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124-481: Wolfsburg ( German: [ˈvɔlfsbʊʁk] ; Eastphalian : Wulfsborg ) is the fifth-largest city in the German state of Lower Saxony , located on the river Aller . It lies about 75 kilometres (47 mi) east of Hanover and 230 kilometres (143 mi) west of Berlin . Wolfsburg is famous as the location of Volkswagen AG 's headquarters and, until it was overtaken by Tesla Gigafactory Texas in 2022,

248-737: A Prussian province in 1866. Other urban districts, including Heßlingen , belonged to the Prussian Duchy of Magdeburg . In 1932, these districts were detached from the Prussian Province of Saxony and integrated into the Province of Hanover . Wolfsburg was founded on 1 July 1938 as the Stadt des KdF-Wagens bei Fallersleben, ( " City of the Strength Through Joy car at Fallersleben ), a planned town centred around

372-740: A home for workers producing the KdF - Wagen until 25 May 1945, the city was called Stadt des KdF-Wagens bei Fallersleben . In 1972, the population first exceeded 100,000. In 2019, the GRP was €188,453 per capita. Wolfsburg is located at the Southern edge of the ancient river valley of the Aller at the Mittellandkanal ( lit.   ' middle land canal ' ). It is bordered by the districts of Gifhorn and Helmstedt . The total annual precipitation

496-547: A 3.3% increase from the previous year. When including Audis produced at Ingolstadt, the combined output from Volkswagen and its Auto-Union company constituted 50.4% of all West German cars produced that year. In 1968, the Type 1 was officially given the name "Beetle" (from "der Käfer", German for beetle ). While it was largely successful in the 1960s, recording its highest sales growth in North America from 1960 to 1965,

620-459: A 90- mile-per-hour speedometer . On 30 July 1962, Volkswagen made several updates for the 1963 model year , including the incorporation of an air filter into the oil filter, the introduction of larger-diameter cylinder head induction ports and the adoption of plastic for the headliner and window guides. Volkswagen replaced the Wolfsburg crest on the hood, which had been present since 1951, with

744-521: A car similarly shaped to the Beetle, more than five years before Porsche unveiled his initial "People's Car" design. Through a court ruling in 1953, Barényi successfully asserted his authorship and associated claims. He explained that he had previously elucidated the concept of the Beetle, which was already formulated in the 1920s, to Porsche in great detail. However, this concept was not protected sufficiently by patents . Key elements of this concept included

868-664: A document as the domicile of the noble lineage of Bartensleben . Originally a keep next to the Aller, it was protected by a moat some centuries later. In 1372, the first documentary reference to the Burg Neuhaus ("castle of Neuhaus") near Wolfsburg appeared. After the extinction of the Bartensleben line in 1742, the property and its Schloss Wolfsburg (Wolfsburg castle) passed on to the Counts of Schulenburg. The communal manor

992-399: A final target of 3,000 per day. During 1960, the company occasionally increased production by around 100; by the end of 1960, Volkswagen planned to produce 4,000 examples daily. Nordhoff stated, "Then we believe we shall have reached a balance between supply and demand so that we can finally deliver Volkswagens to customers without a waiting period". By the early 1960s, the Wolfsburg facility

1116-479: A full-flow oil filter , a 6.6:1 compression ratio —allowing for the use of unleaded fuel —and an electric fuel pump . A standard version was also released in 1993, featuring painted bumper bars and many minor removals. From 1997, front disc brakes and an immobiliser became available, and the De Luxe model featured small traffic indicator side lamps ahead of the top door hinge. The steering wheel's centre boss

1240-707: A lack of interest from British car manufacturers; an official report included the phrase, "The vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car [...] it is quite unattractive to the average buyer [...] To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise." Instead, the factory remained operational by producing cars for the British Army . Allied dismantling policy changed from late 1946 to mid-1947. During this period, heavy industry in Germany continued until 1951. In March 1947, Herbert Hoover helped change policy by stating: There

1364-677: A lawsuit, halted only by Germany's invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1938, leading to the Nazi administration of the Tatra factory in October. Hitler instructed Tatra to focus exclusively on heavy trucks and diesel engines, discontinuing all car models except the V8-engined Tatra 87 . The issue resurfaced post-World War II, and in 1965, Volkswagen paid Ringhoffer-Tatra 1,000,000 Deutsche Marks in an out-of-court settlement. The name Volkswagen

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1488-425: A political organisation aimed at providing the populace with leisure activities) was in charge of this project. Robert Ley , the Nazi official heading Kraft durch Freude (KdF), announced in 1938 that every German would own a Volkswagen within ten years. However, there were challenges. Gasoline prices in Germany were high due to taxes, making it expensive for private car ownership. Gasoline was also primarily used for

1612-569: A quick and inexpensive part exchange. As Hitler explained, the reason for choosing an air-cooled engine was that many rural doctors did not have access to garages for maintaining coolant. On 22 June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche received a development contract from the Verband der Automobilindustrie (German Association of the Automotive Industry) for the prototype of an inexpensive and economical passenger car after Hitler decided there

1736-712: A registered office in Uelzen . These associations were founded to foster cultural establishments in the regions. The most famous professional sports club in the city is VfL Wolfsburg , established in 1945. The men's football team won the Bundesliga in 2009, the DFB-Pokal in 2015 and the DFL-Supercup in 2015. The women's football team has been even more successful, winning six Bundesliga titles and seven DFB-Pokal titles. The women's team has also succeeded in winning

