Volkswagen's History and Innovations in the Automotive Sector

Volkswagen, founded in 1937, is a company established by the German Automobile Association. The name "Volkswagen" in German translates to "the people's car." Although it is a globally renowned brand today, in 1940, it was handed over to the military to increase Germany's war power during World War II. The idea for Volkswagen was initiated by Adolf Hitler himself, with significant contributions from the German Labor Front. Hitler's motivation was to create an affordable car that everyone could purchase, contributing to the construction of a superhighway known as the Autobahn. He conceived this idea while visiting the Berlin Automobile Show in 1933. The car was expected to cost approximately $140.

Volkswagen Established Under the Orders of German Leader Hitler

Upon assuming leadership in Germany, Adolf Hitler's first priority was to initiate efforts to create a budget-friendly car for German workers. In pursuit of this goal, Ferdinand Porsche was invited to his office to work as an automotive engineer for the creation of what would become the legendary Volkswagen car. This marked the beginning of the development of the first Volkswagen car, known as the "Beetle" or "Käfer" in Germany, and often referred to as the "Bug" in other countries, including Turkey. The car's distinctive beetle-like appearance was inspired by an automotive sketch published in a French car magazine by Bela Barenyi. The company's logo at the time featured a swastika-like symbol, which is now in the center of the current logo. In 1938, the company was officially registered as "Volkswagen GmbH."

What Happened to the People's Car After World War II?

After Germany's defeat in World War II, Allied forces, including the British, occupied Germany and heavily damaged many factories, including Volkswagen. The damaged Volkswagen factory was taken over by British soldiers, and Major Ivan Hirst took charge of the factory's reconstruction. Ivan Hirst oversaw the rebuilding of the Volkswagen factory, repaired the machines, and unearthed buried equipment. With his efforts, more than 2,000 cars were produced in 1945. This number increased to 10,000 cars the following year. In 1946, the company's name was officially registered as "Volkswagen" by the British, and the swastika-like symbols around the logo were removed, giving rise to the simple logo we see today.

After the production was reestablished, the British offered to give Volkswagen away for free to Fiat and Ford, but neither company was interested in taking over what would later become a major automotive giant. As a result, in 1949, the British handed Volkswagen over to the German government.

Contributions of Volkswagen to the Automotive World

Volkswagen is credited with inventing the world's first air-cooled engine. This innovation was driven by the fact that water-cooling systems in engines would freeze in the cold conditions of Russia. In 1948, Volkswagen was restructured under the leadership of Heinz Nordhoff. Thanks to Nordhoff's efforts, the company became the largest automotive manufacturer in all of Germany by 1953. In 1985, Volkswagen introduced another innovation by adding a 16-valve engine to its GTI model. Vehicles equipped with this engine achieved great success in international motorsports, capturing the attention of the world.