Volkswagen AG
Type	Subsidiary and marque of Volkswagen Group
Founded	1937
Founder	German Auto Association
Headquarters	Wolfsburg, Germany
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management
Industry	Automotive industry
Products	mainstream Cars
Revenue	€73. A marque ( French for "brand" ˈmɑrk is a Brand name especially in the Automobile industry Volkswagen Group, or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (German (listed as Volkswagen AG) is a German automobile manufacturing group currently Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn (born 24 May 1947 in Leonberg, Germany) is the Chairman of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles In Marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a Market that might satisfy a want or need In business revenue or revenues is Income that a company receives from its normal business activities usually from the sale of goods and services Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 94 billion (2007)[1]
Operating income	▲ €1. In financial and business Accounting, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT is a measure of a firm's profitability that excludes interest and income tax expenses Please update other articles as well to avoid contradiction within Wikipedia e 94 billion (2007)[1]
Website	Volkswagen.com

Volkswagen is a German manufacturing brand/marque of motor car/automobile, based in Wolfsburg, Germany. A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages A brand is a collection of Images and ideas representing an economic producer more specifically it refers to the descriptive verbal attributes and concrete symbols such as a A marque ( French for "brand" ˈmɑrk is a Brand name especially in the Automobile industry Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. It forms the major component (in volume of sales) of the much larger Volkswagen Group ("Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft", or "Volkswagen AG"), which is the world's fourth largest car producer after Toyota, Ford, and General Motors respectively. Volkswagen Group, or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (German (listed as Volkswagen AG) is a German automobile manufacturing group currently Aktiengesellschaft ('aktsiəngəzεlʃaft abbreviated AG) is a German term that refers to a Corporation that is limited by shares i (pronounced) is a Multinational corporation headquartered in Japan, and is currently the world's largest Automaker. Ford Motor Company is an American Multinational corporation and the world's fourth largest automaker based on Worldwide vehicle sales, following General Motors Corporation ( GM) ( is a multinational automobile manufacturer founded in 1908 and headquartered in the United States.

The Volkswagen name means "people's car" in German, in which it is pronounced [ˈfɔlksˌvaːgən]. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages. Its current tagline or slogan is Das Auto (in English The Car). A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in Marketing materials and Advertising. Advertising Slogans are short often memorable phrases used in advertising campaigns "Das Auto" is the slogan of car/automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. Its previous German tagline was Aus Liebe zum Automobil, which translates to: Out of Love for the Car, or, For Love of the Automobile, as translated by VW in other languages.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Origins in 1930s Germany 1.2 1945: British Army, Major Ivan Hirst, unclear future 1.3 Survival in Allied occupied Germany 1.4 1948–1974: icon for German regeneration 1.5 1974: from Beetle to Golf/Rabbit 1.6 Volkswagen from 1974 to 1990 1.7 Volkswagen from 1991 to 2000 1.8 Volkswagen in the 21st century 2 Relationship with Porsche, and the "Volkswagen Law" 3 Environmental record 4 Current Volkswagen models 4.1 Europe 4.2 Americas 4.2.1 USA & Canada 4.2.2 México 4.2.3 South America 4.3 Asia-Pacific 4.4 South Africa 5 Cult status of the Beetle 6 Motorsport 6.1 The Dakar 6.2 Volkswagen motorsport: around the world 6.3 Motorsport gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

History

For vehicle timeline tables, see: Volkswagen (timeline)

Origins in 1930s Germany

Adolf Hitler had a keen interest in cars even though he did not drive. See also Volkswagen Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently vandalized and vandalism is reverted immediately In 1933, shortly after taking over as leader of Germany, he asked Ferdinand Porsche to make changes to his original 1931 design to make it more suited for the working man. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Prof Dr Ing hc Ferdinand Porsche ( Hans Ledwinka discussed his ideas with Ferdinand Porsche, who used many Tatra design features in the 1938 "KdF-Wagen", later known as the VW Käfer - or Volkswagen Beetle. Hans Ledwinka born in Klosterneuburg ( Lower Austria) 14 February 1878, died in Munich ( Germany } 2 March The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen On 22 June 1934, Dr. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1934 ( MCMXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Ferdinand Porsche agreed to evolve the "People's Car" for Hitler.

Changes included better fuel efficiency, reliability, ease-of-use, and economically efficient repairs and parts. Fuel efficiency, in its basic sense is the same as Thermal efficiency, meaning the efficiency of a process that converts chemical potential energy contained in a carrier The intention was that ordinary Germans would buy the car by means of a savings scheme ("Fünf Mark die Woche musst Du sparen, willst Du im eigenen Wagen fahren" — "Save five Marks a week, if you want to drive your own car"), which around 336,000 people eventually paid into. Volkswagen honoured its savings agreements in West Germany (but not in East Germany) after World War II. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( The German Democratic Republic ( GDR; Deutsche Demokratische Republik DDR; commonly known in English as East Germany) was a Socialist state World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Prototypes of the car called the "KdF-Wagen" (German: Kraft durch Freude -- "strength through joy"), appeared from 1936 onwards (the first cars had been produced in Stuttgart). Kraft durch Freude ( KdF, literally "Strength through Joy" was a large state-controlled Leisure organization in the Third Reich, a part of the Stuttgart (ˈʃtʊtgaɐ̯t is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over hot parts of the Engine to cool them A flat-4 or horizontally-opposed-4 is a Flat engine with four Cylinders arranged horizontally in two banks of two cylinders on each side of a central In Automobile design, a rear-engine design layout places the Engine at the rear of the vehicle The VW car was just one of many KdF programmes which included things such as tours and outings. The prefix "Volks" ("People's") was not just applied to cars, but also to other products in Nazi Germany; the "Volksempfänger" radio receiver for instance. The Volksempfänger ( German for "People's receiver" was a range of Radio receivers developed by Otto Griessing at the request On 1937-05-30, Volkswagen mbH was established. Year 1937 ( MCMXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1416 - The Council of Constance, called by the Emperor Sigismund a supporter of Antipope John XXIII burns Jerome of Prague following

Erwin Komenda, the longstanding Auto Union chief designer, developed the car body of the prototype, which was recognizably the Beetle we know today. Erwin Komenda ( April 6, 1904 - August 22, 1966) was the designer of the bodies for the VW Beetle and various Porsche Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German Automobile manufacturers established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen It was one of the first to be evolved with the aid of a wind tunnel; unlike the Chrysler Airflow, it would be a success. A wind tunnel is a research tool developed to assist with studying the effects of air moving over or around solid objects Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925 The Chrysler Airflow was an Automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation from 1934 to 1937

The building of the new factory started 26 May 1938 in the new town of KdF-Stadt. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Now called Wolfsburg, purpose-built for the factory workers, only produced a handful of cars by the time war started in 1939. None were actually delivered to holders of the completed saving stamp books, though one Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on 20 April 1938 (his 49th birthday). Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. Year 1938 ( MCMXXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

War meant production changed to military vehicles, the Type 81 Kübelwagen ("Bucket car") utility vehicle (VW's most common wartime model), and the amphibious Schwimmwagen which were used to equip the German forces. The Volkswagen Kübelwagen (short for Kübelsitzwagen meaning bucket-seat car was a military vehicle designed by Ferdinand Porsche and built by Volkswagen during An amphibious vehicle (or simply amphibian) is a Vehicle or craft, that is a means of transport viable on land as well as on water - just like an The VW Type 128 and 166 Schwimmwagen (literally Floating / Swimming Car) were amphibious All-wheel-drive off-roaders used extensively by the German

1945: British Army, Major Ivan Hirst, unclear future

The company owes its post-war existence largely to one man, British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst, REME. Post-War is the fifth studio album by M Ward. It was released on August 22 2006 by Merge Records. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. An officer is a member of an armed force who holds a position of authority Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country Major Ivan Hirst ( March 4, 1916 - March 15, 2000) was a British Army officer who was instrumental in reviving Volkswagen The Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers ( REME; pronounced phonetically as "Reemee" is a Corps of the British Army that has In April 1945, KdF-Stadt, and its heavily bombed factory were captured by the Americans, and subsequently handed over to the British, within whose occupation zone the town and factory fell. April holidays and events National Poetry Month - in United States National Sexual Assault Awareness Month - in United Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The United States of America —commonly referred to as the British people, or Britons, are the native inhabitants of Great Britain and their descendants or citizens of the United Kingdom, of the The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative The factory was placed under the control of Oldham-born Hirst. Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England It lies amongst the Pennines on elevated ground between the rivers Irk and Medlock At first, the plan was to use it for military vehicle maintenance. Military vehicles include all land Combat and transportation vehicles excluding rail-based which are designed for or are in significant use by Military forces Since it had been used for military production, and had been in Hirst's words a "political animal" rather than a commercial enterprise, the equipment was in time intended to be salvaged as war reparations. War reparations refer to the monetary compensation intended to cover damage or injury during a war Hirst painted one of the factory's cars green and demonstrated it to British Army headquarters. Short of light transport, in September 1945 the British Army was persuaded to place a vital order for 20,000. The first few hundred cars went to personnel from the occupying forces, and to the German Post Office.