1860-518: A savings plan to buy a car. At that time, Germany had fewer cars than other European countries. In 1930, there were only about 500,000 registered cars in Germany, while France and Great Britain had over 1 million each, and the USA had more than 26 million. However, the onset of the Second World War hindered the distribution of the cars, and there was a lack of time for series production . With

1984-743: A schwa like -e or -er . Another striking difference between Eastphalian and all other Low German dialects is the absence (or undoing) of sound expansion in open syllable before -el, -en, -er in the following syllable, e. g. Eastphalian Löppel [ˈlœpl̩] , betten [ˈbɛtn̩] , Pepper [ˈpɛpɐ] ("spoon, bit, pepper") versus Northern Low Saxon Läpel [ˈlɛːpl̩] , bäten [ˈbɛːtn̩] , Päper [ˈpɛːpɐ] . Eastphalian also takes its own position in equalizing Old Saxon phonetic positions, especially in reducing vowels distinguished in open syllables, by simplifying more than Westphalian (which has no reduction in its southern dialects), but not going as far as

2108-415: A significant downturn, leading to the loss of many dealerships for the company. In 1991, the planning of a new car began once J Mays and Freeman Thomas returned to California to open Volkswagen's Design Centre at Simi Valley . Recognising that Japanese manufacturers dominated the market in the 1970s and '80s, Volkswagen needed to introduce a vehicle to regain popularity. Before this, the company began

2232-408: A slight curvature, replacing its flat configuration. Door windows also expanded by 6%, with a slight backward canting of door vent window edges. Rear side windows increased by 17.5%, and the rear window by 19.5%. In 1967, updates comprised shortened front and rear bonnets, box-profile bumpers with a railway rails design that were installed at a higher position, vertically oriented scattering discs for

2356-416: A textile cover could be added at an extra cost. By March of the same year, the export model began to be equipped with a hydraulic brake system , which became a standard feature from April onwards. In 1952, the equipment was enhanced with the addition of vent windows in the doors, and the wheels were reduced to a diameter of 15 inches (380 mm) from the previous 16 inches (410 mm). On 10 March 1953,

2480-780: Is twinned with: Wolfsburg also has friendly relations with: Eastphalian language The language area between the Weser and Elbe rivers stretches from the Lüneburg Heath in the north to the Harz mountain range and Weser Uplands in the south. It comprises the Hanover Region , Brunswick and Calenberg Land as well as the Magdeburg Börde , including the cities of Hanover , Braunschweig , Hildesheim , Göttingen and Magdeburg . It roughly corresponds with

2604-426: Is Dennis Weilmann. The city has been described as a "social democratic utopia". The city council is made up of the fractions of the different parties (47 seats) and the lord mayor with one seat. The lord mayor is head of administration, thus the superior of all employees of the city council. The lord mayor is supported by four departmental heads who are voted in by the council on his suggestion. Together, they make up

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2728-472: Is about 532 millimetres (21 in) which is quite low as it belongs to the lowest tenth of the measured data in Germany. Only 7% of all observation stations of the Deutscher Wetterdienst (German weather service) record lower measurements. The warmest month is July and the driest month is April, while the wettest are July and August. The "Wolfsburg" Castle was first mentioned in 1302 in

2852-533: Is an open-air museum-theme park dedicated to automobiles owned and operated by Volkswagen. In the center of the park are the pavilions featuring Volkswagen's major brands: Volkswagen and Audi to the north, further south are SEAT, Škoda Auto , Lamborghini, Bentley, Bugatti , and the Premium Clubhouse. Right next to the lagoon is the Porsche pavilion. The striking Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles pavilion

2976-487: Is green and white. Lower Saxony's Department of the Interior awarded the city of Wolfsburg's emblem in 1952 after it had been constituted in the association articles in 1947. In 1961, it was improved heraldically and newly awarded by the governmental executive committee of Lüneburg. The symbols of the wolf and the castle reflect the city's name (canting arm) and do not have a historical, directly conveyed reference. The flag

3100-603: Is in the south-east of the park. The Autostadt also includes a planetarium , a Ritz-Carlton hotel, the Phaeno Science Center , the largest hands-on science museum in Germany, a water skiing resort, and a private art museum ( Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg ) specialising in modern and contemporary art. Another major attraction is the Wolfsburg Water Show, the world's largest water-flame-laser-video fountain show with its up to 70-meter high fountains which

3224-464: Is made even better." Motor Trend , August 1960 In 1960, Volkswagen introduced a series of technical alterations. The front indicators were relocated to the front bonnet within chrome housings, and the rear indicators were integrated into the tail lamps . In January, the valve-clearing adjusting nut was slightly enlarged and resistor-type ignition leads were adopted. In March, Volkswagen made several modifications to its front trailing arm and

3348-525: Is organized into 41 districts. One or more districts make up one of the total of 16 localities which are represented by their own councils. Every council has a local official as its mayor. First the councils were only established in the 11 localities annexed in 1972. They partly took over the functions of the former city councils of each of the districts. In 1991 and 2001 some of the localities were split into smaller areas so that today there are 16 localities, each with its own council which are directly elected by

3472-420: Is that prepositions in most of Eastphalian do not contain an umlaut. These include for [ˈfɔr] , unner [ˈʊnər] and over (Hildesheim) [ˈɛo̯vər] , as opposed to Northern Lower Saxon för , ünner and över . This article about Germanic languages is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Volkswagen Beetle The Volkswagen Beetle , officially

3596-534: Is the illusion that the New Germany left after the annexations can be reduced to a " pastoral state ". It cannot be done unless we exterminate or move 25,000,000 people out of it. Major Ivan Hirst (1916–2000), a British Army officer, has been widely acknowledged for the reopening of the factory. Hirst was ordered to take control of the heavily bombed factory, which the Americans had captured. Recognising

