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115-721: Production of the saloon was discontinued in 2023. The wagon is to be continued until 2026. Launched in Europe in 2017, the Arteon is positioned above the Passat , and is heavily based on the 2015 Volkswagen Arteon concept car shown at the Geneva International Motor Show . The Arteon made its debut for the United States at the 2018 Chicago Auto Show . Volkswagen delayed the launch in the United States of

230-691: A MacPherson strut front suspension with a solid axle / coil spring setup at the rear. The SOHC 1.5-litre was enlarged to 1.6-litre in August 1975 with unchanged power ratings and slightly higher torque ratings. In July 1978, the Passat Diesel became available, equipped with the VW Golf 's 1.5-litre diesel (50 PS (37 kW; 49 hp)), followed in February 1979 by the Passat GLI with

345-460: A "Super Beetle" (the Type 131) to its lineup in 1971. The Type 131 differed from the standard Beetle in its use of a MacPherson strut front suspension instead of the usual torsion bars . The Super Beetle featured a new hooded, padded dash and curved windshield (from 1973 model year on up). Rack and pinion steering replaced recirculating ball steering gears in the model year 1975 and up. The front of

460-685: A "political animal" rather than a commercial enterprise—technically making it liable for destruction under the terms of the Potsdam Agreement —the equipment could have been salvaged as war reparations . Allied dismantling policy changed in late 1946 to mid-1947, though heavy industry continued to be dismantled until 1951. One of the factory's wartime 'KdF-Wagen' cars had been taken to the factory for repairs and abandoned there. Hirst had it repainted green and demonstrated it to British Army headquarters. Short of light transport, in September 1945

575-410: A 5-speed automatic transmission with tiptronic . The 1.6-litre petrol engine had been dropped by 1999, leaving the 1.8-litre 20-valve as the entry-level engine. The B5.5 Passat began production in late 2000, with styling and mechanical revisions, including revised projector-optic headlights , bumpers, tail lights, and chrome trim. A 4.0-litre W8 engine producing 275  PS (202  kW )

690-541: A Volkswagen-designed platform, rather than sharing one with an Audi saloon. The car, although designated B3 in Volkswagen's platform nomenclature, was based largely on the A platform as used for the smaller Golf model, but was stretched in all directions, and therefore had no connection with the B3 series Audi 80, launched two years earlier. Many components are shared directly between these vehicles. This generation of Passat

805-754: A black, green, and sand colour (3) 11GS, a chestnut brown and two azure blue, (2) 24A-M51 in red, (1) 21A in blue, (1) 23A in blue, (1) 22A beige colour, and one ambulance. Volkswagens were seen in Canada for the first time at the Canadian National Exhibition in August 1952 and were accepted enthusiastically. (At least one Type 2 bus from this order still exists, and is currently in France undergoing restoration). The first shipment for Volkswagen Canada reached Toronto in early December 1952. (At least one Type 1 from this first shipment still exists, and

920-473: A bloody fool, young man." The official report said: "To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." Ford representatives were equally critical. In March 1948, the British offered the Volkswagen company to Ford, free of charge. Henry Ford II , the son of Edsel Ford , travelled to West Germany for discussions. Heinz Nordhoff was also present, as well as Ernest Breech, chairman of

1035-419: A car for only 990 ℛ︁ℳ︁. Thus, Hitler chose to sponsor an all-new, state-owned factory using Ferdinand Porsche's design (with some of Hitler's design suggestions, including an air-cooled engine so nothing could freeze). The intention was that German families could buy the car through a savings scheme ( " Fünf Mark die Woche musst du sparen, willst du im eigenen Wagen fahren " – "Five Marks

1150-568: A car. Seeking a potential new market, some car makers began independent "people's car" projects – the Mercedes 170H , BMW 3/15 , Adler AutoBahn , Steyr 55 and Hanomag 1.3L, among others. The growing trend was not nascent; Béla Barényi , a pioneering automotive engineer, is credited as already having conceived the basic design during the mid-1920s. Josef Ganz developed the Standard Superior (going as far as advertising it as

1265-400: A certificate of authenticity presented to the original purchaser. Dealer-installed options for this limited-edition Superbeetle included the following: white stripes running the length of the rocker-panel, a special shifter knob, bumper overriders, tapered exhaust tips, fake walnut inserts in the dashboard (behind the steering wheel and the glovebox cover) as well as Bosch fog lights mounted on

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1380-593: A credit of 12% off the list price of a new VW base model or 5-times less the value paid into the saving scheme. Prototypes of the car called the KdF-Wagen (from the German term Kraft durch Freude , meaning " Strength Through Joy ") appeared from 1938 onwards. The first cars had been produced in Stuttgart . The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled , flat-four , rear-mounted engine . The VW car

1495-421: A driver has not touched the accelerator, brakes or steering wheel for a certain length of time, and it will attempt to alert the person with sounds, visual cues and even a physical brake tap. If that does not work, Emergency Assist 2.0 takes over: the car's hazard lights switch on and it steers itself to a safe nearside lane. The system uses Lane Assist to recognize lines on the road and Park Assist to actually steer

1610-514: A former senior manager at Opel who had overseen civilian and military vehicle production in the 1930s and 1940s, was recruited to run the factory in 1948. In 1949, Major Hirst left the company—now re-formed as a trust controlled by the West German government and government of the State of Lower Saxony . The "Beetle" sedan or "peoples' car" Volkswagen is the Type 1. Apart from the introduction of

1725-572: A fuel-injected version of the 1.6-litre engine. The range received a facelift in 1977 (launched 1978 outside Europe) with revised interior and revised exterior with repositioned indicators and depending on model, either four round or two rectangular headlights. In North America, the car was marketed as the Volkswagen Dasher. The three-door hatchback, four-door sedan, and a station wagon model launched in North America for and during

