Jan 11, 2016

VW Bus

Established in 1946, Volkswagen is a German car manufacturer that is well-known for producing quality, stylish vehicles. Whether you’re a Volkswagen fanatic or a first-time customer, you will likely find the history and development of the Volkswagen brand rather intriguing. Here are eight fascinating facts about the history of the Volkswagen.

Origin of the Volkswagen

Founded in 1937, the origins of the Volkswagen are rooted in Germany. This car manufacturer came from the idea to develop and mass produce an affordable yet speedy vehicle that could sell for less than what was $140 at the time. The term “Volkswagen” actually means “People’s car” in the German language, and creators imagined an affordable vehicle that would be able to carry a family of five. With this idea, the VW Beetle and the Volkswagen brand was conceived.

VW Beetle

Chances are, the most common type of Volkswagen vehicle that you see is the Volkswagen Beetle. The reason for this is that Volkswagen has been producing this vehicle for over six decades. This makes the VW Beetle the vehicle that has been produced the longest in all of history. In these six decades, over 21 million VW Beetles have been produced and sold.

Volkswagen Base

You’ve probably seen vehicles on the road that looked like Volkswagen vehicles, only to turn out not to be. Most likely, these vehicles were created using a VW base. Many car manufacturers use the VW base to design their own vehicles. Some of these car manufacturers are Audi, Seat, and Skoda.

Fastest Car

When people think of the Volkswagen, they probably imagine the VW Beetle, which isn’t known for being especially speedy. However, Volkswagen actually produces the fastest car in the world. This vehicle is called the Bugatti Veyron. Bugatti is a car manufacturer that is owned by Volkswagen.

Truck Racing

Most people are surprised when they learn that Volkswagen participates in truck racing. In fact, most people don’t know that Volkswagen makes large trucks in the first place. In South America, there’s a big market for Volkswagen trucks and buses.

Influence of Volkswagen

Most people would agree that Volkswagen is a very influential car manufacturer. However, of the Volkswagen vehicles, the VW Beetle is consistently ranked as one of the most influential vehicles period. This shows just how much the Volkswagen Beetle is beloved, which explains why it has been in production for the last 65 years or so.

Beetle Speed Racing

Not only does Volkswagen participate in truck racing, but it also participates in Beetle speed racing. Not only are Beetles affordable and stable, but they can also be tweaked to be competitive race cars on the drag racing circuit. The style of this vehicle is often referred to as cute, but there is more to the VW Beetle than meets the eye when it comes to speed racing.

World Records

Volkswagen has set seven speed records at the Nardo Ring with the Volkswagen W12. This car was able to produce horsepower of up to 600.

With these facts in mind, you can feel more confident in the Volkswagen brand should you decide to purchase one.

Image via Pixabay

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