3720-477: Is the object pronouns mek and dek in contrast to mi and di in Northern Lower Saxon, respectively for High German mir and mich resp. dir and dich ), as well as öhne , ösch / össek and jöck (Northern Low German em, u[n]s, jo [ju], High German ihm/ihn, uns, euch ). Although Eastphalian agrees with many Low German dialects (with exceptions, e.g., in southern Westphalian) in that

3844-455: Is the residual preservation of the prefix ge- as e- in the participle II (past participle) of verbs; since this prefix has also been lost in the very Northern regions of Eastphalia, e. g., for example, in Celle its wään ("been") is opposed to southern ewää(se)n [əˈvɛː(z)n̩] , or ewest [əˈvɛst] . However, this prefix is dropped if the previous word already ends in

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3968-405: Is true for many adjectives, such as dicke (fat, thick) and wisse (clear, fast; cf. German gewiss ) and substantivizing endings such as -unge and -nisse, as well as for the older form -ig(e) ['ɪjə] / ['ɪç] , which developed from Middle Low German -inge . The -e ending has also survived for nouns in the dative case. Thus, for example, uppen Felle (on the field). Another feature of Eastphalian

4092-482: The Golf in 1974. In the late 1970s and '80s, Japanese automakers began to dominate the market, which contributed to the Beetle's declining popularity. Over its lifespan, the Beetle's design remained consistent, yet Volkswagen implemented over 78,000 incremental updates. These modifications were often subtle, involving minor alterations to its exterior, interior, colours, and lighting. Some more noteworthy changes included

4216-522: The Kommandeurswagen persisted until 1944 when the production at the plant halted due to the extensive damage inflicted by the Allied air raids. Due to gasoline shortages late in the war, a few " Holzbrenner " (wood-burner) Beetles were built fueled with wood logs. Planned for September 1939, Kraft durch Freude arranged an event to showcase Germany's Autobahn highway system and to promote

4340-552: The Puebla plant in Mexico, Volkswagen produced the final Type 1, after 21,529,464 examples were produced globally during its tenure. Its production span of 65 years is the longest of any single generation of automobile, and its total production of over 21.5   million is the most of any car of a single platform . To celebrate the occasion, Volkswagen marketed a series of 3,000 Beetles as "Última Edición" (Final Edition). While

4464-488: The UEFA Women's Champions League in two consecutive years, 2013 and 2014. Wolfsburg is also the home of the ice hockey team Grizzlys Wolfsburg , which since 2007 has made it to a leading position in the first-tier Deutsche Eishockey Liga , where it was runner-up in 2011, 2016 and 2017. Also based in city is the tennis tournament Volkswagen Challenger , which has been held annually in Wolfsburg since 1993. Wolfsburg

4588-688: The V570 prototype, which featured an air-cooled flat-twin engine mounted at the rear. Hitler and Porsche both were influenced by the Tatras. Hitler, an avid automotive enthusiast, rode in Tatras multiple times during political tours of Czechoslovakia and had frequent dinners with Ledwinka. Following one such tour, Hitler remarked to Porsche, "This is the car for my roads". From 1933 onwards, Ledwinka and Porsche met regularly to discuss their designs, and Porsche admitted, "Well, sometimes I looked over his shoulder, and sometimes he looked over mine" while designing

4712-545: The Volkswagen Golf the city of Wolfsburg welcomed visitors on the internet, on the official stationery, and on every city limit sign with the name " Golfsburg " from 25 August to 10 October 2003. This campaign gained the nationwide attention of press, radio, and TV broadcasting. In the summer of 2009, Wolfsburg gained nationwide attention when their football team, VfL Wolfsburg , won the German football league. A party

4836-471: The Volkswagen Type 1 , is a small family car produced by the German company Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003. One of the most iconic cars in automotive history, the Beetle is noted for its distinctive shape. Its production period of 65 years is the longest of any single generation of automobile, and its total production of over 21.5 million is the most of any car of a single platform . The Beetle

4960-403: The 1200 received fully independent suspension , some stylistic improvements and an external fuel cap . The 1300 transitioned from six-volt to twelve-volt electrics and received dual circuit braking and a fuel gauge. The 1500 also received these alterations, as well as carburettor enhancements. In 1969, the 1200 received twelve-volt electrics, hazard warning lamps and a locking fuel cap. The 1300

5084-632: The 1933 Berlin Auto Show . The Standard Superior , designed by Ganz for the Standard vehicle factory, featured an implied teardrop-shaped body on a central tubular frame with a rear swing axle, yet the engine was transversely installed in front of the axle, not longitudinally as a rear engine. The Austrian automobile designer Hans Ledwinka , whom Porsche was a contemporary, worked at the Czechoslovakian company Tatra . In 1931, Tatra built

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5208-460: The 1974 model year, possessing the same specifications as the 1300 but maintaining the same overall design as the 1200. The VW 1302, introduced in August 1970, featured a redesigned front end. It incorporated a new front axle featuring MacPherson suspension struts , wishbones and a stabiliser. The enlargement of the front trunk became possible as a result. Unlike its predecessor, the spare wheel

5332-624: The Beetle in the 1960s, including 1200, 1300, 1500, 1600, 1302, and 1303. Volkswagen introduced a series of large luxury models throughout the 1960s and 1970s—comprising the Type 3 , Type 4 and the K70 —to supplement the Beetle, but none of these models achieved the level of success that it did. Rapidly changing consumer preferences toward front-wheel drive compact hatchbacks in Europe prompted Volkswagen's gradual shift away from rear-wheel drive, starting with