1840-547: A growing reputation for reliability helped production figures surpass the levels of the previous record-holder, the Ford Model T . On 17 February 1972, the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold. Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most-produced, single make of car in history. By 1973, total production was over 16 million. To commemorate its passing the Ford Model T's record sales mark and its victories in

1955-431: A lower oil capacity than transverse applications of the same engine (4.6 US quarts (4.4 L) in transverse, 4.3 US quarts (4.1 L) longitudinal), and may suffer from oil sludge problems as a result, if not changed at regular intervals with fully synthetic oils . Four transmission options were available: a 5-speed manual transmission, a 6-speed manual transmission (codename 01E), a 4-speed automatic transmission and

2070-508: A manufacturer interested in a small car suitable for a family. He built a car named the "Volksauto" from the ground up in 1933, using many popular ideas and several of his own, putting together a car with an air-cooled rear engine , torsion bar suspension , and a "beetle" shape, the front bonnet rounded for better aerodynamics (necessary as it had a small engine). In 1934, with many of the above projects still in development or early stages of production, Adolf Hitler became involved, ordering

2185-587: A market sector already being dominated by the Fiat 127 and Renault 5 , and which before long would also include the Austin Metro and Ford Fiesta . In 1981, the second-generation Polo launched as a hatchback (resembling a small estate car). In 1983 the range was expanded, with the introduction of a Coupe (similar to a conventional hatchback), and the Classic (a 2-door saloon). The Polo's practicality, despite

2300-651: A particularly long top gear, which combined with a freewheeling mechanism, provided better gas mileage. An automatic stop/start was also available in some markets. The four-wheel-drive system used in the Passat Variant Syncro shared the mechanics of the Audi 80 and not the Volkswagen Golf Syncro. The Syncro's bottom plate was almost entirely different, requiring a transmission tunnel, a relocated gas tank and no spare tire well (to make room for

2415-528: A plant near São Paulo in Brazil. Volkswagen do Brasil was accused of spying on workers during the time of the military dictatorship in the 1970s and informing police on oppositional activities. In 1976, mass arrests occurred and some VW employees were tortured. In 1979, Brazilian VW workers travelled to Wolfsburg to inform the CEO in person. In 2015, activists and former VW employees in Brazil spoke out in public accused

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2530-678: A resemblance to the original Beetle, based on the platform of the Polo. Due to a positive response to the concept, a production version was developed as the New Beetle , based on the Golf's larger platform. In 1995 the Sharan was launched in Europe, the result of a joint venture with Ford , which also resulted in the Ford Galaxy and SEAT Alhambra . The company's evolution of its model range

2645-454: A semi-independent torsion beam for front-wheel-drive models or a fully independent suspension on the 4motion 4WD models. 4WD was introduced in 1997 as an option for the 1.8-litre, 2.8-litre V6, 1.9-litre TDI, 2.0-litre TDI and 2.5-litre V6 TDI engines, using a second-generation Torsen T-2 based 4WD system to minimise loss of traction. The 1.8-litre petrol engine in the Passat and Audi A4 has

2760-587: A seven-speed DSG gearbox. Its 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) time is approximately five seconds. The Arteon R is available in both liftback and shooting-brake variants. In 2020, a plug-in hybrid of both the Arteon and Arteon Shooting Brake was launched, known as the eHybrid. Available with only the 1.4L petrol engine, it offers an electric-only range of 34 miles, and a combined output of 215 bhp. Pre-facelift styling Post-facelift styling Volkswagen CC post-facelift styling (China) Arteon Shooting Brake Volkswagen CC Shooting Brake (China) The Arteon

2875-410: A week you must set aside, if in your own car you wish to ride "), which around 336,000 people eventually paid into. However, the project was not commercially viable, and only government support was able to keep it afloat. Due to the outbreak of war in 1939, none of the participants in the savings scheme ever received a car. In 1950, a lawsuit was issued that, after 12 years of trial, ultimately provided

2990-511: A wind: "Passat" is the usual German word for "Trade winds" . The first generation Passat launched in 1973 in two- and four-door sedan and three- and five-door versions. Externally all four shared styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro . The first generation Passat was a fastback variant of the mechanically identical Audi 80 sedan, introduced a year earlier. A five-door station wagon was introduced in 1974, which in North American markets

3105-719: Is built in Emden , Lower Saxony , Germany . A version for the Chinese market, called the CC, is built in Changchun , China . It is also assembled in Pekan, Malaysia. The Arteon is based on Volkswagen's modular MQB platform . In Europe, the Arteon initially featured three turbo direct injection engines at launch: a 2.0L 280 PS TSI petrol engine and two diesel engines with 150 PS and 240 PS. Three additional engines were introduced shortly after,

3220-481: Is used in every petrol engined version of the Passat, ranging from 1.4 to 3.6 litres (the 1.6-litre DOHC can reach 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 11.4 seconds, and 200 km/h (124.3 mph) for manual transmission versions), but the multi-valve 2.0-litre Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel is the most sought after version in Europe (available in both 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp) and 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) variants). In

3335-544: The G60 engine (only available on the Syncro model in Canada for the North American market). The VR6 engine gave the top-of-the-range Passat a top speed of 224 kilometres per hour (139 mph). The 1.9-litre and the 1.6-litre diesel engine were also available as options. The B3 Passat was heavily facelifted in 1993, and despite being designated B4, it was not an all-new model. The facelift revised external body panels except for