Some UK Service personnel were allowed to take their VW Beetles' back to the UK when they were demobilized, and one of the very first Beetles brought back in that way (UK registration index JLT 420) is still owned by Peter Colborne-Baber, the son of the original proprietor of the UK's first official Volkswagen Importer, Colborne Carages of Ripley, Surrey. A soldier is a general English term that refers to a member of a land component of National Armed forces. The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Demob redirects here For the television series see Demob (TV series. Ripley is a Village and Parish in Surrey, which grew on the main A3 road from London to Portsmouth.

By 1946 the factory was producing 1,000 cars a month, a remarkable feat considering it was still in disrepair. Due to roof and window damage, rain stopped production and steel to make the cars had to be bartered for new vehicles.

The car, and its town changed their Second World War-era names to "Volkswagen", and "Wolfsburg" respectively, and production was increasing. It was still unclear what was to become of the factory. It was offered to representatives from the British, American and French motor industries. Famously, all rejected it. After an inspection of the plant, Sir William Rootes, head of the British Rootes Group, told Hirst the project would fail within two years, and that the car "is quite unattractive to the average motorcar buyer, is too ugly and too noisy . William Edward Rootes 1st Baron Rootes GBE ( 17 August 1894 &ndash 12 December 1964) was a noted Coventry motor manufacturer The Rootes Group was a British Automobile manufacturer which was based in the Midlands and south of England. . . If you think you're going to build cars in this place, you're a bloody fool, young man". In a bizarre twist of fate, Volkswagen would manufacture a locally built version of Rootes' Hillman Avenger in Argentina in the 1980s, long after Rootes went bust at the hands of Chrysler in 1978—the Beetle outliving the Avenger by over 30 years. The Hillman Avenger was a rear-wheel drive Small family car originally manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1970 and 1976 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. The 1980s was the decade spanning from January 1 1980 to December 31 1989. Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925

Ford representatives were equally critical: the car was "not worth a damn". Henry Ford II, the son of Edsel Ford, did reportedly look at the possibility of taking over the VW factory, but dismissed the idea as soon as he looked up Wolfsburg on the map and found it to be too close for comfort to the East German border. Henry Ford II ( September 4, 1917 — September 29, 1987) commonly known as "HF2" and "Hank the Deuce" was the son Edsel Bryant Ford ( November 6, 1893 &ndash May 26, 1943) son of Henry Ford, was born in Detroit.

In France, Citroën started the 2CV on a similar marketing concept. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Citroën (pronounced See-Troh-Enn is a French Automobile manufacturer, founded in 1919 by André Citroën. The Citroën 2CV ( French: deux chevaux vapeur, literally "two steam Horses quot from the Tax horsepower rating was an Economy car Meanwhile, in Italy, the Fiat 500 "Topolino" was developed. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest "500" is also Fiat's model number for the earlier Fiat Topolino, later Fiat Cinquecento and current Fiat Nuova 500 The

Survival in Allied occupied Germany

In Occupied Germany, the Allies followed the Morgenthau Plan, to remove all German war potential, by complete or partial pastoralisation. The Allied powers who defeated Nazi Germany in World War II divided the country west of the Oder-Neisse line into four occupation zones for administrative The Morgenthau Plan was a plan for the occupation of Germany after World War II that advocated measures intended to remove Germany's ability to wage war Pastoralism or pastoral farming is the branch of Agriculture concerned with the raising of Livestock. As part of this, in the Industrial plans for Germany, the rules for which industry Germany was to be allowed to retain were set out. The Level of Industry plans for Germany were the effected Allied plans to lower and control German industrial potential after World War II. German car production was set at a maximum of 10% of the 1936 car production numbers. ^[2]

The Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg came under UK control in 1945, it was to be dismantled and shipped to Britain. Thankfully for Volkswagen, no British car manufacturer was interested in the factory; "the vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car . . . it is quite unattractive to the average buyer . . . To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise". ^[3] The factory survived by producing cars for the British Army instead. The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Allied dismantling policy changed in late 1946 to mid 1947, although heavy industry continued to be dismantled until 1951. In March 1947 Herbert Hoover helped change policy by stating: "There is the illusion that the New Germany left after the annexations can be reduced to a 'pastoral state'. Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10 1874 &ndash October 20 1964 was the thirty-first President of the United States (1929–1933 The Oder-Neisse line (Granica na Odrze i Nysie Łużyckiej Oder-Neiße-Grenze was drawn in the aftermath of World War II as the eastern border of Germany and It cannot be done unless we exterminate or move 25,000,000 people out of it". ^[4] Thanks to the protection of British Army Major Ivan Hirst, Volkswagen survived the perilous times, and came to be part of the German economic miracle. Major Ivan Hirst ( March 4, 1916 - March 15, 2000) was a British Army officer who was instrumental in reviving Volkswagen

1948–1974: icon for German regeneration

From 1948, Volkswagen became a very important element, symbolically and economically, of West German regeneration. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Heinrich Nordhoff (1899–1968), a former senior manager at Opel who had overseen civilian and military vehicle production in the 1930s and 1940s, was recruited to run the factory in 1948. Heinz Heinrich Nordhoff ( 6 January 1899 &ndash 12 April 1968) was a German Engineer famous for his leadership of Adam Opel GmbH (commonly known as Opel) is a German automaker part of General Motors. In 1949 Major Hirst left association with the company, as it was now re-formed as a trust, controlled by the West German government, and the government of the State of Lower Saxony. Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second Apart from the introduction of the Volkswagen Type 2 commercial vehicle (van, pickup and camper), and the VW Karmann Ghia sports car, Nordhoff pursued the one-model policy until shortly before his death in 1968. The Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Transporter) was the second automotive line introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. A commercial vehicle is a type of Vehicle that is used for carrying goods or passengers The Karmann Ghia was marketed by Volkswagen as a 2+2 Coupe and Convertible combining the straightforward chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1

Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949, but only sold two units in America that first year. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the On its entry to the U. S. market, the VW was briefly sold as a "Victory Wagon". Volkswagen of America was formed in April 1955 to standardize sales and service in the United States. Volkswagen Group of America Inc (sometimes referred to as Volkswagen of America, abbreviated to VWoA) is the United States operational headquarters The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years, the total reaching one million in 1955. The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen

Sales soared — due in part to the famous advertising campaigns by New York advertising agency Doyle, Dane Bernbach. DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc a part of Omnicom Group Inc Led by art director Helmut Krone, and copywriters Julian Koenig and Bob Levinson, Volkswagen ads became as popular as the car, using crisp layouts and witty copy to lure the younger, sophisticated consumers with whom the car became associated. Despite the fact it was almost universally known as the Beetle (or the Bug), it was never officially labeled as such by the manufacturer, instead referred to as the Type 1. The first reference to the name Beetle occurred in U. S. advertising in 1968, but not until 1998 and the Golf-based New Beetle would the name be adopted by Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle

During the 1960s and early 1970s, although the car was becoming outdated, American exports, innovative advertising, and a growing reputation for reliability, helped production figures to surpass the levels of the previous record holder, the Ford Model T. Advertising is a form of Communication that typically attempts to persuade potential Customers to Purchase or to consume more of a particular Brand The Ford Model T (colloquially known as the Tin Lizzie and also the Flivver) was an Automobile produced by Henry Ford 's Ford By 1973, total production was over 16 million.

VW expanded its product line in 1961 with the introduction of several Type 3 models, which were essentially body style variations (Fastback, Notchback, Squareback) based on Type 1 mechanical underpinnings, and again in 1969 with the larger Type 4 (also known as the 411 and 412) models. The Volkswagen Type 3, properly referred to as the Volkswagen 1500 and later the Volkswagen 1600, was a range of small cars from German manufacturer The Volkswagen Type 4 was a mid-sized 2 or 4-door saloon or 2-door estate built by Volkswagen (VW of Germany. These differed substantially from previous vehicles, with the notable introduction of monocoque/unibody construction, the option of a fully automatic transmission, electronic fuel injection, and a sturdier powerplant. Monocoque, from the French for single ( mono) and shell ( coque) is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external An automatic transmission (commonly "AT" or "Auto" is an Automobile Gearbox that can change Gear ratios automatically as the vehicle Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an Internal combustion engine. Volkswagen added a "Super Beetle" (the Type 113) to its lineup in 1971. The Type 113 differed from the standard Beetle in its use of a MacPherson strut front suspension instead of the usual torsion bars. The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system widely used in modern vehicles named after Earl S Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, Shock absorbers and linkages that connects a Vehicle to its Wheels Suspension A torsion bar suspension, also known as a Torsion spring suspension or incorrectly torsion beam, is a general term for any Vehicle suspension Also the nose of the car was stretched 2 inches (51 mm) to allow the spare tyre to lie flat, and the combination of these two features significantly increased the usable front luggage space. Despite the Super Beetle's (marketed outside North America as the VW 1302, later 1303) popularity with Volkswagen customers, purists preferred the standard Beetle with its less pronounced nose and its original torsion bar suspension. In 1973, Volkswagen introduced the military-themed Type 181, or "Trekker" in Europe and the UK, "Thing" in America, recalling the wartime Type 81. The Volkswagen Type 181 "Kurierwagen", popularly known in the United Kingdom as the Trekker, in the United States as the Thing The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The military version was produced for the NATO-era German Army during the Cold War years of 1970 to 1979. The North Atlantic Treaty The German Army (Deutsches Heer heɐ) is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the The US Thing version only sold for two years, 1973 and 1974, due at least in part to Ralph Nader's automobile safety campaigns. Ralph Nader (born February 27 1934 is an American Attorney, Author, Lecturer, political activist, and independent candidate for President