5456-596: The Beetle started facing competition from more contemporary designs worldwide in the 1970s. The decade started out well for Volkswagen, which sold 569,000 Beetles in 1970. In 1970, fifteen Volkswagen dealerships in Washington convened to implement the Volkswagen American Dealers Association , which was made to preserve a free market of imported international automobiles through political pressure and lobbying. On 17 February 1972,

5580-614: The Beetle. As opposed to the Beetle, the Golf was substantially redesigned over its lifetime, with only a few components carried over between generations. On 10 January 1980, the final Beetle convertible of 330,281 rolled off the production line at the Karmann facility in Osnabrück . It was the most successful convertible for a long time and was replaced by the first Golf cabriolet in 1979. The number of Beetle units sold by Volkswagen

5704-489: The Forces of Occupation received 20,991 cars, leaving less than 10,000 for export or domestic consumption. The number of employees increased from 6,033 by the end of 1945 to almost 57,000 in 1957. After the war, over 10,000 apartments were built to house the workers in Wolfsburg, which then had a population of nearly 60,000. In 1959, Volkswagen invested more than DM500   million to increase daily production by 1,000, reaching

5828-534: The Second World War because the Volkswagen plant at Fallersleben (now Wolfsburg ), founded in May 1938, was not yet finished. During the war, other German manufacturers were concurrently producing military vehicles and armaments , so the series production of the then-called Volkswagen car could not begin until peacetime; nevertheless, 210 KdF-Wagens were manufactured by the end of the war in May 1945. Following

5952-480: The Type 1 and used by the Wehrmacht . These vehicles, including several hundred Kommandeurswagen (Type 87), featured a Type 1 Beetle body mounted on the robust chassis of the four-wheel-drive Type 86 Kübelwagen prototype. The Kommandeurswagen included a portal axle, a Schwimmwagen drivetrain, wider fenders, and oversized Kronprinz all-terrain tyres, reminiscent of the later Baja Bugs . The production of

6076-454: The Type 60 K 10, officially known as the Porsche 64 . Although the engineers produced three vehicles, they never made it to the race due to the outbreak of war before the scheduled date; two of them disappeared during the conflict. Austrian Otto Mathé acquired the third Berlin-Rome car and raced it throughout the 1950s, becoming the fastest in its class during the 1950 Alpine Cup. He continued to use it until his death in 1995. Following

6200-406: The Type 60 before 1946, received the dub "Pretzel Beetle" due to its distinctive oval-shaped, vertically divided rear window. On 1 July 1949, the Volkswagen lineup was expanded to include the "export" model featuring enhanced interiors, chrome bumpers, and trim. It was offered in a variety of colours to distinguish it from the preceding "Standard" model. Starting in 1950, an optional sunroof with

6324-460: The Type 60 by Porsche, the Beetle project involved a team of designers and engineers comprising Erwin Komenda , who specialised in the bodywork; Josef Kales, responsible for the engine design; Karl Rabe , serving as the chief engineer; and Josef Mickl and Franz Xaver Reimspiess, the latter credited for devising the iconic Volkswagen badge. The project saw significant milestones in October 1935 with

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6448-750: The V3s underwent over 50,000 km (31,000 mi) of testing across various terrains. A series of thirty W30 development models, commissioned by Porsche and manufactured by Daimler-Benz, underwent testing in early April 1937, covering a total distance of over 2,900,000 kilometres (1,800,000 mi). All vehicles featured the characteristic rounded design and included air-cooled , rear-mounted engines . A further batch of 44 VW38 pre-production cars produced in 1938 introduced split rear windows, and subsequently, Volkswagen introduced fifty VW39 cars, completed in July 1939. Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy,

6572-502: The VW Beetle, impacting the Tatra 77 and other vehicles. His initial patents and publications date back to the early 1920s. The engineer Christian Binnebesel scientifically presented Jaray's significant contribution to streamline form in his 2008 dissertation. Josef Ganz's potential early contributions to the original Beetle's development remained controversial for years and lacked clear clarification. Research suggests that his idea and

6696-592: The Volkswagen Beetle continued in Australia, Mexico and Nigeria. In the 1960s and '70s, Volkswagen augmented its product portfolio with several models to supplement the Type 1—the Type 3 , the Type 4 and the NSU -based K70 sedan. None of these models achieved the level of success of the Beetle. The overdependence on a singular model, which was experiencing a decline in popularity, meant that Volkswagen

6820-668: The Volkswagen facility dedicated solely to wartime requirements, the over 330,000 KdF savers could not acquire their vehicles. Following the war, numerous KdF savers pressed for the receipt of a Volkswagen. When their request was denied, the VW saver initiative ensued, spanning several years. During the war, the factory predominantly built the Kübelwagen (Type 82), the Schwimmwagen (Type 166) and numerous other light utility vehicles . These vehicles were derived mechanically from

6944-519: The Volkswagen factory. The US troops occupied the city until the end of June, during which time the city was renamed Wolfsburg on 25 May 1945, after the eponymous castle located there. The American occupation ended at the end of June 1945 when the region became part of the British occupation zone . In 1951, Wolfsburg was separated from the District of Gifhorn, and became an urban district . In 1955,

7068-410: The Volkswagen. The Tatra 97 of 1936 had a 1,749 cc, rear-located, rear-wheel drive, air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine . It accommodated five passengers in its compact four-door body, which provided luggage storage under the front bonnet and behind the rear seats. Just before the outbreak of World War II , Tatra filed numerous legal claims against VW for patent infringement. Tatra launched