3450-775: The Geneva Motor Show in March 2005, and launched in Europe in the summer of 2005 for the 2006 model year. Unlike its predecessor, the B6 Passat no longer shared its platform with Audi's equivalent model (the Audi A4 ). Based on a modified version of the Mk5 Golf's PQ35 platform (PQ46), the B6 featured a transverse rather than longitudinal engine layout of its predecessor, like the previous B3 and B4 generations, which were related to

3565-620: The Nazi Party , it was revitalized into the global brand it is today after World War II by British Army officer Ivan Hirst . The company is well known for its iconic Beetle and serves as the flagship marque of the Volkswagen Group , which became the world's largest automotive manufacturer by global sales in 2016 and 2017. The group's largest market is China (including Hong Kong and Macau ), which accounts for 40% of its sales and profits. The name "Volkswagen" derives from

Volkswagen Arteon - Misplaced Pages Continue

3680-472: The Passat CC. In February 2008, the 2.0 FSI was replaced with the new Audi -developed 1.8-litre TSI engine and 6-speed automatic transmission. The 1.8-litre T is rated at 160 PS (118 kW; 158 hp) and 250  N⋅m (184  lbf⋅ft ) and accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 8.6 seconds, reaching a top speed of 220 km/h (136.7 mph). At the same time the 2.0-litre TDI engine from

3795-578: The Renault 16 and Austin Maxi . The Passat originally featured the four-cylinder OHC 1.3-litre (55 PS (40 kW; 54 hp)) and 1.5-litre (75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp)/85 PS (63 kW; 84 hp)) petrol engines also used in the Audi 80— longitudinally mounted with front-wheel drive , in Audi tradition, with either a four-speed manual transmission or three-speed automatic . It had

3910-571: The Scirocco followed. The coupe was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro . Based on the platform of the not yet released Golf , it was built at Karmann due to capacity constraints at Volkswagen. The pivotal model emerged as the Volkswagen Golf in 1974, marketed in the United States and Canada as the Rabbit for the 1st generation (1975–1985) and 5th generation (2006–2009). Its angular styling

4025-622: The United States armed forces and subsequently handed over to the British, within whose occupation zone the town and factory fell. The factory was placed under the control of British Army officer Major Ivan Hirst , REME , a civilian Military Governor with the occupying forces. At first, one plan was to use it for military vehicle maintenance, and possibly dismantle and ship it to Britain. Since it had been used for military production, (though not of KdF-Wagens) and had been in Hirst's words,

4140-663: The Volkswagen Group B5 platform , was launched in February 1997 in Continental Europe and the United Kingdom, and 1998 in North America. Its PL45 platform was shared with the first-generation "Typ 8D" Audi A4 , which was unveiled two years earlier, and saw a return to the Passat sharing its longitudinal engine layout platform with Audi's equivalent model for the first time since the second-generation (B2) Passat of 1981, which shared its platform with

4255-714: The Volkswagen Polo followed. It was a re-badged Audi 50 , which was soon discontinued in 1978. The Polo became the base of the Volkswagen Derby , which was introduced in 1977. The Derby was for all intents and purposes a three-box design of the Polo. After a second model generation, the Derby was discontinued in 1985, although the body style lived on in the form of the Polo classic/Polo saloon until 1991. Passat, Scirocco, Golf, and Polo shared many character-defining features, as well as parts and engines. They built

4370-711: The Volkswagen Santana in Europe. In the United States, the Passat/Santana was sold as the Volkswagen Quantum, available in three-door hatchback, four-door sedan, and a wagon model, but the five-door hatchback was never sold there and the three-door hatchback was dropped after less than two years. The four-wheel drive Syncro wagon version was introduced in October 1984, initially only with the more powerful five-cylinder engine. The Passat/Santana

4485-688: The Volkswagen Type 2 commercial vehicle (van, pick-up, and camper), and the VW Karmann Ghia sports car, Nordhoff pursued the one-model policy until shortly before his death in 1968. Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949 but sold only two units in America that first year. On entry to the US market, the VW was briefly sold as a Victory Wagon . Volkswagen of America

4600-783: The amphibious Schwimmwagen —manufactured for German forces. One of the first foreigners to drive a Volkswagen was the American war correspondent Ernie Pyle , who had the use of a captured Volkswagen for a few days after the Allied victory in Tunisia in May 1943. As was common with much of the production in Nazi Germany during the war, slave labour was utilised in the Volkswagen plant, e.g. from Arbeitsdorf concentration camp. The company would admit in 1998 that it used 15,000 slaves during

4715-565: The "German Volkswagen"). In Germany, the company Hanomag mass-produced the 2/10 PS "Kommissbrot", a small, cheap rear-engined car, from 1925 to 1928. Also, in Czechoslovakia, the Hans Ledwinka -designed Tatra T77 , a very popular car amongst the German elite, was becoming smaller and more affordable at each revision. Ferdinand Porsche , a well-known designer for high-end vehicles and race cars, had been trying for years to get

Volkswagen Arteon - Misplaced Pages Continue

4830-434: The 1.5L TSI Evo petrol engine with 150 PS, as well a petrol and a diesel engine, both with 190 PS. In the United States, it was available in three trims—SE, SEL, and Premium—with one engine: all Arteons of 2019 will have Volkswagen's workhorse 2.0-litre turbo four, tuned to produce 268 hp and 258 lb⋅ft of torque. Power is managed by an 8-speed automatic transmission, with the choice of front- or all-wheel drive. For

4945-607: The 1974 model year . Sole available engine was a carburetted 1.5-litre inline-four developing 75 hp (56 kW) (or 70 hp (52 kW) in 1975), supplanted from model year 1976 by a Bosch fuel-injected 1.6-litre four 78 hp (58 kW). North American cars were equipped with single DOT standard headlights. In 1978, the Dasher received a facelift along the lines of the European Passat, with quad sealed beam headlights and big polyurethane covered bumpers. The trim