In 1964, Volkswagen succeeded in purchasing Auto Union, and in 1969, NSU Motorenwerke AG (NSU). Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German Automobile manufacturers established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression Year 1969 ( MCMLXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. NSU Motorenwerke AG, (normally just NSU) was a German manufacturer of cars and Motorcycles which was founded in 1873 The former company owned the historic Audi brand, which had disappeared after WW2. AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters VW ultimately merged Auto Union and NSU to create the modern day Audi company, and would go on to develop it as its luxury vehicle marque. Luxury vehicle is a marketing term for a vehicle that provides luxury &mdash that which is beyond strict necessity &mdash in exchange for increased cost to the buyer A marque ( French for "brand" ˈmɑrk is a Brand name especially in the Automobile industry However, the purchase of Auto Union and NSU proved to be a pivotal point in Volkswagen's history, as both companies yielded the technological expertise that proved necessary for VW to survive when demand for its air-cooled models went into terminal decline as the 1970s dawned.

1974: from Beetle to Golf/Rabbit

Volkswagen was in serious trouble by 1973. ^[5] The Type 3 and Type 4 models had sold in much smaller numbers than the Beetle and the NSU-based K70 also failed to woo buyers. NSU Motorenwerke AG, (normally just NSU) was a German manufacturer of cars and Motorcycles which was founded in 1873 Beetle sales had started to decline rapidly in European and North American markets. The company knew that Beetle production had to end one day, but the conundrum of replacing it had been a never-ending nightmare. VW's ownership of Audi / Auto Union proved to be the key to the problem - with its expertise in front-wheel drive, and water-cooled engines which Volkswagen so desperately needed to produce a credible Beetle successor. AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters Auto Union was an amalgamation of four German Automobile manufacturers established in 1932 in Zwickau, Saxony, during the Great Depression Front-wheel drive (or FF layout) is a form of engine / transmission layout used in Motor vehicles where the engine drives the front Wheels Water cooling is a method of Heat removal from components As opposed to Air cooling, Water is used as the heat transmitter Audi influences paved the way for this new generation of Volkswagens, known as the Polo, Golf and Passat.

The Volkswagen Polo was in fact simply a re-badging of the short-lived Audi 50, which had been hastily developed from a sedan design, the Audi 60. The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The Audi 50 (known internally as the Typ 86 is a supermini produced by German automaker Audi from 1974 to 1978 and sold only in Europe F103 is the internal designation for a series of Car models produced by Auto Union in West Germany from 1965 to 1972 derived from the earlier However, VW produced it shortly after the introduction of the Polo as the Volkswagen Derby. The Volkswagen Derby is a saloon version of the Volkswagen Polo supermini, produced by the German automaker Volkswagen, In the rear of the car can plainly be seen that panels are added to the Polo structure to make a "three-box" design of saloon (sedan), or saloon with a boot or trunk.

The Volkswagen Passat (Dasher in the U. The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 S. ), introduced in 1973, was again simply a fastback (available as either a hatchback or with separate boot) version of the Audi 80, using identical body and mechanical parts, and the Audi 80 was later produced on the same line in Wolfsburg as the Passat. A fastback is a Car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back The Audi 80 is a Compact executive car produced by the German car manufacturer Audi, from 1966 to 1996 Estate/wagon versions were offered for overseas markets, however, for two years, if British and South African customers wanted an estate/wagon version, they had to go considerably up-market and buy the Audi 80 GL estate.

However, the pivotal model which would turn Volkswagen's fortunes emerged as the Volkswagen Golf in 1974 (marketed in the United States and Canada as the Rabbit until 1985 and as the Golf until 2006, when the Rabbit name was re-introduced). The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen This was a car unlike its predecessor in most significant ways, both mechanically as well as visually (its angular styling was designed by the Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro). Giorgetto Giugiaro (born August 7, 1938) is an Italian Automobile designer He was born in Garessio, Province of Cuneo Its design followed trends for small family cars set by the 1959 Mini and 1972 Renault 5 —the Golf had a transversely mounted, water-cooled engine in the front, driving the front wheels, and had a hatchback, a format that has dominated the market segment ever since. The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC and its successors from 1959 until 2000 The Renault 5 (also called the R5 was a supermini produced by the French automaker Renault in two generations between 1972 and 1996 A transverse engine is an Engine in which the Crankshaft is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle Hatchback is a term designating an Automobile design containing a passenger cabin with an integrated Cargo space accessed from behind the vehicle by a single Beetle production at Wolfsburg ended upon the Golf's introduction, but continued in smaller numbers at other German factories (Hanover and Emden) until 1978, but mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico. Hanover (i ( haˈnoːfɐ on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony ( Niedersachsen Emden is a City and Seaport in the northwest of Germany, on River Ems. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America.

Volkswagen from 1974 to 1990

While Volkswagen's range of cars soon became similar to that of other large European automakers, the Golf has been the mainstay of the Volkswagen lineup since its introduction, and the mechanical basis for several other cars of the company. There have been five generations of the Volkswagen Golf, the first of which was produced from the summer of 1974 until the end of 1983 (sold as the Rabbit in the United States and Canada and as the Caribe in Latin America). The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen Its chassis also spawned the Volkswagen Scirocco sport coupe, Volkswagen Jetta saloon/sedan, Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet convertible, and Volkswagen Caddy pickup. The Volkswagen Scirocco is a " Sports Coupe " produced by German manufacturer Volkswagen (VW from 1974 until 1992 The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 A cabriolet is a light two-wheeled Carriage drawn by a single horse with a folding hood seating two people facing forward one of whom is the driver The name Volkswagen Caddy has been used by the Volkswagen Group to describe four different Caddy models Typ 14 was derived from the Volkswagen North American production of the Rabbit commenced at a factory in New Stanton, Pennsylvania in 1978. New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The production numbers of the first-generation Golf has continued to grow annually in South Africa, with only slight modifications to the interior, engine and chassis. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa It would be produced in the United States as the Rabbit until the spring of 1984. The second-generation Golf hatchback/Jetta sedan ran from late 1983 to late 1991, and a North American version produced in Pennsylvania went on sale at the start of the 1985 model year. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

In the 1980s, Volkswagen's sales in the United States and Canada fell dramatically, despite the success of models like the Golf elsewhere. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The problems had stemmed from the Rabbit, which had developed a reputation for bad electrical systems and oil burning. The Japanese and the Americans were able to compete with similar products at lower prices. Sales in the United States were 293,595 in 1980, but by 1984 they were down to 177,709. ^[6] The introduction of the second-generation Golf, GTI and Jetta models helped Volkswagen briefly in North America. Motor Trend named the GTI its Car of the Year for 1985, and Volkswagen rose in the J. Motor Trend is one of the oldest Automobile magazines still publishing. D. Power buyer satisfaction ratings to eighth place in 1985, up from 22nd a year earlier. ^[7] VW's American sales broke 200,000 in 1985 and 1986 before resuming the downward trend from earlier in the decade. Chairman Carl Hahn decided to expand the company elsewhere, and the New Stanton, Pennsylvania factory closed on 14 July 1988. Dr Carl Horst Hahn (born 1 July 1926, in Germany) is Chairman Emeritus of the Automobile conglomerate Volkswagen Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) ^[8] Meanwhile, Hahn expanded the company by purchasing a greater share of the Spanish car maker SEAT, which VW bought outright in 1990; the Czech car maker Škoda Auto was acquired the following year. SEAT SA ( English pronunciation:, "say-at" Spanish pronunciation:) is a Spanish automobile Škoda Auto ( is an automobile manufacturer in the Czech Republic.

Volkswagen had entered the supermini market in 1976 with the Volkswagen Polo, a stylish and spacious three-door hatchback designed by Bertone. The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. Gruppo Bertone is an Italian car styling and coachbuilding house which also manufactures cars It was a strong seller in West Germany and most of the rest of Western Europe, being one of the first foreign small cars to prove popular in Britain. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany ( Western Europe at its most general meaning means 'all the countries in the West of Europe ' The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The second generation model, launched in 1981 and sold as a hatchback and "coupe" (with the hatchback resembling a small estate car and the coupe being similar to a conventional hatchback), was an even greater success for Volkswagen. It was facelifted in 1990 and was still selling well after 13 years, when it was replaced by the third generation Polo in 1994.