7192-464: The adoption of the crankshaft from the Type 3 . This extended the stroke from 64 mm (2.5 in) to 69 mm (2.7 in), resulting in an engine displacement of approximately 78 cubic inches (1,280 cm ). 1965 also marked the Beetle's most extensive design change when its body stampings were extensively revised. It allowed for significantly larger windows, a departure from previous designs. The windshield increased by 11% in area and adopted

7316-412: The air-cooled four-cylinder boxer engine at the rear, the transmission positioned in front of the rear axle, and the distinctive roundish shape. Dieter Landenberger, the head of Porsche's historical archive, later affirmed that Barényi played a "decisive role in the authorship of the later VW Beetle". Since then, he has been known for conceiving the original car design. Many assume that Paul Jaray shaped

7440-435: The board of directors of the city administration where the most important decisions concerning administration are deliberated weekly. Results of the local elections on 11 September 2011: Voter participations: 49.4% Wolfsburg's emblem shows a silver two-tower castle with a closed gate on red ground over a green base with silver waved timbers. A golden wolf with a blue tongue paces over the castle's battlement. The city's flag

7564-446: The car's body design through his aerodynamics calculations. According to a November 2021 update of research mentioned in the fifteenth report by the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , Jaray's findings influenced the design of "Hitler's streamlined KdF car", later known as the 'beetle', which became the best-selling car globally post-war. Jaray's research results in fluid mechanics for ground-bound vehicles extended beyond

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7688-441: The cessation of hostilities the British occupying forces brought the factory into operation and by the close of 1945, 1,785 Volkswagens had been built, delivered to the occupying powers and the postal service . The Beetle featured a rear-located, air-cooled four-cylinder, boxer engine and rear-wheel drive in a two-door bodywork featuring a flat front windscreen, accommodating four passengers and providing luggage storage under

7812-531: The citizens. The only exception from this organization is the Allerpark ( Aller Park ), a local recreation area surrounding the Allersee lake, and the area of the Volkswagen factory which are both located in the central city area. The administrative area of Wolfsburg includes six nature reserves . Five of them are located in the ancient Aller river valley. The first mayor of the young Stadt des KdF-Wagens

7936-569: The city hall was built. In 1960 the Volkswagenwerk GmbH (limited partnership with a limited liability) was changed into an AG (public limited company). In the course of a land reform in Lower Saxony in 1972, 20 localities were added to the city through the "Wolfsburg-Act". Wolfsburg gained the status of major city with nearly 131,000 inhabitants. The city's area grew from 35 to nearly 204 km (79 sq mi). In 1973,

8060-468: The city's leader and representative. After 1946, the council elected a full-time director to lead the city council. In 2001, the city council's dual leadership was abolished. It is led by a full-time lord mayor who is also the city's representative. Since 2001, citizens directly elect the lord mayor. The council still has its own chairperson elected by the council's constitutive conference after every local election. The current Bürgermeister (mayor) of Wolfsburg

8184-562: The city's population peaked at 131,971. In 1982, the A39, a side road of the A2 (Oberhausen - Hannover - Werder), was built as a direct freeway to Wolfsburg. In 1988, the city became a university town with the establishment of the University of Applied Science Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel. Today its name is Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences . As a launch promotion for the 5th generation of

8308-399: The company's lettering. A heating system was also introduced. In 1965, the 1200A designation was introduced for the standard Beetle with the 22 kW (30 hp) engine. Volkswagen introduced the 1300 in August 1965, equipped with a 1.3-litre engine producing 29.5 kW (39.6 hp). Although featuring an identical design, the 6 horsepower (4.5 kW) increase was achieved through

8432-476: The completion of the first two Type-60 prototypes, identified as cars V1 (sedan) and V2 (convertible), denoted with a "V" (for Versuchs – "prototype") signifying their status as a test car . The testing of three additional V3 prototypes began on 11 July 1936, the first of which was driven to Obersalzberg and inspected by Hitler. Two V3s were delivered to Berlin in August for examination by other Nazi Party officials, who showed great interest in them. By June 1936,

8556-657: The concept in its final form, which was slated for completion by the end of the century. To help gauge public demand of the forthcoming automobile in the United States, Volkswagen implemented a free-access telephone line to allow members to express their thoughts on the car. The line quickly became inundated with calls, with many saying, "You build it, I'll buy it!" Work on the Concept One continued, with further redesigns on its front fascia . To reduce production investments and expenses, Volkswagen initially planned to use

8680-424: The concept of a compact car played a significant role in the VW Beetle's development and its prototypes. Ganz personally drove a Hanomag Kommissbrot and a swing-axle Tatra—both featuring elements such as a central tubular frame, independent wheel suspension, and a rear/mid-engine design. Ganz incorporated these technical features into his proposed vehicle designs. Hitler reportedly saw cars designed by Josef Ganz at

8804-698: The core area of Northern Lower Saxon (where only three of the original eight vowel phonemes remain). Despite the diversity of the sounds in detail, most of the Eastphalian dialects thus have a common sound system. (In this case, besides the Heide-Eastphalian the Göttingisch-Grubenhagen-Eastphalian - which in this case is in the same position as the East-Westphalian - is left out). Another thing to mention

8928-643: The dative has coincided with the accusative in the forms mentioned, its peculiarity is shown by the fact that the accusative has prevailed over the dative in all of these forms (in Northern Low Saxon it is the other way around). In Eastphalian, an accusative of the first person plural has been preserved with the form üsch and southern Eastphalian össek (cf. Old High German unsih, Old English ūsic [besides ūs ], also High Alemannic üs , südbairisch ins in Upper German). The e-apocope, i.e.