5060-733: The 2.0-litre 16-valve engine in the GL model, 1.8-litre engine in the CL model (not available in North America, all CLs, GLs, and GLSs had the 2.0 16v), The 1.8 8v 112 bhp PB engine from the Golf GTi was also used in the Passat GT model. Volkswagen's new 2.8-litre VR6 engine (also used in the Golf and Corrado ) in the GLX/GLS model (introduced in 1991 in Europe and 1992 in North America), and

5175-423: The 2021 model year due to poor sales. Volkswagen announced that 2024 would be the final model year for the Arteon due to poor sales, and a shift in focus to high-volume models. In 2020, the Arteon was given a facelift. A new shooting brake body style and plug-in hybrid and performance Volkswagen R variants were launched. The facelift included a new 10.25 in (26 cm) digital instrument panel in front of

5290-463: The 2022 US-model, the Arteon got a powertrain upgrade which increased the power from 268 hp to 300 hp. In addition the 8-speed TipTronic-style automatic transmission has been upgraded to a 7-speed DSG transmission. The Arteon can be fitted with an optional safety system called Emergency Assist 2.0, and it takes advantage of four existing Volkswagen safety programs: Adaptive Cruise Control, Side Assist, Lane Assist and Park Assist. The Arteon will notice if

5405-720: The A2 (Golf) platform. The PQ46 platform provided increased torsional rigidity. The transverse-engine layout of the four-wheel drive version, marketed as 4motion , dictated a switch from the Torsen centre differential of the B5, to the Haldex Traction multi-plate clutch . The change to the Haldex system also changes the handling closer to a front-wheel drive car. Compared to the Torsen,

5520-417: The Arteon due to unspecified issues with the emissions testing. Vehicles started arriving at dealerships in the US in April 2019. It became available in the Canadian market in the spring of 2019. The Arteon had multiple delays for Malaysia, only arriving to the market in August 2020. Less than a year later, in July 2021, the facelifted model was launched. However, it was discontinued for the Canadian market after

5635-436: The Audi range, incorporating common rail injection technology superseded the existing 2.0 litre TDI units. The common rail technology uses less fuel and is quieter in operation. This engine is part of the wider Volkswagen Group policy for engine sharing. The Passat Estate won overall winner of Practical Caravans Towcar of the Year Awards 2008 for its array of towing features such as its Trailer Stability Programme . In Asia,

5750-401: The Baja 1000 Mexican races from 1967 to 1971, Volkswagen produced its first limited-edition Beetle. It was marketed as the "Baja Champion SE" in the United States and the "Marathon" Superbeetle in the rest of the world. It featured unique "Marathon Blau" metallic blue paint, steel-pressed 10-spoke 15-inch (38 cm) magnesium-alloy wheels, a commemorative metal plate mounted on the glovebox and

5865-436: The Beetle and the NSU -based K70 also failed to sell. Beetle sales had started to decline rapidly in European and North American markets. The company knew that Beetle production had to end, but faced a conundrum of how to replace it. VW's ownership of Audi/ Auto Union proved beneficial. Its expertise in front-wheel drive , and water-cooled engines would help Volkswagen produce a credible Beetle successor. Audi influences paved

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5980-402: The British Army was persuaded to place a vital order for 20,000 cars. However, production facilities had been massively disrupted, there was a refugee crisis at and around the factory, and some parts (such as carburettors ) were unavailable. Hirst and his German assistant Heinrich Nordhoff (who went on to run the Wolfsburg facility after the military government ended in 1949) helped to stabilise

6095-406: The German words Volk and Wagen , meaning "people's car." Volkswagen was established in 1937 by the German Labour Front (German: Deutsche Arbeitsfront ) as part of the Strength Through Joy (German: Kraft durch Freude ) program in Berlin . In the early 1930s, cars were a luxury—most Germans could afford nothing more elaborate than a motorcycle, and only one German out of 50 owned

6210-492: The Haldex can direct torque more unequally to the front wheels (from 100:0 to 50:50 front-to-rear bias), thus providing a wider bias range than the 75:25 to 25:75 of the B5 Passat. Haldex is a reactive-type system, behaving as a front-wheel-drive vehicle until slippage is detected, at which point up to a maximum of 50% of the torque can be transmitted to the rear axle. See the Audi -related quattro (four-wheel-drive system) article for more information. Fuel Stratified Injection

6325-419: The PQ46 Passat was released by FAW-VW as the Magotan , after Volkswagen's other joint venture Shanghai Volkswagen had decided to continue using the B5 platform for the Passat and the Passat Lingyu (long-wheelbase Passat). Since August 2010, the wagon version of Passat B6 will be offered in Asia, which is a fully imported model. But this car is simply called Volkswagen Variant in China, in order not to refer

6440-482: The Passat B1 was produced from June 1974 until 1988. Since the Audi 80 was not marketed in Brazil, the Passat received the Audi's different front-end treatment after a facelift for 1979. Originally with a 1.5-litre engine, during its long life cycle many improvements from the B2 platform were later introduced, like its 1.6 and 1.8-litre engines, a Brazil-specific face-lift in 1985, and a five-speed gearbox. A sports version, named Passat TS 1.6 and later Passat GTS 1.8 Pointer

6555-457: The Passat NMS is larger and costs less to produce, and is sold in the North America, South Korea, China, and Middle East. The separate B8 Passat model entered production in Europe in 2014, based on the MQB platform . In 2019, the Passat NMS program was split into two as the North American one continued being produced on an older platform while the Chinese Passat moved on to the MQB platform, which resulted in Volkswagen marketed three models under

