Volkswagen has been around for many decades, and it is still going strong. If you want to get one, there are several options available. However, before you do, you may want to learn more about this celebrated car company.
The Company’s Beginnings
New Volkswagen SUVs still bear some similarities to this brand’s original models. The company was founded in 1937. The German Labor Front was responsible for coming out with the first designs.
The Germans wanted to produce a car that was relatively inexpensive and could be mass produced. Their inspiration was apparently the type of vehicle that was being created at the time by the celebrated auto designer Ferdinand Porsche.
The Volksauto, as it was known, was the first car that saw mass production during this era. Those looking at it now would instantly see that it bore a striking resemblance to the Volkswagen Beetles that would be humming along America’s roadways some decades later.
World War II Delays and Eventual US Success
The second World War turned the rest of the world off to Volkswagen models because of the obvious Nazi connection. However, once the Allies triumphed and the German people began to rebuild, part of how they did it was by making the first Volkswagen models available for export.
The Beetle that eventually caught on in America was called the Type 1. In 1946, it was mass produced and garnered rave reviews when it started showing up in other countries.
The first ones appeared in the US in 1949. Over the next decade, the proliferation of these vehicles on American soil played a major part in getting the German economy back on its feet.
Clever Advertising Campaigns
Like so many other products and companies, clever advertising helped Americans accept a German-made car post WW II. While not everyone embraced the Type 1, enough individuals bought it to make it a cultural staple.
In particular, the round shape and headlights that resembled eyes seemed to play a part in its popularity. The hippies of the 1960s were one community that gravitated toward it, and several others followed suit.
The Type 2 and the Karmann Ghia
The company really took off in America, though, when the Type 2 and the Karmann Ghia appeared. The Type 2 was also commonly called “The Bus.”
The relatively low price tag and the space in the back for several full-sized adults meant that younger drivers could pile several of their friends into it for cross-country road trips. As for the Karmann Ghia, it was a sports coupe that not everyone could afford. This exclusivity was part of what made it popular, though, as owning one was seen as a status symbol.
A shift to water-cooled engines marked a new phase for Volkswagen. As the 1960s gave way to the 70s, models like the Golf and the Scirocco hit the market.
This seemed to imply that the car company was going to continue surviving and thriving, as did indeed prove to be the case.
VW Beetle
I appreciate VW bringing back the beetle convertible for awhile, even though it was now water cooled
and front engined.I realize the first gen of the newbie was flawed (top falls apart faster, and some engine problems) but the last gen really still looks good today and I think qualifies for the title “instant collectable” if not “instant classic.” It has so much more appeal than the convertible (EOS?) they made which is forgotten already. On Craigslist the 2nd gen of the last gen beetle convertible are in the 20s, pretty good for a car out of production. Makes you wish companies like Jag would bring out an E-type inspired roadster instead of that barge they are promoting as the new Jag I was shocked to see a dealer in Ontario CA wants $75000 for a 2019 VW convertible!