9052-416: The design of the Beetle changed little over its lifespan, Volkswagen implemented over 78,000 incremental updates. Typically subtle, these alterations usually involved minor updates to the exterior, interior, colours and lighting. More noteworthy changes have comprised new engines, models and systems, such as updated dashboards and hydraulic braking . The Type 11 standard limousine, initially designated as

9176-460: The development of a city car, codenamed " Chico ", in which they invested millions of Deutsche Marks . In 1993, the brand stated that the Chico was intended to begin production in 1995. However, this plan was abandoned once Volkswagen realised that the project was commercially infeasible. Mays and Thomas recognised the difficulties faced by the brand and suggested the need for a vehicle that included

9300-430: The effort to infuse the Beetle with a modernised design, this did not resonate with consumers, resulting in declining Beetle sales. In 1975, the 1303 and 1303S received rack and pinion steering, but in July of that year, Volkswagen discontinued both of them. The long-serving 1200 was renamed the "1200L" in 1976, with the additional deluxe features incorporated into the car's interior. In July 1984, Volkswagen eliminated

9424-632: The engine lid louvres. Starting in 1986, for the 1987 model year , the sole model available was the single-carburettor version with 98 cubic inches (1,600 cm ). From late 1992 for the 1993 model year, Volkswagen standardised catalytic converters , the Bosch Digifant engine management system , a lambda probe and electric ignition . This fuel-injection system proved much more straightforward and reliable than previous injection systems used on German-assembled Volkswagens since 1967. Vehicles with these modifications can be identified externally by

9548-399: The engines to breathe more effortlessly. The British automotive magazine Autocar expressed disappointment in its power increase, noting, "Even with 14 [per   cent] more power, the total output of 50   bhp is very modest for the size of the engine". The Super Beetle had a 2 cm (0.8 in) increase in wheelbase , but the extra space was in front of the windshield. For 1971,

9672-511: The final Beetle was produced at the Wolfsburg plant after 11,916,519 examples were made there. Following its discontinuation, Volkswagen ceased the ongoing development of the Beetle in Germany. On 19 January 1978, the last Beetle sedan manufactured in Europe rolled off the production line at the Emden plant with the chassis number 1182034030. After its discontinuation in Germany, production of

9796-407: The former has a capacity of 96.7 cubic inches (1,584 cm ). In English-speaking countries, the name "Super Beetle"—alongside "1600"—was included on the written description but not the engine cover. The 1302 possessed the same 32.4 kW (44 PS) output as the 1300, whereas the 1302S saw an increase to 36.8 kW (50 PS). This was facilitated by a twin-port cylinder head , enabling

9920-428: The front bonnet and behind the rear seat, and it has a drag coefficient of 0.48. The bodywork attached with eighteen bolts to the Beetle's nearly flat platform chassis featured a central structural tunnel. The front and rear suspension incorporated torsion bars and a front stabiliser bar, providing independent suspension at all wheels, albeit the front axle was designed with double longitudinal trailing arms, whereas

10044-415: The headlights and larger rear lights with an iron design. Volkswagen introduced external fuel filler flap, eliminating the need to open the front bonnet for refuelling. In September 1967, the 1500 Beetle was introduced. Its engine displacement was approximately 91.1 cubic inches (1,493 cm ), its power output was 32 kW (43 hp) and it featured a three-speed semi-automatic transmission . In 1968,

10168-510: The historic region of Eastphalia . Eastphalian as a separate dialect was determined by 19th century linguistics , tracing it back to Old Saxon variants spoken in eastern parts of the medieval stem duchy of Saxony . Towards the Elbe region in the southeast, the language area is increasingly influenced by the High German consonant shift . The most prominent characteristic in Eastphalian

10292-422: The introduction of new engines, models and systems, such as improved technology or comfort. In May 1934, at a meeting at Berlin's Kaiserhof Hotel , the leader of Nazi Germany , Adolf Hitler , insisted on the development of a vehicle that could accommodate two adults and three children while not using more than seven   litres of fuel per 100 km (33.6 mpg US/40.4 mpg UK). All components were designed for

10416-500: The key components. Once Heinrich Nordhoff assumed management at Volkswagenwerk , manufacturing capacity increased significantly. Production in 1946 and 1947 was rated at 9,878 and 8,973 examples, respectively, but in Nordhoff's first year, 1948, manufacture doubled to approximately 19,244 units. On 6 August 1955, the millionth example was assembled and by 1959, production capacity was rated at 700,000 units per year. By mid-1948,

10540-465: The locations in which it was manufactured. Official exportation of the Beetle to the Brazilian market began on 23 March 1953, with its parts imported from Germany. For the local market, the Type 1 was officially known "Volkswagen Fusca". In January 1959, Volkswagen shifted assembly to the new São Bernardo do Campo plant, initially maintaining 60   per   cent of its German parts. However, by

10664-529: The mid-1960s, the cars had about 99.93   per   cent Brazilian-made components. Production persisted until 1986, after over 3.3   million examples were produced there, and resumed in 1992, extending until 1996. The production of the Beetle was possible through agreements with companies like Chrysler in Mexico and the Studebaker-Packard Corporation , which assembled cars imported in complete knock-down form. The Beetle

10788-399: The military in the Nazi regime. Despite that, the Nazi leaders saw the mass-produced car as a way to promote their system. It symbolised a shift from cars being a privilege for the wealthy to a dream that lower-class Germans could now fulfil. Hitler was particularly enthusiastic about it because the car could easily be adapted for military use. The KdF-Wagen was not series-produced before

