VOLKSWAGEN Models & History, Photo Galleries, Specs
The history of the 鈥淧eople's Car鈥? Volkswagen, begins on May 28th 1937 when the 鈥淕eselschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagen mbH鈥?company is created. But Hitler's plans weren't going to materialize because WWII started and the plant switched production to armaments and the vehicles under the VW logo went to the army of the Third Reich. Initial sales abroad were disastrous, but through clever advertising, the Beetle gained popularity with the young crowd and from 1945 to 1955 numbers reached the 1 million mark. Meanwhile, sometime at the end of the 40s, Volkswagen also introduced the Type 2, a people carrier, known as the 鈥淰W Bully鈥? Even through the 60s and 70s, the Beetle manages to stay on top of sales, despite the fact that it was becoming obsolete. Reliability, easy maintenance and reduced fuel consumption made the car remain a consumer favorite. On February 17th 1972, Volkswagen celebrated selling over 15 million units of the Beetle sold, thus surpassing the Ford Model T as the most popular car in the world, a title which it still holds to this day.
Despite the success it had with the Beetle, by the beginning of the 70s, Volkswagen AG was in dire need of new models to replace the aging Beetle. The help came from Audi/Auto Union, which WV had bought back in the sixties. They brought with them the knowledge for front-wheel drive vehicles and water-cooled engines. In 1974, the first Golf rolls out of the factory's door and becomes and instant hit. Marketed as the Rabbit in the United States and Canada, it was responsible for putting Volkswagen back on the map. That same year, a more sporty model, the Scirocco makes it's way onto the Volkswagen line up. For the smaller car market, the German car maker came up with the Polo in 1976, which was quite popular throughout Western Europe. The next decade saw Volkswagen trying to improve their products with new generations of all the older models and expanding their influence by taking over Spanish manufacturer Seat and the Czech-based Skoda Auto. As the 90s rolled in, VW-owned Audi became a direct competitor for BMW and Mercedes-Benz with products designed for a more pretentious market. This left a void in the general market which Volkswagen now tried to fill. The third generation vehicles now came with better quality and standards. Gradually, new luxury models were introduced, like the Touareg, a premium off-road vehicle. In the last decade, Volkswagen has been busy trying to set records when it comes to CO2 emissions and fuel-efficient technologies. This applies to their normal engines, running on gas and diesel, but they are also developing hybrids.
Few vehicles combine practicality and performance as good as this one. In addition to its extra horsepower over the standard Golf, it boasts phenomenal brakes that are from the Golf R and a taut suspension; the Golf R-derived VAQ limited-slip differential improves cornering performance. Kudos also go to the GTI鈥檚 manual transmission (an automatic is optional) that will make you remember why you love to find a road and just drive. For the real enthusiast, the Golf R is a true performer, and packs the goods to take on rivals like the Subaru WRX. The Golf R is an all-wheel-drive wonder with terrific all-around performance. With the same body as a standard Golf, it鈥檚 also something of a sleeper. Available only in select states, the e-Golf is an all-electric variant. It brings the standard Golf鈥檚 taut manners, nimble handling and cargo-carrying flexibility to those seeking an electric car. Its range of only 125 miles, however, is below that of competitors like the Chevrolet Bolt.
The development of the new generation Volkswagen Golf hasn鈥檛 been a smooth ride, to say the least, for the engineers and managers of the German company. Software issues linked with the vehicle鈥檚 ability to update over the air slowed down the processes but everyone at Volkswagen should do the necessary to help the automaker launch the new Golf before the end of the year. According to previous reports, the hatchback should be unveiled sometime in October. 鈥淐urrently we are fighting hard with the ramp-up,鈥?Diess told 500 senior managers from all Volkswagen Group brands and regions during the internal Global Top Management Conference. If we are to believe the new report and if we assume Volkswagen will meet its internal deadlines, we鈥檒l probably begin to see teasers in the next few months. Automotive News also shares sales data by JATO Dynamics of the Golf in Europe, which shows the model is still the best-seller on the continent with 149,016 deliveries in the first four months. Despite the 14-percent drop in demand, the hatchback (also available as a wagon) has a comfortable lead over the second-placed Renault Clio with 122,405 sales.
