Volkswagen

Volkswagen (VW) is a Germany based car manufacturer and part of Volkswagen AG, owner of Audi.

Volkswagen Timeline

1937: Volkswagen is founded by the German Auto Association in Wolfsburg, Germany as "Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH" on May 28th. The name was changed to "Volkswagenwerk GmbH" the following September.

WWII: VW produces armaments instead of cars for the war effort. Over 20,000 forced laborers, prisoners of war and concentration camp prisoners work at the VW plant.

1945: VW is placed in the hands of the British Military Government. Mass production of the VW Beetle begins.

1950: The VW Type 2 goes into production, as does the VW Bus, known as the "VW Bully."

1955: The 1,000,000th VW Beetle rolls off the line.

1972: VW breaks the world car production record on February 17 by producing 15,007,034 units.

1973: The VW Passat goes into production with front-wheel drive and a water-cooled four-cylinder engine.

1974: The VW Golf goes into production, as well as the Scirocco.

1976: The VW Golf GTI debuts.

1983: The second-generation Golf goes into production.

1998: VW establishes a humanitarian fund to give funding

to the force laborers who worked at the plant during the Holocaust.

1999: VW makes history with the launch of the Lupo 3L TDI, the first car with the fuel consumption of three liters for every 100 kilometers (62 miles).

2002: Production of the Touareg begins in Slovakia and the Touran compact van begins in Wolfsburg.