Volkswagen from 1991 to 2000

In 1991, Volkswagen launched the third-generation Golf, which was European Car of the Year for 1992 (the previous two generations were nominated but lost to the Citroën CX in 1975 and the Fiat Uno in 1984). The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The Citroën CX is an automobile produced by the French Automaker Citroën from 1974 to 1991 The Fiat Uno is a Supermini car produced by the Italian manufacturer Fiat. The Golf Mk3 and Jetta arrived in North America just before the start of 1994 model year, first appearing in southern California in the late spring of 1993. The third-generation Volkswagen Golf Mk3 (given the internal designation Typ 1H) was launched in Europe in November 1991 although it did not appear The sedan version of the Golf was badged Vento in Europe (but remained Jetta in the USA, where its popularity eventually outstripped the Golf). The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979

The late 1990s saw a gradual change in perception of the company's products - with Audi having elevated itself into same league as BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen moved upmarket to fill the void left by Audi; with SEAT and Škoda now occupying what was once VW's core market. AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury Automobiles Buses coaches and Trucks It is currently a division of the SEAT SA ( English pronunciation:, "say-at" Spanish pronunciation:) is a Spanish automobile Škoda Auto ( is an automobile manufacturer in the Czech Republic. The first tangible evidence of this was the fifth-generation Passat in 1996 with its high-quality interior trim and standards of build quality which were demonstrably a cut above the run-of-the-mill Ford Mondeo, Opel/Vauxhall/Holden/Chevrolet Vectra and Peugeot 406. The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Ford Mondeo is a Large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world The Opel Vectra is a Large family car produced primarily by Adam Opel GmbH (commonly known as "Opel" the German subsidiary of General The Peugeot 406 was a Large family car from the French Automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004

This move upmarket was continued with the Golf Mk4, introduced at the end of 1997 (and in North America in 1999), its chassis spawned a host of other cars within the Volkswagen group — the Volkswagen Bora (the sedan, still called Jetta in the USA), New Beetle, SEAT Toledo, SEAT León, Audi A3, Audi TT and Škoda Octavia. Launched in 1997 the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 (or VW Typ 1J) became the biggest selling car in Europe at one point The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The SEAT Toledo is an Automobile built and marketed by Spanish automaker SEAT, a division of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG. The SEAT León (le̞ˈon is a Small family car built by the Spanish car manufacturer SEAT since 1999 The Audi A3 is an Entry-level luxury car / Small family car The Audi TT is a Sports car manufactured by Audi since 1998 in Győr, Hungary, now in its second generation &mdash and available as a 2+2 The Škoda Octavia is a Small family car produced by Czech automaker Škoda Auto since 1996 its name revived from a model originally produced between However, it was beaten into third place for the 1998 European Car of the Year award by the winning Alfa Romeo 156 and runner-up Audi A6. The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The Alfa Romeo 156 (known internally as the type 932 is a Compact executive car introduced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor The Audi A6 is an Executive car produced by the German Automaker Audi.

The other main models have been the Polo, a smaller car than the Golf, and the larger Passat for the segment above the Golf. The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Scirocco and the later Corrado were both Golf-based coupés. The Volkswagen Scirocco is a " Sports Coupe " produced by German manufacturer Volkswagen (VW from 1974 until 1992 The Volkswagen Corrado is a Hatchback Coupé developed by German automaker Volkswagen and built by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany

By the early 1990s, Volkswagen's annual sales in the United States were below 100,000, and many car buyers found the company's products to be lacking in value. Some automotive journalists believed that Volkswagen would have to quit the North American market altogether. VW eventually realized that the Beetle was the heart and soul of the brand in North America, and the firm quickly set about creating a new Beetle for American and Canadian showrooms.

In 1994, Volkswagen unveiled the J Mays-designed Concept One, a "retro"-themed car with a resemblance to the original Beetle but based on the Polo platform. J Mays (born October 15, 1954 in Pauls Valley Oklahoma, US) is currently the Group Vice President of Global Design and Chief Creative Officer The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle Its genesis was secret and in opposition to VW management, who felt it was too backward-looking. Management could not deny the positive public response to the concept car and gave the green-light to its development as the New Beetle. The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The production car would be based on the Golf rather than the Polo, because the Polo frame was too small for the car to pass crash test standards in the U. S. It has been quite popular in the North America and is now gaining in the EU.

Volkswagen's fortunes in North America improved once the third-generation Golf and Jetta models became available there. Sharp advertising and savvy promotional stunts, like including Trek bicycles, and accompanying bike racks with a limited edition of the 1996 Jetta sedan, were credited for the firm's recovery in the U. Trek Bicycle Corporation is the United States ' largest Bicycle manufacturer, distributing bicycles and cycling products under the Trek Gary Fisher S. and Canada, but the introductions of the New Beetle and the fifth-generation Passat were a major boost to the brand. The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973

In the UK, Volkswagen's market share grew throughout the 1990s. In 1990, the Golf was Britain's 12th most popular car with nearly 50,000 units sold. The Mk3 Polo achieved similar success in the mid 1990s, but in 1999 the Mk4 Golf was Volkswagen's first-ever entrant in Britain's top 10 list of most popular new cars. The Volkswagen Polo Mk3 is the third generation of the Volkswagen Polo supermini, produced from 1994 until 2000 Launched in 1997 the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 (or VW Typ 1J) became the biggest selling car in Europe at one point Its success continued into the 2000s, while the Polo and Passat were never far outside the top 10. Bad news for Volkswagen during this era was a dip in customer satisfaction. A brand which had built its reputation on reliability was now being overtaken by marques whose reputations had been damaged by quality problems. This bad press took several years to eradicate.

Volkswagen in the 21st century

Volkswagen began introducing an array of new models after Bernd Pischetsrieder became Volkswagen Group CEO (responsible for all Group brands) in 2002. Bernd Pischetsrieder (born 15 February 1948) is a German Automobile engineer and manager Volkswagen Group, or Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (German (listed as Volkswagen AG) is a German automobile manufacturing group currently A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator The fifth generation VW Golf was launched in 2004, came runner-up to the Fiat Panda in the 2004 European Car of the Year, and has spawned several cousins: SEAT Toledo, Škoda Octavia and Audi A3 hatchback ranges, as well as a new mini-MPV, the SEAT Altea. The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The Fiat Panda is a City car from the Italian automotive manufacturer Fiat. The European Car of the Year award was established in 1964 by a collective of automobile magazines from different countries in Europe. The SEAT Toledo is an Automobile built and marketed by Spanish automaker SEAT, a division of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG. The Škoda Octavia is a Small family car produced by Czech automaker Škoda Auto since 1996 its name revived from a model originally produced between The Audi A3 is an Entry-level luxury car / Small family car A minivan, multi-purpose vehicle (abbreviated MPV) people-carrier, people-mover or multi-utility vehicle (shortened The SEAT Altea is a Compact MPV produced by Spanish automaker SEAT and named after Altea, Spain. The GTI, a "hot hatchback" performance version of the Golf, boasts a 2. A hot hatch is an informal or slang term for a high-performance derivative of a three (or sometimes five -door Automobile. 0 L Turbocharged FSI direct injection engine. A turbocharger, or turbo, is an air Compressor used for forced-induction of an Internal combustion engine. Gasoline direct injection is a latest variant of Fuel injection employed in modern two- and four- stroke Petrol engines The petrol/gasoline VW began marketing the Golf under the Rabbit name once again in the U. S. and Canada in June 2006. (The GTI had arrived to North America four months earlier). The fifth-generation Jetta, and the performance version, the GLI, are also available in the United States and Canada. The sixth-generation Passat and the fifth-generation Jetta both debuted in 2005, and VW has announced plans to expand its lineup further by bringing back the Scirocco by 2008. The Volkswagen Scirocco is a " Sports Coupe " produced by German manufacturer Volkswagen (VW from 1974 until 1992 Other models in Wolfgang Bernhard's (Volkswagen brand CEO) "product offensive" include the Tiguan mid-sized SUV in 2008 and a Passat Coupé. Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact Crossover SUV built by the German Automaker Volkswagen, based on the A5 (PQ35 platform The Volkswagen Passat CC is a 4-door Coupé version of the Volkswagen Passat. In November 2006 Bernd Pischetsrieder announced his resignation as Volkswagen Group CEO, and was replaced by Audi worldwide CEO Martin Winterkorn at the beginning of 2007. AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn (born 24 May 1947 in Leonberg, Germany) is the Chairman of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen Winterkorn is credited with making Audi a challenger to the dominance of BMW and Mercedes, and his design-led strategy has led to Audi being considered one of the most important brands in the world. It remains to be seen how Winterkorn's focus on design shapes the Volkswagen brand's future. Nevertheless, Volkswagen continues to have complicated relations with both unions and shareholders. The German state of Lower Saxony owns significant stock in VW, as does sportscar manufacturer Porsche. Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch Recently Porsche has announced to buy the majority of Volkswagen's stock, thus becoming the new owner of Volkswagen. Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch

In North America, VW faced many challenges. After rising significantly between 1998 and 2001, VW's North American sales began to fall sharply leading to a 2005 loss of roughly US$1 billion for its operations in the U. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been S. and Canada. Profitablility has not been strong, and the lack of reliability of the company's cars appears to bear some of the responsibility for this situation. By 2005, its models sat near the bottom of Consumer Reports reliability ratings, and J. D. Power and Associates ranked VW 35th out of 37 bands in its initial quality survey. Attempts to enter a new market segment also compromised Volkswagen's standing in North America. In 2002, Volkswagen announced the debut of its Phaeton luxury car, which was critically acclaimed but not well received in the marketplace. The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced "fay-ton" is a large luxury sedan manufactured by German car manufacturer Volkswagen. VW announced its discontinuance in the U. S. market for the 2007 model year due to the disappointing sales.

