Volkswagen Cars

Volkswagen, or VW for short, is a car manufacturer based in the Lower Saxony region of Germany. The company makes a wide variety of vehicles, and then distributes them to almost every part of the world. Volkswagen is known for making sport utility vehicles, coupes, crossovers, sedans, wagons and convertibles; all of which are for sale in North America.

Volkswagen's unlikely success story is due to the close collaboration of an auto legend (Ferdinand Porsche) and one of the most hated dictators in history (Adolf Hitler). It was nearly ruined by World War II, by being co-opted for wartime propaganda purposes by Hitler and the Nazis. After the war, the German and British governments worked hard to raise Volkswagen from the ashes.

The premise behind the Volkswagen automobile is that it is a car for the people; in fact, Volkswagen literally translates to "people's car". Beginning in 1931, Ferdinand Porsche began designing cars for many manufacturers via Porsche's consultation and engineering segments. The cars designed by Porsche would see great use starting in 1933, when the company was asked by Hitler to build "the people's car". During the war, Hitler used the cars for the purposes of propaganda, and he even renamed the car to reflect that fact.

From those beginnings would come the Volkswagens that are known and loved today. Most early Volkswagen production was geared toward the war effort, so very few ordinary people got the chance to own one of the cars during their early days. Volkswagen's real success came after the war ended in 1945; with the help of the British, factories were reopened and they again started producing cars for the civilian population. The company was then officially named Volkswagen, and control was handed over to the German government.

However, the company would have a drastically different outcome the second time it was under German control. Soon after Germany's government took over, Volkswagen ws building and exporting cars to every corner of the world, including a few that were sent to the United States in 1949. However, the VW did not become popular there until the middle of the 1950s. During that time, the company expanded by building more factories in Australia, England, and South America.

From its humble beginnings as a Porsche subsidiary, to its time as part of Adolf Hitler's war machine, Volkswagen has grown into a giant in the worldwide auto manufacturing market. Today, Volkswagen owns Seat, Skoda, Audi, Bentley and Bugatti, and in turn, Volkswagen is owned by shareholders (who have a 49% interest), Porsche Holdings SE (31% interest) and the German State of Lower Saxony (they have a 20% interest).

Most people that are looking for a German car are fully aware that these cars are world-famous for their quality, safety, engineering and reliability. Volkswagen cars are unique in that they retain much of their value when sold, and a Volkswagen is a sensible investment for those looking for a vehicle that will get the job done and remain in good working order for a long time.