6670-402: The Passat nameplate globally at that time. The North American Passat was discontinued after the 2022 model year. Volkswagen ended the production of the saloon Passat for the European market in 2022. The B9 Passat, released in 2023, is only available in an estate body style. The Passat continues to be available as a saloon in China. The "Passat" is one of several Volkswagen models named after

6785-492: The Passat with a lower roof was released in the North American market in 2008 as the Passat CC , which was then renamed to Volkswagen CC. The CC was succeeded by the Arteon in 2017. In January 2011, Volkswagen introduced a separate Passat model line , internally designated "Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan" or NMS, that was manufactured in the US at the Chattanooga assembly plant and in China at Nanjing by SAIC-Volkswagen . Developed to increase Volkswagen sales in North America,

6900-441: The US market, a 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp) 2.0-litre turbocharged I4 is the base engine, or a 280 PS (206 kW; 276 hp) 3.6-litre VR6 engine as the upgrade, with six-speed manual (only available on the base 2.0-litre turbocharged model) and automatic transmissions. As of the 2009 model year, the VR6 engine and 4motion option were no longer available in the US on the Passat sedan and wagon, but are available on

7015-523: The United Kingdom when they were demobilised . In 1986, Hirst said that factory workers were, after many years of Nazi conditioning, initially reluctant to follow his orders; to counter this, he had his military uniform brought back from Britain and wore it in the factory, after which he reported having no problems even though he was no longer a soldier at the time but a civilian member of the military government. The post-war industrial plans for Germany set out rules that governed which industries Germany

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7130-420: The United States as the Rabbit until the spring of 1984. The second-generation Golf hatchback/Jetta sedan ran from October 1983 until the autumn of 1991, and a North American version produced at Westmoreland Assembly went on sale at the start of the 1985 model year. The production numbers of the first-generation Golf has continued to grow annually in South Africa as the Citi Golf , with only minor modifications to

7245-419: The acute social situation while simultaneously re-establishing production. Hirst, for example, used his engineering experience to arrange the manufacture of carburettors, the original producers being effectively 'lost' in the Soviet zone . The first few hundred cars went to personnel from the occupying forces, and to the postal service . Some British service personnel were allowed to take their Beetles back to

7360-443: The autumn of 1983 (sold as the Rabbit in the United States and Canada and as the Caribe in Latin America). Its chassis also spawned the Volkswagen Scirocco sport coupe , Volkswagen Jetta saloon/sedan, Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet convertible, and Volkswagen Caddy pick-up. North American production of the Rabbit commenced at the Volkswagen Westmoreland Assembly Plant near New Stanton, Pennsylvania in 1978. It would be produced in

7475-405: The basis for Volkswagen's turn-around. While Volkswagen's range of cars soon became similar to that of other large European car makers, the Golf has been the mainstay of the Volkswagen line-up since its introduction, and the mechanical basis for several other cars of the company. There have been eight generations of the Volkswagen Golf , the first of which was produced from the summer of 1974 until

7590-400: The board for Ford. Henry Ford II looked to Breech for his opinion, and Breech said, "Mr. Ford, I don't think what we're being offered here is worth a damn!" Ford passed on the offer, leaving Volkswagen to rebuild itself under Nordhoff's leadership. From 1948, Volkswagen became an important element, symbolically and economically, of West German regeneration . Heinrich Nordhoff (1899–1968),

7705-526: The car was stretched 2 inches (51 mm) to allow the spare tire to lie flat, and the combination of these two features increased the usable front luggage space. In 1973, Volkswagen introduced the military-themed Type 181 , or "Trekker" in Europe, "Thing" in America, recalling the wartime Type 82. The military version was produced for the NATO -era German Army during the Cold War years of 1970 to 1979. The US Thing version only sold for two years, 1973 and 1974. By late 1972, Volkswagen had decided to cancel

7820-418: The car, using crisp layouts and witty copy to lure the younger, sophisticated consumers with whom the car became associated. Even though it was almost universally known as the Beetle (or the Bug), it was never officially labelled as such by the manufacturer, instead referred to as the Type 1. Although the car was becoming outdated, during the 1960s and early 1970s, American exports, innovative advertising, and

7935-514: The car. Radar detection via Adaptive Cruise Control and Side Assist helps ensure the Arteon will not hit any other vehicles. Volkswagen Passat The Volkswagen Passat is a nameplate of large family cars (D-segment) manufactured and marketed by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen since 1973 and also marketed variously as the Dasher , Santana , Quantum , Magotan , Corsar and Carat — in saloon , estate , and hatchback body styles. A "four-door coupé " variant of

8050-442: The company elsewhere (mostly in developing countries), and the New Stanton, Pennsylvania factory closed on 14 July 1988. Meanwhile, four years after signing a cooperation agreement with the Spanish car maker SEAT in 1982, Hahn expanded the company by purchasing a majority share of SEAT up to 75% by the end of 1986, which VW bought outright in 1990. On 4 July 1985, Volkswagenwerk AG was renamed to Volkswagen AG . Volkswagen entered

8165-529: The company's silence about the persecution of its workers. In fall 2016, VW commissioned an expert review of the situation due end of 2017. On 22 August 1960, Volkswagenwerk GmbH was renamed to Volkswagenwerk AG . Sales soared throughout the 1960s, peaking at the end of the decade thanks in part to the famous advertising campaigns by New York advertising agency Doyle, Dane Bernbach . Led by art director Helmut Krone , and copywriters Julian Koenig and Bob Levinson, Volkswagen advertisements became as popular as