Volkswagen in 2005, despite challenges, still maintained North American sales of 224,195 -- a dramatic increase from the low in 1993 when US sales totaled only 49,533 vehicles. Momentum continued for fiscal 2006, as VW's North American sales for the year were 235,140 vehicles, a 4. 9 percent increase over 2005, despite a slump in domestic North American manufacturer's sales. VW plans to close out the decade with the release on several new vehicles worldwide and a barrage of advertising. In conjunction with the introduction of new models, production location of Volkswagen vehicles also underwent great change. The 2007 Eos, a hardtop convertible, is produced in a new facility in Portugal. The Volkswagen Eos is a four-seater Retractable hardtop coupe convertible introduced in 2006 as the successor to the Volkswagen Cabrio. All Golf/Rabbit and GTIs as of 2006 are manufactured in Wolfsburg, Germany, rather than VW's Mexican factory in Puebla, where Golfs and GTIs for the North American market were produced from 1989 to 1998, and the Brazilian factory in Curitiba, where Golfs and GTIs were produced from 1999 to 2006. Curitiba (pron kuɾi'tibɐ or kuɾi'tʃibɐ is the capital City of the Brazilian state of Paraná. (The Jetta has principally been made in Mexico since 1989). VW is also in the process of reconfiguring an automotive assembly plant in Belgium. The new models and investments in manufacturing improvements were noticed immediately by automotive critics. Favorable reviews for VW's newest cars include the GTI being named by Consumer Reports as the top sporty car under $25,000, one of Car and Driver magazines "10 Best" for 2007, and Automobile Magazine's 2007 Car of the Year. J. D. Power and Associates 2006 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study scored Volkswagen fourteenth overall with strong performances by its new Jetta and Passat models.

Volkswagen is recognized as one of the leading small diesel engine manufacturers, and is partnering with Mercedes and other companies to market BlueTec clean diesel technology, calling it BlueMotion. A diesel engine is an Internal combustion engine which operates using the Diesel cycle (named after Dr BlueTec is Daimler AG 's name for its two Nitrogen oxide (NOx reducing systems for use in their Diesel Automobile engines BlueMotion is a trade name (developed externally by Origin Brand Consultants for fuel-efficient Automobile models from the Volkswagen Group. Volkswagen has offered a number of its vehicles with a TDI Turbocharged Direct Injection engine, which lends class-leading fuel economy to several models. Turbocharged Direct Injection (acronym TDI) is the technology used to describe and name modern turbocharged Diesel engines produced by Volkswagen According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, four of the ten most fuel efficient vehicles available for sale in the U. S. in 2004 were powered by Volkswagen diesel engines. They were a three-way tie for 8th (TDI Beetle, TDI Golf, TDI Jetta) and ninth, the TDI Jetta Wagon. As of 2007, VW has not yet offered a gas-electric hybrid powertrain such as that in the Toyota Prius (though a diesel-electric hybrid 5th generation Jetta was produced as a test vehicle). The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric Mid-size car developed and manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation In addition, all Volkswagen TDI diesel engines produced since 1996 can be driven on 100% biodiesel fuel. Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based Diesel fuel consisting of short chain Alkyl ( Methyl or ethyl) Esters made by For the 2007 model year, however, strict U. S. government emissions regulations have forced VW to drop most diesels from their U. S. engine lineup, but a new lineup of diesel engines compatible to U. S. standards are due for 2008.

Volkswagen long resisted adding an utility vehicle to its lineup, but it finally relented with the introduction of the Touareg in the early 2000s, sharing major components with the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7 sport utility vehicles. The Porsche Cayenne is a five-seat mid-size Sport utility vehicle manufactured by the German automaker Porsche since 2002, with The Audi Q7 is a Full-size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV produced by German automaker Audi Though acclaimed as a fine handling vehicle, the Touareg has been a modest seller at best. Some automotive analysts blame the Touraeg's absence of a third-row seat, the relatively poor fuel economy, and the high vehicle mass. VW plans to add a compact SUV with styling influences from its "Concept A" concept vehicle. On July 20, 2006, VW announced that the new vehicle would be called the Tiguan. Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact Crossover SUV built by the German Automaker Volkswagen, based on the A5 (PQ35 platform One major irony of Volkswagen's current North American lineup is the absence of a minivan, considering that VW is credited for inventing the minivan with its original Transporter, but the firm is currently developing just such a vehicle for the U. S. and Canadian markets with DaimlerChrysler, with current plans to introduce it in 2008. Daimler AG ( (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG) is a German car corporation (not to be confused with the British car-maker Daimler Motor Company) and Volkswagen is also considering a new entry-level model for the North American lineup. A venture with DaimlerChrysler to produce such a vehicle was considered but dropped as of September 2006. Due to technical difficulty adapting the Polo to meet North American vehicle regulations, VW presented in 2006 the "Iroc" as a concept of the proposed 2009 Scirocco as a potential new small model. The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen.

In September 2006, Volkswagen began offering the City Golf and City Jetta only for the Canadian market. Launched in 1997 the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 (or VW Typ 1J) became the biggest selling car in Europe at one point Both models were originally the Mk4 Golf and Jetta but were later replaced with the Brazilian versions of the Golf Mk4 and Bora. Launched in 1997 the Volkswagen Golf Mk4 (or VW Typ 1J) became the biggest selling car in Europe at one point The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The City Golf and City Jetta were introduced to compete with the Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit. The Toyota Vitz (sold in different markets as the Toyota Yaris and Toyota Echo) is a line of Subcompact cars first launched by Toyota in The Honda Fit is a five-door Hatchback Subcompact produced by Honda of Japan, that was first introduced in June 2001 Volkswagen's introduction of such models is seen as a test of the market for a subcompact and, if successful, may be the beginnings of a thriving subcompact market for Volkswagen.

When Martin Winterkorn became the eighth postwar CEO of Volkswagen, the company made several personnel changes in Wolfsburg. Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn (born 24 May 1947 in Leonberg, Germany) is the Chairman of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen Though the VW Group already had their presence in India with Škoda Auto, Volkswagen introduced the Passat and Touareg with TDI engine to India's automobile market in September 2007. Škoda Auto ( is an automobile manufacturer in the Czech Republic. The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973

The VW 1L will be available in 2010, in limited numbers. The VW 1-litre car, also known as the 1L, is a two-person Concept car named for its extremely low fuel consumption The 1L is a lightweight two person vehicle made out of a magnesium frame covered by an unpainted carbon fiber skin. Every component of the vehicle is intended to reduce the vehicles weight. Aluminum brakes, carbon fiber wheels, titanium hubs, and ceramic bearings all contribute to the vehicle’s light weight of a mere 290 kg. To reduce the weight even further, and to increase the aerodynamics of the vehicle, there are no rear view mirrors. Instead, the car is equipped with cameras that display visual information to the driver via the internal LCD screen. The car is extremely fuel efficient, each gallon of fuel will take you over 235 miles. The fuel tank holds just 1. 7 gallons, making the entire travel distance capability about 400 miles per tank. Its top speed is 120 km/h (75 mph), which although isn’t too fast is a welcome trade off for the huge savings in gas consumption.

Relationship with Porsche, and the "Volkswagen Law"

Volkswagen has always had a close relationship with Porsche, the Zuffenhausen-based sports car manufacturer founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche, the original Volkswagen designer. Porsche SE or Porsche ( German, ˈpɔɹʃə is a German manufacturer of automobiles which is majority-owned by the Porsche and Piëch Stuttgart (ˈʃtʊtgaɐ̯t is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. Prof Dr Ing hc Ferdinand Porsche ( The first Porsche car, the Porsche 64 of 1938, used many components from the Volkswagen Beetle. The Porsche 64, also known as the VW Aerocoupe, Type 64 and Type 60K10, is considered by many to be the first Automobile from Porsche The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen The 1948 Porsche 356, continued using many Volkswagen components, including a tuned engine, gearbox and suspension. The Porsche 356 was the company's first production automobile An engine is a mechanical device that produces some form of output from a given input

The two companies continued their collaboration in 1969 to make the VW-Porsche 914 and 914-6, whereby the 914-6 had a 6-cylinder Porsche engine, and the standard 914 had a 4-cylinder Volkswagen engine, and in 1976 with the Porsche 912E (USA only), and the Porsche 924, which used many Audi components and was built at an Audi Neckarsulm factory. History Development By the late 1960s both Volkswagen and Porsche were in need of new models Porsche was looking for a replacement for their entry-level 912 The Porsche 912 was a Sports car manufactured by Porsche of Germany between 1965 and 1969 as their entry-level model The Porsche 924 is an Automobile produced by Porsche AG of Germany from 1976 to 1988 AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters Neckarsulm is a City in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, near Stuttgart, and part of the district Heilbronn. Most 944s also were built there, although they used far fewer VW components. The 944 is a Sports car built by Porsche from 1982 to 1991 It replaced the 924 as Porsche's entry level model although 924 production continued through

The Porsche Cayenne, introduced in 2002, shares its entire chassis with VW Touareg and Audi Q7, which are built at the Volkswagen factory in Bratislava. The Porsche Cayenne is a five-seat mid-size Sport utility vehicle manufactured by the German automaker Porsche since 2002, with The Audi Q7 is a Full-size luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV produced by German automaker Audi ARTICLE TEXT BEGINS AFTER THESE COMMENTS - PLEASE READ 1 Please do not edit the lead without reading

In late 2005, Porsche took an 18. 65% stake in VW, further cementing their relationship and preventing a takeover of Volkswagen, which was rumored at the time. Speculated suitors included DaimlerChrysler, BMW, and Renault. Daimler AG ( (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG) is a German car corporation (not to be confused with the British car-maker Daimler Motor Company) and ( BMW) (Bavarian Motor Works is an independent German automobile manufacturer founded in 1916 This is about the company for other uses see Renault (disambiguation.

