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Volkswagen is a German auto maker that is very well known to many people throughout the world. One of the vehicles that helped make them a household name is the Beetle. It may not come as a surprise to many that the Volkswagen got started in part by Adolf Hitler. Though he did not drive, he asked Ferdinand Porsche to create a vehicle that would be suitable for the regular everyday working man. Porsche agreed to do it and within a few years the Volkswagen Beetle made its debut.
A new factory was built for Volkswagen soon after in 1938. The war began soon after this and the factory never did produce many cars before it got underway. Only one vehicle was released and it was given to Hitler for his birthday. In 1945 the factory was actually bombed by the Americans. It was then given to the British to control. The British decided that they would use the factory for their military vehicles. Army officer Major Hirst was in charge. It is because of him that Volkswagen survived to become a business once again. After painting one of the factory’s cars green and sending it to Britain, a response came requesting 20,000 more.
When the year 1946 ended the factory was pumping out 1000 cars per month. However, the building became damaged and exposed to the elements so production soon came to a gradual halt. The factory was offered to other existing auto manufacturers at the time though nobody wished to claim it. A funny fact to many is that the owner of the Rootes car corporation told Hirst that he would be a fool to continue trying to make a car as ugly and noisy as the Beetle. Yet today the Beetle remains and Rootes has been finished for many years.
Volkswagen did attempt to make other vehicles back in the 1960s. They made a vehicle called the Thing which was reminiscent of a war vehicle. It was large and rather unattractive. It was only sold for two years in the United States before being discontinued. Volkswagen spent a lot of time and money looking at ways to improve the Beetle. In 1973 Volkswagen was getting into deep financial trouble and was facing the possibility of having to discontinue the Beetle indefinitely.
It wasn’t long after that Volkswagen released both the Passat and the Rabbit. Both cars had a substantial amount of success and have continued to be popular vehicles in the modern day. The Volkswagen Golf was sold as the Rabbit in the U.S. during the 1980s but was later changed back to Golf. It is now once again called the Rabbit. Volkswagen has continued to reclaim success with cars like the Jetta and the new Beetle that has been given a modern twist on an old classic.
Volkswagen is now looking at making some earth friendly vehicles. They have teamed up with Sanyo to find a way to create a hybrid vehicle battery system. Volkswagen has made its way through history to be a successful competitor that is still standing.
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