Volkswagen German pronunciation: [ˈfɔlksˌvaːɡn̩] listen[Note 1] abbreviated as VW [faʊˈveː] listenis a German automobile manufacturer headquartered in WolfsburgLower SaxonyGermany. Founded in by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand after World War II by the British Army officer Ivan Hirstit is known for the iconic Beetle and serves as the flagship brand of the Volkswagen Groupthe largest automotive manufacturer by worldwide sales in and The growing trend was not nascent; Béla Barényia pioneering automotive engineer, is credited as already having conceived the basic design during the mids.
Josef Ganz developed the Standard Superior going as far as advertising it as the "German Volkswagen". Ferdinand Porschea well-known designer for high-end vehicles and race cars, had been trying for years to get a manufacturer interested in a small car suitable for a family.
He built a car named the "Volksauto" from the ground up inusing many popular ideas and several of his own, putting together a car with an air-cooled rear enginetorsion bar suspensionand a "beetle" shape, the front bonnet rounded for better aerodynamics necessary as it had a small engine.
He wanted a car every German family would be able to afford. Thus, Hitler chose to sponsor an all-new, state-owned factory using Ferdinand Porsche's design with some of Hitler's design suggestions, including an air-cooled engine so nothing could freeze.
The intention was that German families could buy the car through a savings scheme " Fünf Mark die Woche musst du sparen, willst du im eigenen Wagen fahren " — "Five Marks a week you must set aside, if in your own car you wish to ride "which aroundpeople eventually paid into.
Prototypes of the car called the "KdF-Wagen" German: Kraft durch Freude — "Strength through Joy" appeared from onwards the first cars had Teknik och Fordon produced in Stuttgart. The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooledflat-fourrear-mounted engine.
The VW car was just one of many KdF programs, which included things such as tours and outings. The prefix Volks— "People's" was not just applied to cars, but also to other products in Germany; the " Volksempfänger " radio receiver for instance.
More than a year later, on 16 Septemberit was renamed to Volkswagenwerk GmbH. Erwin Komendathe longstanding Auto Union chief designer, part of Ferdinand Porsche's hand-picked team, [7] developed the car body of the prototype, which was recognisably the Beetle known today.
It was one of the first cars designed with the aid of a wind tunnel —a method used for German aircraft design since the early s. The car designs were put through rigorous tests and achieved a record-breaking million miles of testing before being deemed finished.
The construction of the new factory started in May in the new town of "Stadt des KdF-Wagens" renamed Wolfsburg after the warwhich had been purpose-built for the factory workers. None were actually delivered to any holder of the completed saving stamp books, though one Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on 20 April his 55th birthday.
War changed production to military vehicles—the Type 82 Kübelwagen "Bucket car" utility vehicle VW's most common wartime modeland the amphibious Schwimmwagen —manufactured for German forces. One of the first foreigners to drive a Volkswagen was the American war correspondent Ernie Pylewho had the use of a captured Volkswagen for a few days after the Allied victory in Tunisia in May The company would admit in that it used 15, slaves during the war effort.
A lawsuit was filed in by survivors for restitution for the forced labour. In AprilKdF-Stadt and its heavily bombed factory were captured by the United States armed forces Teknik och Fordon subsequently handed over to the British, within whose occupation zone the town and factory fell.
At first, one plan was to use it for military vehicle maintenance, and possibly dismantle and ship it to Britain.