| Jetta ▷ | from $16,895 |
| Jetta SportWagen ▷ | from $20,995 |
| Beetle ▷ | from $20,295 |
| Passat ▷ | from $20,995 |
| Tiguan ▷ | from $23,305 |
| CC ▷ | from $32,495 |
| Eos ▷ | from $35,595 |
| Touareg ▷ | from $44,570 |
Volkswagen (VW) started in 1937 by the German Labor Front. Ferdinand Porsche designed a beetle-shaped car with an air-cooled rear engine. Hitler modified the design and advertised it for only 990 Reichsmarks (about U.S. $400) to increase German car ownership. No automaker could produce the car this cheaply, so he built a state-owned factory in Wolfsburg to do it.
By 1939, the factory was quickly converted to build military vehicles. Slave labor from concentration camps was used to support the German war effort. When the war ended in 1945, the factory was slated to be dismantled. However, Major Ivan Hirst began producing Beetles for British Service personnel from it. After trying unsuccessfully to get several car companies, such as Ford and the Rootes Group interested, Hirst left the factory under the control of the newly formed West German government. Heinrich Nordoff was recruited to manage it in 1948.
In 1964, Volkswagen purchased Auto Union. NSU Motorwerke AG was purchased in 1969. By merging the two, VW created a luxury company and named “Audi.” Nordoff introduced the Type 2 (a van, pick-up, and camper) and the Type 3 sports car over his reign but kept marketing the Type 1 (Beetle) without modification until he died in 1968. This enabled VW to sell their 15 millionth Beetle in 1972 and surpass the Model T’s previously held record. At this time, sales began to stagnate.
Using Audi models as a template, Volkswagen produced new models without air-cooled engines. This increased demand but did not interest Americans until the 1990s. By 1998, Volkswagen obtained, Bentley/ Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, and Lamborghini but soon had to release Rolls-Royce. Because of their origins, Porsche and Volkswagen always had a partnership. In 2009, Volkswagen officially merged with Porsche and developed a partnership with Suzuki.
Volkswagen is ranked eighteenth in overall brand perception and is improving. They ranked fifth in fuel economy.
The most well-known, successful Volkswagen is the Beetle with its distinctive body style. Other popular models include the Passat, Golf (Rabbit), Polo, and Jetta. Volkswagen primarily focuses on compact and subcompact cars and the fuel-efficient segments of the market but has some products in the MPV/SUV, crossover, and sports car segments, too.
Volkswagen is organized under Porsche SE with its complex system of 576 executives controlling 63 subsidiaries. One of those is Volkswagen Group of America, headed by a CEO with two presidents, two vice-presidents, a COO, and the Head of Human Resources. Volkswagen had 2.7% of the U.S. Market in 2013, but that percentage seems to be declining.
Last updated in August 2014. All prices were taken from the manufacturer's website. They're typically suggested retail prices (MSRPs) excluding tax, delivery, title, registration, license, dealer fees and optional equipment.
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