8280-744: The complex rear axle assembly). Only the more popular estate was reengineered. In 1985, the range received a slight facelift, consisting of new, larger bumpers, interior retouches, a new front grille and new taillights on the hatchback versions. The three-door hatchback was discontinued, while the Santana nameplate was dropped in Europe. The saloon's front end was now the same as the hatchback and estate. On 31 March 1988, production ended (although Syncro models continued in production until June) with 3,345,248 built in Germany. World production totaled approximately 4.5 million units. The third generation Passat

8395-519: The driver, and an 8.0 in (20 cm) or 9.2 in (23 cm) infotainment touchscreen. In 2020, a five-door station wagon variant, known as the Arteon Shooting Brake, was launched. The Arteon R performance variant, launched in 2020, features Volkswagen's 2.0L turbocharged petrol engine, which produces 316 bhp (236 kW; 320 PS) and 420 N⋅m (310 lb⋅ft). It will be available only in four-wheel drive through

8510-416: The factory workers. This factory had only produced a handful of cars by the time war started in 1939. None were actually delivered to any holder of the completed saving stamp books, though one Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on 20 April 1944 (his 55th birthday). War changed production to military vehicles—the Type 82 Kübelwagen ("Bucket car") utility vehicle (VW's most common wartime model), and

8625-564: The front bumper. The 1961 Type 1 Beetle had a 36 hp 1200cc four cylinder air-cooled flat-four opposed OHV engine made of aluminium alloy block and heads. By 1966, the Type 1 came with a 1300cc engine. By 1967 the Type 1 had a 1500cc engine, and 1600cc in 1970. The air-cooled engine lost favour in the United States market with the advent of unleaded petrol and smog controls. These air-cooled engines were commonly tuned to be fuel-rich in order to control engine over-heating, and this led to excessive carbon monoxide emissions. VW production equipment

8740-416: The front end a more aggressive appearance, as the previous model looked too 'passive'. The car was available with a Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel engine – an inline four-cylinder 1.9-litre turbodiesel , generating 66  kW (90  PS ; 89  bhp ) at 3,750 rpm and 210  N⋅m (155  lbf⋅ft ) of torque at 1,900 rpm. It carried a US EPA fuel efficiency rating for

8855-532: The historic Audi brand, which had disappeared after the Second World War. VW ultimately merged Auto Union and NSU to create the modern Audi company, and would go on to develop it as its luxury vehicle marque . The purchase of Auto Union and NSU was a pivotal point in Volkswagen's history, as both companies yielded the technological expertise that proved necessary for VW to survive when demand for its air-cooled models went into decline. Volkswagen added

8970-535: The interior, engine and chassis, using tooling relocated from the New Stanton, Pennsylvania plant when that site began to build the Second Generation car. In the 1980s, Volkswagen's sales in the United States and Canada fell dramatically, despite the success of models like the Golf elsewhere. Sales in the United States were 293,595 in 1980, but by 1984 they were down to 177,709. The introduction of

9085-542: The lack of a five-door version, helped ensure even stronger sales than its predecessor. It continued to sell well after a makeover in 1990, finally being replaced by an all-new version in 1994. Also arriving in 1981 were the second generation of the larger Passat and a second generation of the Volkswagen Scirocco coupe. In 1983 the MK2 Golf was launched. At the beginning of 1988, the third generation Passat

9200-531: The name "Passat" or "Magotan". Exclusive to Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand was a limited edition Passat R36, which featured a 3.6-litre V6 engine. This version of the Passat put out 300 hp, and featured dual exhaust tips, an aggressive front bonnet, and All Wheel Drive. The CC ("Comfort Coupé") is a 4-door coupé version of the Passat . It debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit . Originally aimed at competing with

9315-484: The nearly finished typ 266 , a project for a mid-engined car to replace the Beetle, and to focus on front-wheel-drive, water-cooled cars. Rudolf Leiding , recently made head of Volkswagen, cited noise, heat, and servicing problems with the mid-engine layout, as well as the difficulty of making it a station wagon. Volkswagen was in serious trouble by 1973. The Type 3 and Type 4 models had sold in much smaller numbers than

9430-568: The new Type 3 mechanical underpinnings. The name 'Squareback' was used in the United States for the Variant. In 1969 the larger Type 4 (411 and 412) models were introduced. These differed substantially from previous vehicles, with the notable introduction of monocoque /unibody construction, the option of a fully automatic transmission , electronic fuel injection , and a sturdier powerplant. In 1964, Volkswagen acquired Auto Union , and in 1969, NSU Motorenwerke AG (NSU). The former company owned

9545-461: The previous generation, the B2 Passat was mainly sold with four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. Unlike its predecessor, the top-of the line versions received five-cylinder Audi or VW engines of 1.9–2.2 litres. In addition to four- and five-speed manuals and three-speed automatic gearboxes, the Passat/Santana was also available with the 4+E transmission. This, also called the "Formel E" had

9660-468: The production of a basic vehicle capable of transporting two adults and three children at 100 km/h (62 mph). He wanted a car every German family would be able to afford. The "People's Car" would be available through a savings plan at 990  ℛ︁ℳ︁ (US$ 396 in 1938)—about the price of a small motorcycle (the average income being around 32 ℛ︁ℳ︁ a week). It soon became apparent that private industry could not turn out

9775-472: The regular Passat, with options of the base 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder, or the optional 3.6-litre VR6, which includes 4-motion all-wheel drive. The Chinese-made CC was released by FAW-VW on 15 July 2010. Two engine options are provided: 1.8 litre T and 2.0 litre T. Volkswagen facelifted the Passat CC in late 2011 for the 2012 year, with styling updates akin to those of the larger Phaeton . For

9890-473: The roof and glasshouse, with most obvious exterior change seeing the reintroduction of a grille to match the style of the other same-generation Volkswagen models of the era, such as the Mk3 Golf and Jetta. The interior was mildly updated and included safety equipment, such as dual front airbags and seat belt pretensioners, although the basic dashboard design remained unchanged. The grille was introduced to give

