Vw Car History
Learn more about volkswagen.
Vw car history. 1975 2017 global b segment hatchback or supermini. Global product but not available in north america. The first volkswagen vehicle built above a dedicated electric vehicle platform meb platform. The first examples shared the gti s 1 8 l 16 valve engine.
By 1973 total production was over 16 million. It died after volkswagen introduced cost cutting measures after a brief 6 years of production. It went on to become volkswagen s fastest car in history and is still considered the brand s most elegant car to date. To commemorate its passing the ford model t s record sales mark and its victories in the baja 1000 mexican races from 1967 to 1971 volkswagen produced its first limited edition beetle.
On may 28 1937 the gesellschaft zur vorbereitung des deutschen volkswagens mbh company for the preparation of the german volkswagen ltd was formally established. The history of the people s car volkswagen begins on may 28th 1937 when the geselschaft zur vorbereitung des deutschen volkswagen mbh company is created. From the idea of a people s car to the golf and the xl1 from the first foreign sales company in canada to the founding of volkswagen india from audi to scania from wolfsburg to chattanooga and changchun. Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most produced single make of car in history.
This milestone surpassed another important milestone in auto history the production of the tin lizzy or ford model t between 1908 and 1927. The world car production record was broken in february 1972 when volkswagen announced that 15 007 034 units had been assembled. Right hand drive models made their u k debut in 1989. The name was changed to volkswagenwerk gmbh in 1938 and the company built its main plant.
Two generations mk5 and mk6 are currently produced alongside each other with some markets offering both versions. Volkswagen group major german automobile manufacturer founded by the german government in 1937 to mass produce a low priced people s car it later became one of the world s largest automakers and its notable models included the iconic beetle. The history of the volkswagen brand began with the käfer.