| Volkswagen AG, or VW, is an automobile | | | | version of the Golf was badged Vento in |
| manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, | | | | Europe (but remained Jetta in the USA, |
| Germany. It forms the core of Volkswagen | | | | where its popularity outstripped the |
| Group, one of the world's four largest | | | | Golf). |
| car producers. | | | | The fourth incarnation of the Golf |
| The name means "people's car" in German, | | | | arrived in Europe in late 1997, (and in |
| in which it is pronounced . Its German | | | | North America in 1999), its chassis |
| tagline is "Aus Liebe zum Automobil", | | | | spawned a host of other cars within the |
| which is translated as "For the love of | | | | Volkswagen group—the Volkswagen Bora |
| the car" - or, "For Love of the People's | | | | (the sedan, still called Jetta in the |
| Cars," as translated by VW in other | | | | USA), VW New Beetle, SEAT Toledo, SEAT |
| languages. | | | | León, Audi A3, Audi TT and Skoda |
| Though the origins of the company date | | | | Octavia. However, it was beaten into |
| back to the 1930s, the design for the | | | | third place for the 1998 European Car of |
| car that would become known as the | | | | the Year award by the winning Alfa Romeo |
| Beetle / "Käfer" date back even | | | | 156 and runner-up Audi A6. The current |
| further, as a pet project by car | | | | Volkswagen Golf was launched in late |
| designer Ferdinand Porsche | | | | 2004, came runner-up to the Fiat Panda |
| (1875–1951). Adolf Hitler's desire | | | | in the 2004 European Car of the Year, |
| that almost anybody should be able to | | | | and has so far spawned the new |
| afford a car coincided with this | | | | generation SEAT Toledo, Skoda Octavia |
| design—although much of this design | | | | and Audi A3 hatchback ranges as well as |
| was inspired by the advanced Tatra cars | | | | a new mini-MPV, the Seat Altea. The |
| of Hans Ledwinka. | | | | fifth-generation Golf was introduced in |
| Hitler, who had a keen interest in cars | | | | Europe in late 2003, and the GTI boasts |
| even though he didn't drive, demanded | | | | a 2.0 L Turbocharged direct injection |
| Porsche make changes to the original | | | | engine. The fifth-generation Golf, now |
| design to make it more suited for the | | | | with the Rabbit name once again, went on |
| working man. According to the historian | | | | sale in the U.S. and Canada in June |
| Richard Evans, Hitler personally | | | | 2006. (The GTI version arrived in North |
| designed the distinctive rounded shape | | | | America four months earlier.) Volkswagen |
| of the car he desired Porsche to build. | | | | of America believes that returning to |
| Changes included better fuel efficiency, | | | | the Rabbit nameplate will help the |
| reliability, ease of use, and | | | | Golf's sales in these two countries. The |
| economically efficient repairs and | | | | fifth-generation Jetta, and the |
| parts. The intention was that ordinary | | | | performance version, the GLI, are also |
| Germans would buy the car by means of a | | | | available in the United States and |
| savings scheme ("Fünf Mark die Woche | | | | Canada. |
| musst Du sparen, willst Du im eigenen | | | | The other main models have been the |
| Wagen fahren" — "Save five Marks a | | | | Polo, a smaller car than the Golf, and |
| week, if you desire to drive your own | | | | the larger Passat for the segment above |
| car") which around 336,000 people | | | | the Golf. As of 2006, there have been |
| eventually paid into. Volkswagen honored | | | | four incarnations of the Polo: Mk 1 |
| its savings agreements after World War | | | | (1976), Mk 2 (1981, facelifted 1990), Mk |
| II; Ford, which had a similar "coupon" | | | | 3 (1994, facelifted 1999) and the |
| savings system, reportedly did not. | | | | current Mk 4 (2002, facelifted 2005). |
| Prototypes of the car called the | | | | The Scirocco and Corrado were both |
| "Kdf-Wagen" (German: Kraft durch Freude | | | | Golf-based coupés. |
| = "strength through joy"), appeared from | | | | By the early nineties, Volkswagen's |
| 1936 onwards (the first cars had been | | | | sales in the United States were below |
| produced in Stuttgart). The car already | | | | 100,000, and many car buyers found the |
| had its distinctive round shape and | | | | company's products to be lacking in |
| air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted | | | | value. Some automotive journalists |
| engine, features similar to the Tatra. | | | | believed that Volkswagen would have to |
| The VW car was just one of many KdF | | | | quit the North American market |
| programs which included things such as | | | | altogether. VW eventually realized that |
| tours and outings. | | | | the Beetle was the heart and soul of the |
| Erwin Komenda, the longstanding Porsche | | | | brand in North America, and the firm |
| chief designer, developed the car body | | | | quickly set about creating a new Beetle |
| of the prototype, which was recognizably | | | | for American and Canadian showrooms. |
| the Beetle we know today. It was one of | | | | In 1994, Volkswagen unveiled the J |
| the first to be designed with the aid of | | | | Mays-designed Concept One, a |
| a wind tunnel; unlike the Chrysler | | | | "retro"-themed car with a resemblance to |
| Airflow, it would be a success. | | | | the original Beetle but based on the |
| The new factory in the new town of | | | | Polo chassis. Its genesis was secret and |
| KdF-Stadt, now called Wolfsburg, | | | | in opposition to VW management, who felt |
| purpose-built for the factory workers, | | | | it was too backward-looking. Management |
| only produced a handful of cars by the | | | | could not deny the positive public |
| time war started in 1939. None were | | | | response to the concept car and gave the |
| actually delivered to holders of the | | | | green-light to its development as the |
| completed saving stamp books, though one | | | | New Beetle. The production car would be |
| Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler | | | | based on the Golf rather than the Polo, |
| on his fiftieth birthday, in 1938. | | | | because the Polo chassis was too small |
| War meant production changed to military | | | | for the car to pass crash test standards |
| vehicles, the Type 81 Kübelwagen | | | | in the U.S. It has been quite popular in |
| utility vehicle (VW's most common | | | | the North America, less so in Europe. |
| wartime model) and the amphibious | | | | Volkswagen's fortunes in North America |
| Schwimmwagen. | | | | improved once the third-genration Golf |
| In 1991, Volkswagen launched the | | | | and Jetta models became available there. |
| third-generation Golf, garnering the | | | | Sharp advertising and savvy promotional |
| European Car of the Year for 1992 (the | | | | stunts, like including Trek bicycles and |
| previous two generations were nominated | | | | accompanying bike racks with a limited |
| but lost to the Citroën CX in 1975 and | | | | ediiton of the 1996 Jetta sedan, were |
| the Fiat Uno in 1984). (The Mark 3 Golf | | | | credited for the firm's recovery in the |
| and Jetta debuted in North America just | | | | U.S. and Canada, but the introductions |
| before the start of 1994 model year, | | | | of the New Beetle and the |
| first appearing in southern California | | | | fifth-generation Passat were a major |
| in the late spring of 1993.) The sedan | | | | boost to the brand. |