10005-646: The second-generation "Typ 81" Audi 80 / Audi 90 (the A4 is the successor to the Audi 80 line). The Passat introduced a new design language, first seen on the Concept 1 concept car, for the latest generation of Volkswagens, such as the Mk4 Golf , Bora and Polo Mk4 . Aerodynamic work gave the B5 Passat a coefficient of drag of 0.27 (saloon model). The car featured a fully independent four-link front suspension ; and

10120-523: The second-generation Golf, GTI and Jetta models helped Volkswagen briefly in North America. Motor Trend named the GTI its Car of the Year for 1985, and Volkswagen rose in the J.D. Power buyer satisfaction ratings to eighth place in 1985, up from 22nd a year earlier. VW's American sales broke 200,000 in 1985 and 1986 before resuming the downward trend from earlier in the decade. Chairman Carl Hahn decided to expand

10235-501: The sedan of 45 miles per US gallon (5.2 L/100 km; 54 mpg ‑imp ) highway. Combined with a 98 litres (21.6 imp gal; 25.9 US gal) 28 litres (6.2 imp gal; 7.4 US gal) reserve option fuel tank, the B4 TDI wagon had an 1800+ km (1200+ mi) range on a single tank of fuel. The B4 TDI wagon saw less than 1,000 sales in the US during its 1996 to 1997 lifespan. An all-new Passat, based on

10350-522: The segment above the Golf. In 1998 the company launched the new Lupo city car. In 1999 they announced the first "3-litre" car, a lightweight version of the Lupo that could travel 100 km with only 3-liters of diesel—making it the world's most fuel efficient car at the time. Volkswagen began introducing an array of new models after Bernd Pischetsrieder became Volkswagen Group CEO (responsible for all Group brands) in 2002. The sixth-generation VW Golf

10465-399: The similarly styled Mercedes CLS, the Passat CC intends to be more stylish and luxurious than the previously released Passat B6 . In the US, the name Passat was dropped, and the car was being sold as just CC . Some options specific to the CC include hands-free parking, lane-departure prevention, intelligent cruise control, and adaptive suspension. Engines offered in the CC mirror those of

10580-517: The supermini market in 1975 with the Volkswagen Polo , a stylish and spacious three-door hatchback designed by Bertone . It was a strong seller in West Germany and most of the rest of Western Europe, being one of the first foreign small cars to prove popular in Britain. It had started out in 1974 as the Audi 50 , which was only available in certain markets and was less popular. The Polo entered

10695-410: The third-generation Golf, which was European Car of the Year for 1992. The Golf Mk3 and Jetta Mk3 arrived in North America in 1993. The sedan version of the Golf was badged Vento in Europe but remained Jetta in the United States. The Scirocco and the later Corrado were both Golf-based coupés . In 1994, Volkswagen unveiled the J Mays -designed Concept One , a "retro"-themed concept car with

10810-659: The updated model, Volkswagen has dropped the Passat name for all markets, now matching the Volkswagen CC branding used since 2008 in North America . Volkswagen Volkswagen ( VW ; German pronunciation: [ˈfɔlksˌvaːɡn̩] ) is a German automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg , Lower Saxony , Germany. Established in 1937 by the German Labour Front under

10925-436: The war effort. German historians estimated that 80% of Volkswagen's wartime workforce was slave labour. Many of the slaves were reported to have been supplied from the concentration camps upon request from plant managers. A lawsuit was filed in 1998 by survivors for restitution for the forced labour. Volkswagen would set up a voluntary restitution fund. In April 1945, KdF-Stadt and its heavily bombed factory were captured by

11040-526: The way for this new generation of Volkswagens: the Passat, Scirocco, Golf , and Polo. First in the series was the Volkswagen Passat (Dasher in the US), introduced in 1973, a fastback version of the Audi 80 , using many identical body and mechanical parts. Estate/wagon versions were available in many markets. In Europe, the estate/wagon version dominated market share for many years. In spring 1974,

11155-476: Was allowed to retain. These rules set German car production at a maximum of 10% of 1936 car production. By 1946, the factory produced 1,000 cars a month even though it was still in disrepair. Owing to roof and window damage, production had to stop when it rained, and the company had to barter new vehicles for steel for production. The car and its town changed their Second World War-era names to "Volkswagen" and " Wolfsburg " respectively, and production increased. It

11270-457: Was also introduced. The second generation Passat launched in November 1980. The platform, named B2 , was once again based on the corresponding version of the Audi 80, which had been launched in 1978. The B2 Passat was slightly longer. In addition to the Passat hatchbacks and Variants (estate/wagon), there was also a conventional three-box saloon, which until the 1985 facelift was sold as

11385-587: Was also produced and commercialized in China, Mexico, South America and South Africa, too. In Mexico, it was marketed from 1984 to 1988 as VW Corsar and Corsar Variant (the 4-door saloon and 5-door wagon, respectively). In Argentina, from 1987 to 1991 as the VW Carat. In Brazil, the wagon model was badged VW Quantum. The Passat saloon and estate were produced in South Africa for the local market until 1987. Like

11500-467: Was also upgraded and the ride softened. 1979 saw the introduction of the 1.5-litre diesel engine , which produced just 48 PS (35 kW) in the 1,130 kg (2,490 lb) car. 0–100 km/h time for the Diesel was 19.4 seconds, 6.2 seconds slower than the petrol (petrol) engine. All petrol engines were dropped for North America in 1981, in preparation for the next generation. In Brazil,

