What is the History of Volkswagen?
2 Answers
Volkswagen has five major stages in its development history, as detailed below: The Founding of Volkswagen: Volkswagen was established in 1938 in Wolfsburg, Germany, by the world-renowned automotive designer Ferdinand Porsche. Volkswagen is a multinational automotive group with production facilities in many countries worldwide and is ranked among the top ten automobile companies globally. Establishment of the Joint-Stock Company: On January 17, 1934, Porsche submitted a proposal to the German government for the design and production of a car for the masses. This proposal was approved and supported by Hitler's government. Porsche subsequently founded Volkswagenwerk GmbH, a joint-stock company with 340,000 shareholders. Entry into the Taiwanese Market: After World War II, Volkswagen was transferred to the West German government, and car production gradually resumed. Due to the affordability of the Beetle, it quickly became popular in Germany and Europe. By 1955, the Beetle was exported to over 100 countries. In 1963, Taiwan's Yung Ye Group obtained the agency rights for Volkswagen, officially entering the Taiwanese market. Later, in 1999, Volkswagen reclaimed the agency rights from Yung Ye and successively transferred them to Taifeng Motors and Swire Motors. Entry into the Chinese Market: In March 1985, Volkswagen announced its entry into the Chinese market, forming a joint venture with Chinese partners to establish Shanghai Volkswagen. Volkswagen held a 50% stake, becoming the first foreign automobile company to enter the Chinese market. Becoming Europe's Largest Automaker: With the success of the Beetle, Volkswagen grew into a powerful global automotive production group, establishing production plants and sales companies in many countries, including Spain and Mexico. Following the Beetle, Volkswagen achieved mass production of four-wheel-drive compact cars in 1980 and introduced the Golf, the world's best-selling car of the 1980s, thus becoming Europe's largest automaker.
The history of Volkswagen is truly legendary. I've been fascinated by automotive history since childhood, and Volkswagen's story began in Nazi Germany during the 1930s when Hitler commissioned Ferdinand Porsche to design a 'people's car' intended to be affordable for every family. This became the prototype of the iconic Beetle, though the factory shifted to military vehicle production after World War II broke out. After the war in 1945, British officer Ivan Hirst took over and helped revive the factory, leading to the Beetle's official mass production and global popularity as a symbol of affordability. By the 1960s, the Beetle's sales skyrocketed in the U.S., representing the spirit of freedom. In 1974, Volkswagen launched the Golf, introducing front-wheel-drive technology that revolutionized the compact car market. The company then expanded continuously, acquiring brands like Audi and Škoda to form the Volkswagen Group. After the 2000s, they faced the Dieselgate scandal but actively pivoted to electric vehicles, such as the ID series. This history showcases a brand's resilience from wartime ruins to global dominance, making me feel that the evolution of the automotive industry is profoundly enlightening.
