolfsburg") with the excellent home stadium Volkswagen Arena.
2. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
This is part of the Volkswagen Group, which produces commercial vehicles such as minibuses, buses, pickups, trucks and tractors.
Initially, this division was one part of VW, but in 1995 Dr. Bernd Wiedemann, former chairman of the board of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, announced the separation of the division into an independent production unit of the group.
The Audi concern was formed as a result of the merger of four companies that produced cars and motorcycles under the brands DKW, Horch, Audi and Wanderer. On June 29, 1932, Audi, Horch and DKW merged to form Auto Union AG, symbolized by the famous four rings.
In 1964, the company became part of Volkswagen. In 1965, it was decided to release all new models of the concern that had lost its independence under the Audi brand. The first time after the takeover of Volkswagen did not want Audi to develop its own cars. They were going to produce the VW "Beetle" model at the enterprise's facilities. But Ludwig Kraus, who was then the head of the design department, decided to develop the model secretly from everyone. The result of his work was the Audi 100, which appeared in 1968.
In 1993, the Audi Group was formed, which eventually included the Hungarian and Brazilian divisions, the British Cosworth Technology, the Italian Automobili Lamborghini and the Spanish SEAT were absorbed.
4. Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (shortly: Lamborghini) is an Italian manufacturer of luxury sports cars. Located in the village of Sant'Agata Bolognese, near Bologna. The company was founded in 1963 by Ferruccio Lamborghini.
In 1978, due to the oil crisis, the company declared itself bankrupt. For the next 20 years, Automobili Lamborghini was owned by Chrysler and then by M'tec (Megatech). In 1998, Audi AG became the owner of the company.
The history of the SEAT brand dates back to 1919. Then the Italian company FIAT decides to open its branch in the town of Martorell, a suburb of Barcelona. On November 13, 1953, the first SEAT car rolled off the assembly line at the Martorell factory.
On September 30, 1982, a cooperation agreement was signed between SEAT and the Volkswagen Group, and on June 9, 1986, Volkswagen acquired a 51% stake in the Spanish company. By 1990, the Volkswagen Group became the full owner of SEAT.
The first cars under the Skoda brand were produced in 1919. On April 16, 1991, an agreement was signed on the sale of a 31% stake in the ownership of Škoda, a.a.s. VAG for 620 million marks.
In December 1995, VAG increased its share to 70% by paying 1.4 billion marks. In January 1998, the company changed its name to Škoda Auto, a.s. VAG received final control in May 2000, when the remaining 30% share was bought out for 12.3 billion kroons.
A more detailed history of the Skoda brand can be read on ours.
Ettore Bugatti founded his firm in 1909. Sports cars Type 16 and Type 18 were made in 1914. At the European Grand Prix in 1924, the Bugatti Type 35 took all the first four places. Today, Bugatti is focused on the production of expensive sports cars.
The Bugatti brand was acquired by Volkswagen AG in 1998. The first car it presented was the fiberglass EB118 coupe, created by ItalDesign stylist Fabrizio Giugiaro.
In 2005, the Volkswagen concern begins mass production of a new unique model, officially called the bugatti veyron 16.4.
8. Bentley is an English company specializing in the production of exclusive expensive cars that are not available to everyone.
The history of the English automaker Bentley began on January 18, 1919, when Walter Owen Bentley, together with F. Barges and G. Varley, developed their first car with a 3-liter engine unprecedented for those times.
Bentley has been making luxury cars since 1930.
In 1952 Bentley introduced the Continental. It was a sports two-door car that gained fame as the fastest production sedan.
Bentley still produces various variants of the Continental, which are distinguished by excellent quality interior trim (leather from Conolli, rare wood panels or polished aluminum) and thoughtful chassis design.
The most powerful Continental T with a short wheelbase and a 6.8-liter Vickers turbo engine develops 426 hp. and is rightfully considered one of the fastest coupes in the world.
Since 1998, Bentley has been part of the Volkswagen Group.
9. MAN SE is a German engineering company specializing in the production of trucks, buses and engines. Founded in 1758, it was previously called Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG (Machine Factory Augsburg-Nürnberg, AO). The headquarters is located in Munich.
From January 1943 to April 1945 inclusive, MAN produced Pz Kpfw V "Panther" tanks by order of the Reich.
In 1951, the company developed the first German diesel engine for trucks with an exhaust gas turbocharger.
In 1962, MAN took over Porsche Diesel Motorenbau (the diesel tractor division of Porsche KG in the 1950s and early 1960s).
In 1979, MAN began cooperating with Volkswagen on medium-sized trucks, which received the MAN-VW brand.
To date, the main shareholder of MAN is the Volkswagen Group (75.03%), the rest of the shares are in free float. In March 2013, VW made a preliminary offer to buy the remaining shares in MAN. The issue of buying the company will be considered by the board of directors of MAN SE at the annual meeting on June 6.
10.Scania AB is a Swedish manufacturer of trucks, buses and industrial and marine engines that has been producing buses since 1920. The headquarters is located in Södertälje, Sweden.
In 1969, Scania merged with the Swedish company Saab. But their cooperation did not last long, and since 1995 Scania has again become an independent company.
Major shareholders: Volkswagen AG (70.94%), MAN (17.37%).
Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (full name Doktor Ingenieur honoris causa Ferdinand Porsche Aktiengesellschaft - Joint Stock Company of the Honorary Doctor of Engineering Ferdinand Porsche) is a German engineering company founded by the famous designer Ferdinand Porsche in 1931. The headquarters and manufactory is located in Stuttgart, Germany.
In 1939, the company's first car, the Porsche 64, was developed, which became the progenitor of all future Porsches, and in 1963, the company's most famous model, the Porsche 911, was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
In December 2009, 49.9% of the company's shares were acquired by Volkswagen AG. In August 2012, VW finally took over Porsche.
12. Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer.
Ducati was founded in 1926 in Bologna. The founders of the company were the brothers Andriano and Marcello Ducati. Both of them were interested in radio engineering, so the first direction of the company's work was precisely the production of radio engineering. In the 20s of the XX century, the demand for horns, loudspeakers did its job, and the company developed well.
After the Second World War, the demand for radio equipment fell sharply, and the company came under state control. At that time, it was important for Italy to create cheap vehicles, so Ducati's activities were retrained into the production of motorbikes and velomobiles.
Already in the early 1950s, Ducati conquered half of the Italian motorbike market. By this time, light motorcycles were becoming more and more popular.
Since July 2012, Ducati has been a division of Audi AG.
The Volkswagen Group is also one of the largest shareholders of the Japanese company Suzuki Motor Corporation.
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.