In September 2005, Porsche announced it was buying a 20% stake in Volkswagen at a cost of €3 billion, with the intention that the combined stakes of Porsche, Volkswagen, and the government of Lower Saxony, to ensure that any hostile takeover by foreign investors would be impossible. PortalCurrent events News collections and sources WikipediaNews collections and sources. Lower Saxony ( German: Niedersachsen ch is pronounced before an s --> lies in north-western Germany and is second ^[9] In July 2006, Porsche increased their ownership to 25. July 2006 was a month with thirty-one days The following events also occurred during the month 1%.

On 26 March 2007, Porsche took its holding of Volkswagen shares to 30. Events 1026 - Pope John XIX crowns Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. 9%, triggering a takeover bid under German law. Porsche formally announced in a press statement that it did not intend to take over Volkswagen (it would set its offer price at the lowest possible legal value), but intended the move to avoid a competitor taking a large stake or to stop hedge funds dismantling VW, which is Porsche's most important partner^[10]. Porsche's move comes after the European Union moved against a German law that protected VW from takeovers. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Under the so-called "Volkswagen Law", any shareholder in VW cannot exercise more than 20% of the firm's voting rights, regardless of their level of stock holding. The European Court of Justice has already indicated that the law probably breaks EU rules, and a full judgement to that effect is expected later in 2007^[11]. This article refers to the European Union court not the European Court of Human Rights of the Council of Europe The Court of Justice

As of July 2007, Porsche has borrowed 10 billion euros ($13. July 2007 is the seventh month of that year It began on a Sunday and 31 days later ended on a Tuesday. 6 billion), in an intention to buy Volkswagen, and doesn't seem to be letting up on its acquisition of VW. The Stuttgart car-maker has tapped into a network of 37 lenders for a $13. Stuttgart (ˈʃtʊtgaɐ̯t is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. 7 billion loan to finance its purchase of VW shares. The money will go to pay for outstanding Volkswagen shares, since VW shareholders only offered up less than one-percent of their shares, when Porsche offered them below-market-value sale prices. Earlier this year it was reported that of Porsche's 1. 14 billion euro ($1. 55 billion) fiscal profit in the first fiscal half of 2007, more than one billion ($1. 36 billion) of it came from VW. In which case it would make sense to many observers that Porsche would do whatever possible to keep the two siblings together. ^[12].

Environmental record

Volkswagen of America Inc. promotes its work in developing clean diesel, and other fuel-efficient technologies, in order to increase U. Volkswagen Group of America Inc (sometimes referred to as Volkswagen of America, abbreviated to VWoA) is the United States operational headquarters S. sales to environmentally conscious consumers. One of the promoting vehicle is the 2009 clean-diesel Jetta TDI, which has a 16-valve, four-cylinder common rail direct injection engine which reduces emissions by 90 percent. Volkswagen also claims that this model has the advantage of fuel economy in the mid-50s and mid-40s in city conditions. Stefan Jacoby, Volkswagen of America's CEO, said that it will be released in a sedan and sport-wagon model in May 2008 in California, becoming the first 50-state clean diesel offering. ^[13] Also, Volkswagen and Sanyo team up to develop hybrid vehicle battery system. () is a major Japanese electronics company and member of the Fortune 500 whose headquarters is located in Moriguchi, Osaka prefecture, Japan A hybrid vehicle is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power sources to propel the vehicle ^[14]

Volkswagen boss Martin Winterkorn has confirmed the company plans to build compact hybrid vehicles. Professor Dr Martin Winterkorn (born 24 May 1947 in Leonberg, Germany) is the Chairman of the Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen There will definitely be compact hybrid models, such as Polo and Golf, and without any great delay", with gasoline and diesel engines. The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen A diesel engine is an Internal combustion engine which operates using the Diesel cycle (named after Dr For example, Golf is the ideal model to go hybrid as the Golf 1. 4 TSI was recently awarded the “Auto Environment Certificate” by the Oko-Trend Institute for Environmental Research, and was considered as one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles of 2007. ^[15] Also underway at Volkswagen's Braunschweig R&D facilities in Northern Germany is a hybrid version of the next-generation Touareg, due in 2010. Braunschweig, known as Brunswiek in Low German, is a city of 245810 people (as of 31 December 2007 located in Lower Saxony, Germany. The phrase research and development (also R and D or more often R&D) according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers ^[16]

All future VW models to have hybrid option. “Future VW models will fundamentally also be constructed with hybrid concepts,” VW head of development Ulrich Hackenberg told Automobilwoche in an interview. Hackenberg mentioned that the car based on the up! concept seen at Frankfurt motorshow^[17], as well as all future models, could be offered with either full or partial hybrid options. The Volkswagen up! series of City car concepts debuted in the 2007 motor show calendar year starting with the Volkswagen up! at the Frankfurt Auto Show. The International Motor Show or Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung (IAA is the world's largest Motor show. The rear-engine up! will go into production in 2011. Nothing has been said about plug-in hybrid option. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle ( PHEV) is a Hybrid vehicle with batteries that can be recharged by connecting a plug to an Electric power ^[18]

VW´s Chief of research, Dr. Jurgen Leohold, said the company's concluded hydrogen fuel-cell cars are a non-starter. A fuel cell is an electrochemical conversion device It produces electricity from Fuel (on the Anode side and an oxidant (on the ^[19][20]

Current Volkswagen models

Europe

• Fox
• Polo Mk4F
• Golf Mk5
• Golf Plus
• Golf Variant
• Jetta Mk5
• Eos
• Multivan
• Passat Mk6
• Passat Mk6 Variant
• Phaeton
• Sharan
• Touran
• Tiguan
• Touareg

Americas

USA & Canada

Model	United States	Canada
City Golf		♦
City Jetta		♦
Eos	♦	♦
GLI	♦	♦
GTI	♦	♦
Jetta	♦	♦
Jetta SportWagen	♦	♦
New Beetle	♦	♦
New Beetle Convertible	♦	♦
Passat	♦	♦
Passat Wagon	♦	♦
R32	♦
Rabbit	♦	♦
Tiguan	♦
Touareg	♦	♦

México

• Pointer (Hatchback only)
• Lupo
• Crossfox (Lupo II off-road version)
• Sportvan (Lupo II station wagon version)
• Polo (Mk4, not facelifted) (2003-2006)
• Beetle
• Golf (Mk4) (1997-2007)
• GTI (Golf Mk5 GTI)
• Jetta IV (VW Bora in Europe, third facelift)
• Bora (VW Jetta Mk5 in Europe)
• Passat
• Sharan
• Touareg (includes V10 TDI)

South America

• Fox/CrossFox/Suran (SpaceFox)
• Gol/Parati/Saveiro/Voyage (Pointer)
• Polo/Polo sedan
• Derby
• Golf
• Jetta
• Vento
• Bora
• New Beetle/New Beetle Cabriolet
• Passat/Passat Variant
• Phaeton
• Touran
• Sharan
• Touareg

Asia-Pacific

• Gol
• Polo
• Golf/Golf Plus/Golf Variant
• Jetta
• Bora
• Bora HS
• Sagitar
• New Beetle/New Beetle Cabriolet
• Passat Lingyu
• Santana
• Santana Vista
• Passat/Passat Variant
• Magotan
• Phaeton
• Touran
• Sharan
• Tiguan
• Touareg

South Africa

• CitiGolf
• Polo
• Golf/Golf Variant/Golf Plus
• Jetta
• New Beetle/New Beetle Cabriolet
• Passat/Passat Variant
• Touran
• Sharan
• Tiguan
• Touareg