10912-407: The new model, some of which were minor. Noteworthy changes comprised an automatic choke, an anti-icing carburettor heater , a redesigned fuel tank that increased boot capacity , an external gas tank vent to prevent odours in the car, standard windshield wipers and a new ignition switch. Stylistic improvements included new paint colours and interior design options, a coloured steering wheel and

11036-545: The omission of the -e at the end of the word, as took place in North Lower Saxon, was entirely absent in Eastphalian. Thus, the ablaut -e in words like Sprake (language, speech) and Wiele (while) remains and is not dropped. Furthermore, the -e is also preserved in nouns in the nominative case, where High German no longer has them either, such as in Harte (heart), Frue (woman), Herre (man), Bäre (bear). The same

11160-399: The one-millionth VW Beetle was manufactured in Wolfsburg. Postwar Beetle production ended in Wolfsburg in 1974, though Beetle production continued within Germany at Emden until 1978. The factories in Wolfsburg remain a key part of Volkswagen's production capacity. During the German economic miracle Wolfsburg experienced a large influx of immigrant workers, especially from Italy. In 1958,

11284-468: The overall length increased by 8 cm (3.1 in), doubling the front trunk capacity and adding 3 cu ft (0.1 m ) of luggage space. Volkswagen also implemented a new fresh-air ventilation system, drawing its air from the rear quarter panels. In August 1972, the 1303 range superseded the 1302 model, which featured a curved windshield. This design change elicited mixed opinions; some favoured it, while others expressed dissatisfaction. Despite

11408-582: The platform of the Polo . However, in 1995, at the Tokyo Motor Show , the company unveiled another prototype , sharing its wheelbase and its broader range of engine options with the Golf . Simultaneously, Volkswagen announced that it would be named the "New Beetle". After over six years of planning and development, Volkswagen introduced the New Beetle in 1997. On 30 July 2003 at 9:05 a.m., at

11532-466: The population of Wolfsburg first went beyond the mark of 100,000 because several adjacent suburbanized villages were incorporated into the city with the "Wolfsburg law" which made Wolfsburg a major city ("Großstadt"). In 1973, the population reached its highest level: 131,971. At the end of December 2010, 121,451 people were registered with their principal residence in Wolfsburg. By the end of 2012, this number had climbed to 123,144. The city of Wolfsburg

11656-435: The previous model; it was a horizontally opposed , overhead valve , four-cylinder air-cooled engine . It generated 40 kilowatts (54 PS; 54 hp) at 3,900   rpm and produced 83 newton-metres (61 lbf⋅ft) at 2,000   rpm. The 1961 Beetle introduced a full-synchronised four-speed manual transmission , replacing the former non-synchronised first gear. The Volkswagen facility implemented 27 alterations to

11780-508: The purported beginning of the production of the KdF-Wagen , involving a 1,500-kilometre   (930   mi) journey from Berlin to Rome. Erwin Komenda supervised the development process, while Karl Froelich was responsible for creating official plans that they subsequently used to form a wooden scale model. The model was wind tunnel tested at Stuttgart University by Josef Mickl. Dubbed the "Berlin-Rome car", Porsche AG's engineers designed

11904-502: The ratio is now down to about every four [Volkswagens] out of every ten. If the current VW starts to slip, the new [Type 3]—soon to be introduced—probably will be imported to justify the [company's] more than 600 [Volkswagen] dealerships and the $ 100   million investment in facilities". He continued by expressing that the Type 3 had failed to leave a positive impression on industry executives in both Europe and North America. The new engine essentially possessed identical specifications as

12028-541: The rear axle was a swing axle . Light alloy forms the Beetle's engine, transmission, and cylinder heads. German-Bohemian Ferdinand Porsche (1875–1951) and his team were generally known as the original designers of the Volkswagen. However, there has been debate over whether he was the original designer. Rumours circulated, suggesting that other designers, such as Béla Barényi , Paul Jaray , Josef Ganz and Hans Ledwinka , may have influenced its design. In 1925, Austro-Hungarian automotive engineer Béla Barényi designed

12152-410: The recognisable design of the Beetle as a potential solution to improve customer appeal. During development, this car was known as the "Concept One" project. The prototype version of the project was revealed at the 1994 Detroit Motor Show , and a red convertible variant of the model was showcased at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show . It took a year for Volkswagen to officially confirm the production of

12276-401: The reintroduced louvred engine lid, heavier and larger bumper bars, four-stud wheels with twenty ventilation holes and a "1600i" badge on the engine lid. The 1993 model also featured a third-generation Golf -style steering wheel and front seats, a protection alarm, handbrake and engine compartment lamps and an optional ZF limited-slip differential . The engine received hydraulic tappets ,

12400-602: The scarcity of occupations in Germany and the shortage of vehicles in the British Army, Hirst persuaded the British military to order 20,000 cars, stating that it "was the limit set by the availability of materials". By March 1946, production capacity was rated at approximately 1,000 units per month. Based on an eight-hour shift in mid-1946, production was around 2,500 per month. At the time, about 1,800 machine tools were in operation, of which 200 were used exclusively for

12524-467: The split rear window was replaced with a one-piece rear window. Starting in 1954, the Type 122 engine had a 77 mm (3.0 in) cylinder bore , increased by 2 mm (0.08 in), and an engine displacement of 1,192 cc (1.19 L; 72.74 cu in), surpassing the previous 1,131 cc (1.1 L; 69.0 cu in). This engine produced 22 kW (30 PS), a 4 kW (5.4 PS) improvement over its predecessor. In 1955,

