Offering a complete range of VOLKSWAGEN vehicles

Famous VW History

Although Volkswagen didn’t have the most auspicious start to life – they were founded by the Nazi trade union – they have since become one of the most successful and highly respected car manufacturers in the world. With a clear presence in nearly all of the markets throughout the globe, they are one of the world’s most recognizable brands.

They came to life in 1937 and were a company initially designed to challenge the German car industry, which was at the time focused on luxury models, by producing cars that were more affordable to the general public. The first car that they produced was the “Peoples’ Car”, which was sold by the government to citizens, who could pay a small amount each week to use the car. In fact, the name “Volkswagen” is a literal translation of “Peoples’ Car”.

As Volkswagen had strong links to the Nazi party, it is no surprise to learn that their main focus switched to the production of military vehicles during WWII. When the War was over and the Nazis had been removed, control of the factory was placed in the hands of the British. Instead of being dismantled for reparations though, a man by the name of Major Hirst persuaded the UK government to order 20,000 cars as they were short of light transport. By 1946, the factory was producing 1,000 cars per month, even though it was still significantly damaged – most of which were the legendary VW Beetle, a car that still represents VW today.

Over the following years Volkswagen became a symbol of the regeneration of West Germany – a success story to inspire others. They kept on producing new cars during this time – most noticeably the 1949 Volkswagen Sedan – even though all of the world’s major car manufacturers turned down the chance to purchase it. Also in 1949, the company began selling to customers in the USA – a remarkable turn of events for a company who had only just recovered from the damage caused during the War.

Although Volkswagen was doing very well, what they lacked was a large product line – something that they rectified during the 1960s. During this period they introduced a number of new vehicles to their line-up, most notably the four Type 4 models. This had the effect of broadening their appeal and increasing sales across the board. During the 1960s they also had a large part in the creation of Audi, a company that had disappeared after the War.

During the 1960s and 1970s VW released a number of iconic cars, two of which – the Golf and the Passat – are still in production today. Shortly after this they released the Scirocco and the Polo, as well as the Rabbit – all of which were great sellers.

Nowadays VW own Audi, Bentley, Seat, Skoda Lamborghini and Bugatti, which underlines the power that they have in the world of car manufacturing. With a number of hugely popular models also under their own badge, it is no surprise that VWs are such a common sight on the roads of the UK nowadays.