VW Enthusiast’s Guide

In a bid to get the country moving, the German Labour Front hires Austrian automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche:. Tthe same Ferdinand Porsche who would go on to found Porsche AG.

His mission was to design a “people’s car” that was affordable and big enough to carry two adults and three children. Hence, Volkswagen was born – which literally translates to “people’s car” in English.

Volkswagen became an official state-owned company. First coined the “Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH” (Company for the Preparation of the German Volkswagen Ltd), it became “Volkswagenwerk GmbH” in 1938.

The KdF-Wagen prototypes begin: the car is initially named the ‘Kraft-durch-Freude)-Wagen, or ‘strength-through-joy car’; helpfully shortened to KdF. This is the car which would later be known as the “Beetle”, for its distinctive shape.

Inspired by Ford’s River Rouge car plant in Detroit, Volkswagen’s main factory is built in the town of KdF-Stadt, now better known as Wolfsburg. 

In early 1939, the KdF-Wagen Volkswagen Type 1 is ready and launched to the public. But mass production is soon hampered by the Second World War. Later that same year, the factory begins manufacturing military vehicles and other armaments using forced labour.

The end of World War Two sees Volkswagen’s KdF-Stadt factory fall under British control. Shortly thereafter, the British Army orders 20,000 Type 1 Volkswagens. In 1949, the company is taken under the control of the West German government and the state of Lower Saxony.

Over the years, the unique shape of the Volkswagen Type 1 had inspired many nicknames. These included the Beetle – of course – as well as the Bug, Käfer, Vocho, Coccinelle, Fusca, or Maggiolino.

But in 1967 Volkswagen adopts the nickname as the model’s formal name. The Volkswagen Beetle is (officially) born.

Another icon arrives – the Volkswagen Golf. In the 1970s, consumers are looking for more practical, reliable, and modern cars. The Golf fits the bill and becomes a runaway success.

Another big year for Volkswagen. The automaker launches the fourth generation Golf, which goes on to become one of the best-selling cars in Europe.

They also introduce the New Beetle. A modern take on the class VW Beetle, it becomes a popular choice among car enthusiasts for its retro look.

H3: 2015

“Dieselgate” – otherwise known as the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal. It comes to light that VW had installed software on many of its diesel vehicles that cheated the emissions test. 

Millions of VW vehicles worldwide are affected, and the company pays billions of dollars in fines and compensation. It is a dark time for the company. But they hold their hands up, apologise and manage to come out the other side.

Volkswagen moves with the times. The group begins to invest significantly in electric vehicle technology and launches the ID. family of electric vehicles, a major shift for the brand.

After 80 years of continuous manufacture, it’s time to say bye to the Beetle as Volkswagen halts production of this iconic car.

The focus on electric technology continues. By the end of 2022, Volkswagen hasd installed more than 15,000 high-power charging points around the world in a bid to be “among the trailblazers in electric mobility”.