From Origins in Wartime Germany to Global Roads: The Story of Volkswagen
The story of one of the world s most iconic carmakers begins in an era marked by political upheaval In under Adolf Hitler s regime the concept of the Volkswagen literally the people s car was born The idea was to produce an affordable reliable vehicle that every German family could own Designed by renowned engineer Ferdinand Porsche the project aimed to motorize the nation But as World War II unfolded car production was halted and the factory faced near destruction Post-War Revival and the Rise of the BeetleFollowing the war the brand narrowly escaped collapse The Volkswagen factory was nearly dismantled by the British army until Major Ivan Hirst saw potential in its revival Thanks to his efforts the now-famous Beetle was brought back to life By the s and s it had gained a global following from being embraced by the counterculture movement to becoming a family staple