Cult status of the Beetle

Like its competitors, the Mini, the Citroën 2CV and the Fiat 500, the original-shape Beetle long outlasted predictions of its lifespan. The Volkswagen Fox is a supermini produced and designed by Volkswagen do Brasil and sold in Latin America since 2004 and Europe since 2005 The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Eos is a four-seater Retractable hardtop coupe convertible introduced in 2006 as the successor to the Volkswagen Cabrio. The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced "fay-ton" is a large luxury sedan manufactured by German car manufacturer Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Sharan is a Large MPV produced by the German Automaker Volkswagen since 1995 The Volkswagen Touran is a Compact MPV based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5, and sold in Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact Crossover SUV built by the German Automaker Volkswagen, based on the A5 (PQ35 platform The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Eos is a four-seater Retractable hardtop coupe convertible introduced in 2006 as the successor to the Volkswagen Cabrio. The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact Crossover SUV built by the German Automaker Volkswagen, based on the A5 (PQ35 platform The Volkswagen Fox is a supermini produced and designed by Volkswagen do Brasil and sold in Latin America since 2004 and Europe since 2005 Not to be confused with Volkswagen Golf. The Volkswagen Gol is a Low cost Subcompact car designed in Brazil The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Derby is a saloon version of the Volkswagen Polo supermini, produced by the German automaker Volkswagen, The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced "fay-ton" is a large luxury sedan manufactured by German car manufacturer Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Touran is a Compact MPV based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5, and sold in The Volkswagen Sharan is a Large MPV produced by the German Automaker Volkswagen since 1995 Not to be confused with Volkswagen Golf. The Volkswagen Gol is a Low cost Subcompact car designed in Brazil The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Phaeton (pronounced "fay-ton" is a large luxury sedan manufactured by German car manufacturer Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Touran is a Compact MPV based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5, and sold in The Volkswagen Sharan is a Large MPV produced by the German Automaker Volkswagen since 1995 Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact Crossover SUV built by the German Automaker Volkswagen, based on the A5 (PQ35 platform The Volkswagen Citi Golf is a car produced by Volkswagen in South Africa. The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (VW Typ 1K) built on the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35 platform was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973 The Volkswagen Touran is a Compact MPV based on a vertically-stretched fifth generation Volkswagen Golf Mk5, and sold in The Volkswagen Sharan is a Large MPV produced by the German Automaker Volkswagen since 1995 Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact Crossover SUV built by the German Automaker Volkswagen, based on the A5 (PQ35 platform The Mini is a small car that was produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC and its successors from 1959 until 2000 The Citroën 2CV ( French: deux chevaux vapeur, literally "two steam Horses quot from the Tax horsepower rating was an Economy car "500" is also Fiat's model number for the earlier Fiat Topolino, later Fiat Cinquecento and current Fiat Nuova 500 The The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen It maintains a very strong following worldwide, being regarded as something of a "cult car", owing to its 1960s association with the hippie movement. A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific area of Pop culture. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The Hippie Subculture was originally a Youth movement that began in the United States during the early 1960s and spread around the world Currently, there is a wide array of clubs that are concerned with the Beetle. The fans are quite diverse. Looks include the resto-look, Cal Look, German-look, resto-Cal Look, buggies, Baja Bugs, old school, Disney's Herbie the Love Bug replicas, ratlook, etc. A Cal looker is any aircooled Volkswagen that has been modified in a style that originated in California in the late 1960s The term Baja Bug generally refers to a Volkswagen Beetle modified to operate on sand dunes and beaches although other versions of Air-cooled Volkswagens are sometimes A school (in the sense of old school) is a grouping of people who share common characteristics of opinion or outlooks of philosophy craft or belief Herbie (born 1963 in Wolfsburg, Germany) is a fictional character an anthropomorphic Volkswagen Beetle, which is featured in several Disney Part of their cult status is attributed to being one of a few cars with an air-cooled, horizontally-opposed engine design, and the consequent ease of repair and modification, as opposed to the more conventional and technically complex watercooled engine design. Air-cooled engines rely on the circulation of air directly over hot parts of the Engine to cool them A flat engine is an Internal combustion engine with pistons that are all relatively horizontal The original flat-four boxer design had less than 200 moving parts.

In the late 1990s, a group of Volkswagen enthusiasts formed "Volkswagenism", a satirical religion based on owners' devoted loyalty to both the Beetle and the company. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Under the leadership of founder Jason Gaudet, this "religion" has gained notoriety through radio, television and print coverage from around the world. . . turning ordinary fans of the car into Volkswagenists.

By 2002, over 21 million Type 1s had been produced.

On 30 July 2003, the last Type 1 rolled off the production line in Puebla, Puebla, Mexico. Events 1419 - First Defenestration of Prague. 1502 - Christopher Columbus lands at Guanaja in the Bay Islands off Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The city of Puebla, officially Heroic Puebla de Zaragoza (nicknamed Angelópolis) is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Puebla. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. It was car number 21,529,464, and was immediately shipped off to the company's museum in Wolfsburg, Germany. In true Mexican fashion, a mariachi band serenaded the last car in the 68-year-old history. MARIACHI, the Mixed Apparatus for Radar Investigation of Cosmic-rays of High Ionization, is an apparatus for the detection of Ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECR The last car was nicknamed El Rey, which is Spanish for "The King". The last 3000 type 1s were called the "Última Edición" or the last edition.

In the United States, Volkswagen enthusiasts frequent large Volkswagen-themed car shows, especially in the summer months. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Many of these shows feature camping, a car show called a "show 'n' shine", drag racing, parts swap meet, raffles, burnout contests, and other events. Drag racing is a competition in which objects compete to be the first to cross a set finish mark usually from a dead stop and in a straight line Die-hard and loyal "VW-heads" attend these shows regularly, often traveling 500 miles (800 km) or more (even abroad) to attend their favorite event.

In the winter, a group of drivers of the "splitscreen" bus model (1951-1967 Microbuses, trucks, campers, and panel vans) drive from Willits, California, to Mount Shasta, California, largely on unpaved back roads. The Volkswagen Type 2 (also known as Transporter) was the second automotive line introduced by German automaker Volkswagen. Willits is a city in Mendocino County, California, United States. Mount Shasta ( Úytaahkoo, Karuk) or the "White Mountain" in English a 14179-foot (4322 m Stratovolcano, is the second-highest peak in the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. This event is called the "Mt. Shasta Snow Trip Challenge" and is a good example of VW enthusiasts' trust in the durability of their 40-plus-year-old cars.

Motorsport

• In 1966, Volkswagen starting in Formula Vee — circuit racing with cars built from easily available Beetle parts — took off in Europe. Formula Vee is a popular single-seater junior motor racing formula, with relatively low-costs in comparison to Formula Ford or Formula BMW. The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen It proved very popular as a low-cost route into formula racing. ^[21]
• In 1971, Volkswagen moved on to the more powerful Formula Super Vee, which became famous for hothousing new talent. Formula Super Vee was a type of Open-wheel motor created to act as a platform for the promotion of VW products playing much the same role in the 1970s as formulae In the 11 years it ran, until 1982, it produced a stable of world-famous Formula One drivers — names like Niki Lauda, Jochen Mass, Nelson Piquet, Jochen Rindt and Keke Rosberg. Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda (born February 22, 1949 in Vienna) is an Austrian Aviator, Entrepreneur Jochen Mass (born September 30, 1946 in Dorfen, Bavaria) is a former Racing driver from Germany. Nelson Piquet Souto Maior (born August 17, 1952) more commonly known as Nelson Piquet, is a Brazilian former racing driver who was Formula Karl Jochen Rindt ( April 18, 1942 - September 5, 1970) was a German - Austrian racing driver Keijo Erik Rosberg ( (born 6 December 1948 in Solna, Stockholm County, Sweden) nicknamed "Keke" is a Volkswagen also notched up several victories, and the championship in Formula Three. Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel formula racing.
• In 1976, Volkswagen enter the under 2000cc Trans-Am Series, with the Scirocco, and they won their class outright. The Trans-Am Series was created in 1966 by the SCCA as the Trans-American Sedan Championship. ^[22]
• In 1981, now based in Hanover, and renamed Volkswagen Motorsport, VW took a new direction into rallying, with the launch of the first generation Golf, and Sweden's Per Eklund, Frenchman Jean-Luc Therier, and the Finn Pentti Airikkala. Hanover (i ( haˈnoːfɐ on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony ( Niedersachsen Per Eklund, born on June 26 1946 at Skönnerud ( Koppom) Eda Municipality of Värmland in Sweden, is a Rally and Jean-Luc Thérier (born Hodeng-au-Bosc, October 7, 1945) is a French former Rally driver. Pentti Airikkala (born Helsinki, Finland, September 4 1945) was one of the ' Flying Finns ' who have dominated world rallying for the The final chapters in Volkswagen Racing UK's rallying story were the 'one-make' Castrol Polo Challenge, and the Polo GTI 'Super 1600' in 2001.
• In 2000, Volkswagen started a one make racing cup with the newly released to Europe New Beetle called the ADAC New Beetle Cup. The Volkswagen New Beetle is a small family car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998 drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle Beside that, the ADAC Volkswagen Lupo Cup, founded in 1998, is continued to support young talents on the way to the top.
• In 2001, the department was renamed Volkswagen Racing, and since then has concentrated all its efforts on developing its circuit racing championship, the Volkswagen Racing Cup.
• In 2003, VW replaced the ADAC Volkswagen Lupo Cup with the newly released Polo, to become the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup.
• In 2004, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles enter the European Truck Racing series with the Volkswagen Titan series truck - it became back-to-back champions for the 2004 and 2005 series. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles ( VWCV) or Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge ( VWN Truck racing is a form of motor racing which involves modified versions of heavy trucks on racing circuits.