11615-765: Was continued with the Golf Mk4 , introduced at the end of 1997 (North America in 1999), its chassis spawned a host of other cars within the Volkswagen Group; the Volkswagen Bora (the sedan known as the Jetta in the United States), SEAT Toledo, SEAT León, Audi A3 , Audi TT , and Škoda Octavia . Other main models during the decade include the Polo , a smaller car than the Golf, and the larger Passat for

11730-617: Was designed by the Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro . Its design followed trends for small family cars set by the 1959 Mini  – the Golf had a transversely mounted , water-cooled engine in the front, driving the front wheels, and had a hatchback , a format that has dominated the market segment ever since. Beetle production at Wolfsburg ended upon the Golf's introduction. It continued in smaller numbers at other German factories ( Hanover and Emden ) until 1978, but mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico. In 1975,

11845-437: Was driven on a nationwide tour for Volkswagen Canada's 60th year of business festivities in 2012). By 1955, sales warranted the building of the Volkswagen plant on a 32-acre (13 ha) site on Scarborough's Golden Mile . To this, a 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m ) building with administration, showrooms, service, repairs and parts was built in 1957, with storage for $ 4,000,000 of parts. In 1959, VW started production at

11960-697: Was established in Berlin by the Deutsche Arbeitsfront , the national labour organization of the Nazi Party. More than a year later, on 16 September 1938, it was renamed to Volkswagenwerk GmbH . Erwin Komenda , the longstanding Auto Union chief designer, part of Ferdinand Porsche's hand-picked team, developed the car body of the prototype, which was recognisably the Beetle known today. It

12075-467: Was eventually moved to Mexico where vehicle emissions were not regulated. Beetles were popular on the US West Coast where the limited-capacity cabin heating was less inconvenient. Beetles were popularised on the US West Coast as beach buggies and dune buggies. VW expanded its product line in 1961 with the introduction of four Type 3 models (Karmann Ghia, Notchback, Fastback, and Variant) based on

12190-611: Was formed in April 1955 to standardise sales and service in the United States. Production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years, the total reaching one million in 1955. The UK's first official Volkswagen importer, Colborne Garages of Ripley, Surrey , started business with importing parts for the models brought home by soldiers returning from Germany. Canadian Motors, Limited brought in Canada's first shipment of Volkswagens on 10 July 1952 (shipping order 143075). The order consisted of 12 vehicles, (3) model 11C,

12305-628: Was introduced in 2001 in a luxury version of the car that included standard 4motion all-wheel drive . This engine was intended to be a test bed for Volkswagen Group's new W engine technology, which would later make an appearance on the W12 in the Phaeton , Audi A8 , and Bentley Continental GT , and the W16 engine in the Bugatti Veyron . The engine was discontinued in 2004. The B6 debuted at

12420-487: Was introduced in March 1988 in Europe, 1990 in North America, and 1995 in South America. The lack of a grille made the car's front end styling reminiscent of older, rear-engined Volkswagens, such as the 411 , and also doubled as a modern styling trend. The styling was developed from the 1981 aerodynamic (cd 0.25) Auto 2000 concept car. At the time, it was the first transverse engine layout Passat to be built on

12535-607: Was just one of many KdF programs, which included things such as tours and outings. The prefix Volks ("People's") was not just applied to cars, but also to other products in Germany—the Volksempfänger radio receiver for instance. On 28 May 1937, Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH ("Company for the Preparation of the German Volkswagen Ltd."), or Gezuvor for short,

12650-592: Was launched in 2008, came runner-up to the Opel/Vauxhall Insignia in the 2009 European Car of the Year , and has spawned several cousins: VW Jetta , VW Scirocco , SEAT León , SEAT Toledo , Škoda Octavia and Audi A3 hatchback ranges, as well as a new mini- MPV , the SEAT Altea . The GTI, a " hot hatch " performance version of the Golf, boasts a 2.0 L Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection (FSI) direct injection engine. VW began marketing

12765-434: Was one of the first cars designed with the aid of a wind tunnel —a method used for German aircraft design since the early 1920s. The car designs were put through rigorous tests and achieved a record-breaking million miles of testing before being deemed finished. The construction of the new factory started in May 1938 in the new town of "Stadt des KdF-Wagens" (renamed Wolfsburg after the war), which had been purpose-built for

12880-483: Was sold as a four-door saloon or a five-door estate, with the Passat not being sold as a hatchback from this point onwards. It was marketed under the Passat name in all markets; in North America, this was a first. The fuel-injected petrol engines gave better performance and refinement than the carburettor units previously used. They were mounted transversely , and the floorpan was engineered to accept Volkswagen's ' Syncro ' four-wheel drive system. Engine options were

12995-409: Was sold as an Audi Fox. In Europe, the Passat was equipped with two rectangular, two round 7-inch, or four round 5.5-inch headlights depending on specification. The Passat was one of the most modern European family cars at the time, and was intended as a replacement for the ageing Volkswagen Type 3 and Type 4 . The only other European cars of its size to feature front-wheel drive and a hatchback were

13110-554: Was still unclear what was to become of the factory. It was offered to representatives from the American, Australian, British, and French motor industries who all rejected it. After an inspection of the plant, Sir William Rootes , head of the British Rootes Group , told Hirst the project would fail within two years, and that the car "...is quite unattractive to the average motorcar buyer, is too ugly and too noisy. If you think you're going to build cars in this place, you're

13225-588: Was the next major car launch and Volkswagen did not produce a hatchback version of this Passat, despite the rising popularity of the hatchback body style throughout Europe. Just after launching the B3 Passat, Volkswagen launched the Corrado , analogous to the Scirocco , although the Scirocco remained in production until 1992; a third generation of Scirocco was in production 2008–17. In 1991, Volkswagen launched

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