Historical Timeline
1933-1939: Ferdinand Porsche's design for the first Volkswagen is approved by Adolf Hitler. Stadt des KdF-Wagens, a town now known as Wolfsburg, is made the factory headquarters in 1938. Full-scale production is scheduled to launch in September of 1939, but war intervenes.
1939-1945: The Volkswagen plant is used to produce military vehicles during World War II, such as the Kübelwagen and the Schwimmwagen. In 1943, the Volkswagen plant had more than 12,000 prisoners of war are working in it, building V1 rockets to bomb Britain.
1945-1948: Stadt des KdF-Wagens is capture by the United States in 1945 and Volkswagen is reorganized as a trust under West German control, and releases the Type 2 van, camper, and pickup, along with the Karmann Ghia sports car to be sold throughout Europe. Volkswagen was no longer restricted to the production of German military vehicles and thus spread rapidly, even outside of the European continent.
1949: Volkswagen extends to the United States for the first time, beginning with the sale of the Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle.
1955: The Volkswagen Group of America is created for standardizing the service sales in the United States. Production of the Type 1 Beetle reaches over one million units.
1968: Release of the first Love Bug film by Disney spreads awareness of the VW Beetle.
1969: Audi is created as VW's luxury brand and boosts North American sales significantly.
1972: The 15,007,034th Type 1 Beetle is made on February 17, making the single most produced model in history.
1998: North American sales are boosted by the Volkswagen New Beetle and the fourth-generation Jetta. The Volkswagen group also acquires Bugatti, Bentley, and Lamborghini.
2009: On May 6, Volkswagen announces a merger with Porsche, taking a 49.9% stake in Porsche for $5.75 billion.
2012: Volkswagens become the number 1 imported vehicles in Japan, importing 18% of all imported vehicles.
1939-1945: The Volkswagen plant is used to produce military vehicles during World War II, such as the Kübelwagen and the Schwimmwagen. In 1943, the Volkswagen plant had more than 12,000 prisoners of war are working in it, building V1 rockets to bomb Britain.
1945-1948: Stadt des KdF-Wagens is capture by the United States in 1945 and Volkswagen is reorganized as a trust under West German control, and releases the Type 2 van, camper, and pickup, along with the Karmann Ghia sports car to be sold throughout Europe. Volkswagen was no longer restricted to the production of German military vehicles and thus spread rapidly, even outside of the European continent.
1949: Volkswagen extends to the United States for the first time, beginning with the sale of the Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle.
1955: The Volkswagen Group of America is created for standardizing the service sales in the United States. Production of the Type 1 Beetle reaches over one million units.
1968: Release of the first Love Bug film by Disney spreads awareness of the VW Beetle.
1969: Audi is created as VW's luxury brand and boosts North American sales significantly.
1972: The 15,007,034th Type 1 Beetle is made on February 17, making the single most produced model in history.
1998: North American sales are boosted by the Volkswagen New Beetle and the fourth-generation Jetta. The Volkswagen group also acquires Bugatti, Bentley, and Lamborghini.
2009: On May 6, Volkswagen announces a merger with Porsche, taking a 49.9% stake in Porsche for $5.75 billion.
2012: Volkswagens become the number 1 imported vehicles in Japan, importing 18% of all imported vehicles.