The Dakar

• In 1980, Volkswagen competed in the Paris-Dakar Rally with the Audi-developed Iltis, placing 1st, 2nd, 4th and 9th overall. The Dakar Rally (or simply " The Dakar " formerly known as "The Paris Dakar" or "Paris to Dakar Rally" and now as "The Lisboa Dakar" is AUDI AG, ( Xetra: NSU commonly known as Audi (aˈʊdi is a German Automobile manufacturer which produces Audi branded cars with headquarters
• Volkswagen enlists Dakar Champion Jutta Kleinschmidt, the first female to win the Dakar in 2001, to help design and compete a Dakar Racer. Jutta Kleinschmidt (born August 29, 1962) is a competitor of offroad automotive racing events
• In 2003, the Hannover based team starts with a 2WD buggy named Tarek. It places 6th outright but took 1st in the 2WD and Diesel class.
• In 2004, VW enters the newly developed Race-Touareg T2, finishing 6th overall and 2nd in the Diesel class. Diesel or Diesel fuel (ˈdiːzəl in general is any Fuel used in Diesel engines The most common is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum
• In 2005, an updated Race-Touareg with slightly more power is entered, with driver Bruno Saby, finishing in 3rd overall and 1st in the Diesel class. Bruno Saby (born 23 February 1949 in Grenoble) is a rally driver from France.
• In 2006, Volkswagen released the most powerful Race-Touareg yet: the Race-Touareg 2. Five vehicles enter, with driver Giniel de Villers finishing in 2nd place overall, and 1st in the Diesel class.

Volkswagen motorsport: around the world

Below are Official, or Dealership-sponsored Volkswagen Racing activities, outside Germany:

• China rally participation: Shanghai-VW Santana, Shanghai-VW Polo, FAW-VW Jetta, and Shanghai-VW supported the 1st Shanghai F1 Grand Prix, with a Polo Cup support series. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National The Volkswagen Passat is a Family car built by Volkswagen through six design generations since 1973
• South Africa rally participation: VW Polo, SEAT Ibiza based Polo Playa, VW Citi and VW Golf. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa The Volkswagen Polo is a Supermini car manufactured by Volkswagen. The SEAT Ibiza is a supermini manufactured by the Volkswagen Group and sold under the SEAT Marque. The Volkswagen Polo Playa is a supermini produced and sold in South Africa from 1996 until 2002 which was a rebadged version of the SEAT Ibiza Mk2 The Volkswagen Citi Golf is a car produced by Volkswagen in South Africa. The Volkswagen Golf or VW Golf ( Mk1 and Mk5 badged as Volkswagen Rabbit in the United States and Canada, Mk1 badged as Volkswagen Circuit participation: SEAT Ibiza based Polo Derby/Classic, A3 engined series which supports the A1 Racing series, and the GTI engined F3 style racing series. The SEAT Ibiza is a supermini manufactured by the Volkswagen Group and sold under the SEAT Marque.
• France: A French Volkswagen team entered the 2000 and 2001 Le Mans Series, with there 2. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Le Mans Series (LMS is a European Sports car racing endurance series based around the 24 Hours of Le Mans race and run by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest 0 Turbo racer, which produced around 356 kW/485 hp.
• Brazil rally participation: Gol and Voyage, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles heavy trucks. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Not to be confused with Volkswagen Golf. The Volkswagen Gol is a Low cost Subcompact car designed in Brazil Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles ( VWCV) or Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge ( VWN Circuit participation: Brasilia, Karmann Ghia, and Gol, Voyage. The Volkswagen Brasilia, was a car made in Brazil between 1973 and 1982 The Karmann Ghia was marketed by Volkswagen as a 2+2 Coupe and Convertible combining the straightforward chassis and mechanicals of the Type 1 Not to be confused with Volkswagen Golf. The Volkswagen Gol is a Low cost Subcompact car designed in Brazil The Bora used nowadays in Stock car racing is actually a plastic body around a tubular chassis with Chevrolet V8 engine. The Volkswagen Jetta is an Automobile produced by German automaker Volkswagen since 1979 Stock car racing is a form of Automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britain Chevrolet (ˌʃɛvroʊˈleɪ - French origin (also known as Chevy) is a Brand of Automobile, produced by General Motors (GM A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the Crankcase in two banks of four cylinders in most cases set at a right angle to each other
• Peru: VW Peru Rally the Fox in the S1600 class. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. The Volkswagen Fox is a supermini produced and designed by Volkswagen do Brasil and sold in Latin America since 2004 and Europe since 2005
• Japan circuit participation: Golf, Lupo and Polo Cup's. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The Volkswagen Lupo is a City car manufactured by German automaker Volkswagen from 1998 to 2005
• Poland circuit participation: Golf with TDI Cup. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland
• United Kingdom circuit participation: Lupo, Polo, Golf, Jetta (Vento/Bora), Scirocco, Corrado, Beetle, Type 3, and Caddy. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Volkswagen Scirocco is a " Sports Coupe " produced by German manufacturer Volkswagen (VW from 1974 until 1992 The Volkswagen Corrado is a Hatchback Coupé developed by German automaker Volkswagen and built by Karmann in Osnabrück, Germany The name Volkswagen Caddy has been used by the Volkswagen Group to describe four different Caddy models Typ 14 was derived from the Volkswagen Rally entries: Beetle, Type 3, Polo & Golf. VW Racing UK now have their own cup, they also have had Rallyed a Polo 1600 class and Golf TDI.
• Australia: VW has a very close relationship with Motorsport it was the REDeX and Mobil Trials of the 1950s which propelled VW to be a sales success in Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The 1950s Decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive In 1999 and 2000, VW won the F2 Australian Rally Championship with the Golf GTI. In 2001 and 2002, VW raced the New Beetle RSI in the GT Performance series, it was close to the top of the board both seasons. In 2003, VW Australia was the first to race and develop the R32 Golf in the 2004 GT Performance series, and came 2nd overall.
• Finland: In 2002, VW won the Finnish Rally Championship in a7/(F2), with a Golf Mk4 KitCar, with Mikko Hirvonen. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. The Finnish Rally Championship is the national rally championship in Finland. Mikko Hirvonen (born July 31, 1980) is a Finnish rally driver currently driving for the BP Ford World Rally Team in the World In 1999 and 2000, VW won the Finnish Rally Championship in a7/(F2) with a Golf Mk3 KitCar. In 2000, 2001 and 2002, VW won the Finnish Racing Championship in Sport 2000 with a Golf Mk4. ^[23]
• Austria: From 1967 until 1974, the Austrian sole distributor "Porsche Salzburg (Austria)" successfully entered the VW Beetle (1500, 1302S and 1303S) in European-wide rallies. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the type 1 and originally called ‘Käfer’ is an Economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen Victories were achieved in `72 and `73 in the overall Austrian championship,on Elba, in the Acropolis rally (first in class). The last versions used the 1600cc engine with 125hp and a 5 speed Porsche 914 transmission. Top drivers were Tony Fall(GB), Achim Warmbold(D), Guenter Janger(A), Harry Källström(S). Richard Anthony Fall (1940 &ndash December 1, 2007) was a British Rally driver. Achim Warmbold (born July 17 1941) is a German former rally driver Harry "Sputnik" Källström (born June 30, 1939) is a retired Swedish Professional rally driver who debuted in 1957 and

Motorsport gallery

1939 Berlin to Rome. Porsche Type 64 racer based on Beetle platform	Twin-engine racing Beetle developed by Wilson and Emerson Fittipaldi brothers	Bora in TC 2000, a national championship of Argentine	Bora in Stock Car Brasil
Edition 2007 Race Touareg 2 at Essen Motor Show 2006	Constellation in the 2006 Brazilian Fórmula Truck Championship

See also

• list of Volkswagen Group platforms
• list of Volkswagen engines
• Baron Klaus von Oertzen - "father" of Volkswagen in South Africa
• Electronics Research Laboratory
• Murat Günak Twike - hybrid vehicle developed by former VW employee
• Standard Superior - Volkswagen prototype by Josef Ganz
• Volkswagen Group of America
• Volkswagen advertising history
• VDub - tagline for the recent VWoA Golf GTI TV advertisement
• list of German cars

References

External links

Official site

• Volkswagen.com Volkswagen Cars Worldwide portal

official Motorsport links

• Volkswagen-Motorsport.com Volkswagen Motorsport corporate site (English), (German), (French)
• Volkswagen-Group-Motorsport.info Volkswagen Group Motorsport official Press Release website (English), (German)
• Volkswagen Racing UK
  • VW-Cup.co.uk Hankook Volkswagen Racing Cup official site
• Volkswagen South Africa Racing official website
• Volkswagen Endurance Cup Netherlands (Dutch)

Unaffiliated sites

• Kamil Dada explores why Volkswagen donates $5.75 million to Stanford University
• 1938 essay on the early VW
• eBahn.com official aftermarket technical information site for Volkswagen of America and Audi of America

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