12648-458: The steering damper. In May 1960, Volkswagen added plastic warm air ducts to decrease noise. In the mid-1960s, the traditional labels "standard" and "export" for the Beetle's model variants were superseded by numerical designations, approximately correlating with the engine displacements. In the October 1961 issue of Motor Trend , Don Werner noted, "Five years ago, out of every ten imported cars sold, six were Volkswagens. [The] latest figures show

12772-802: The time given us. The wheel of history never turns back! Whatever opportunities you miss today will never return! The new year will have 366 days this time; every day, we will cross one off—and soon there will be only four left. No power of heaven or earth will bring those days back. Let us use this time, as long as we are free to do so, as we are now, and as we shall still be for a few years. The Emden facility represented an expenditure exceeding DM154.4   million, with Beetle operations beginning there on 1 December 1964. By late 1965, Volkswagen's annual production exceeded 1,600,000 units, averaging 6,800 units per day. Volkswagen's share of all cars produced in West Germany reached 48.6 per   cent, representing

12896-548: The total West German automotive market and 42.3   per   cent of sub-2,750 lb (1,250 kg) commercial vehicle market there. Nordhoff's recurring encouragement proved to be highly effective. He consistently urged the team to work harder, reduce expenses and avoid complacency and corporate inefficiencies. In January 1960, Nordhoff quoted: We shall some day speak of the Golden Fifties . We are now moving away from them and we must recognise that fact and use

13020-416: The traditional VW semaphore turn signals were replaced by conventional flashing directional indicator lamps for North America, followed by their worldwide replacement in 1961. In 1958, the Beetle received a revised instrument panel, and a larger rectangular rear window replaced the previous oval design. "The 1961 Volkswagen sedan provides the kind of happy surprise that comes when an excellent motor vehicle

13144-786: The village of Fallersleben, built to house workers of the Volkswagen factories erected to assemble what would be later known as the Volkswagen Beetle . During World War II, military cars, aeroplanes, and other military equipment were built there, mainly by forced workers and prisoners-of-war . In 1942, German authorities established the Arbeitsdorf concentration camp in the city for a few months. At least six individuals died while working at this camp. The city and Volkswagen factory were captured on April 11, 1945, by US troops, and about 7,700 forced labourers were liberated from

13268-431: The war, the Beetle experienced a significant growth in success. On 11 April 1945, Fallersleben , where 17,000 people lived, was officially designated " Wolfsburg ". Official series manufacture of the saloon began on 27 December 1945; Volkswagen made fifty-five vehicles by the end of the year. The Volkswagen facility, initially slated for dismantling and transportation to Britain under American control in 1945, faced

13392-573: The world car production record was broken by the Beetle, with a total of 15,007,034 units produced worldwide, thereby surpassing the production figure that had been held by the American Ford Model T for nearly fifty years. Volkswagen donated the car to the Smithsonian Institution for permanent exhibition in its industrial history section. By 1973, over 16   million Beetles had been manufactured. On 1 July 1974,

13516-443: The world's biggest car plant . The Autostadt is a visitor attraction next to the Volkswagen factory that features the company's model range: Audi , Bentley , Bugatti , Ducati , Lamborghini , MAN , Neoplan , Porsche , Scania , SEAT , Škoda Auto and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles . Wolfsburg is one of the few German cities built during the first half of the 20th century as a planned city . From its founding on 1 July 1938 as

13640-467: Was a need for a people's car —a car affordable and practical enough for lower-class people to own—to serve the country's new road network, the Reichsautobahn . Although the Volkswagen Beetle was primarily the conception of Porsche and Hitler, the idea of a "people's car" is much older than Nazism and has existed since the introduction of automotive mass-production. Originally designated as

13764-576: Was adopted in 1955. Volkswagen used a modified version of the Wolfsburg coat of arms as its steering wheel emblem, (and occasionally as a hood ornament, on classic Beetles) until the early 1980s, when it was replaced by the VW roundel. The city of Wolfsburg is a member of the association Braunschweigische Landschaft e.V , with a registered office in Braunschweig and in the Lüneburgischen Landschaftsverband e.V , with

13888-595: Was an important employer for the nearby settlements Rothenfelde and Heßlingen . Some of today's urban districts, including Vorsfelde and the villages transferred to Wolfsburg from the county of Helmstedt , belonged to the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel . Fallersleben and other villages belonged to the Electorate of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, which later developed into the Kingdom of Hanover and became

14012-460: Was at its lowest in the 1980s. The Beetle faced competition from Japanese automakers such as Toyota and Honda , whose cars were uprated in reliability and performance. The closure of Volkswagen's Pennsylvania factory was due to high costs, subpar quality, and poor sales. In the United States, Volkswagen introduced the Rabbit and Corrado , both of which had little success. The overall sales suffered

14136-427: Was available with a semi-automatic transmission and radial-ply tyres . In 1970, the 1500 received a new carburettor and dual circuit braking, and Volkswagen discontinued the 1500. In 1971, the 1200 received a larger windscreen, while the 1300 received a power increase to 32 kW (43 hp) and larger brakes, effectively replacing the 1500. Volkswagen replaced the 1300 with the 1300A "economy version" in 1973 for

14260-485: Was conceived in the early 1930s. The leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler , decided there was a need for a people's car —an inexpensive, simple, mass-produced car—to serve Germany's new road network, the Reichsautobahn . The German engineer Ferdinand Porsche and his design team began developing and designing the car in the early 1930s, but the fundamental design concept can be attributed to Béla Barényi in 1925, predating Porsche's claims by almost ten years. The result

14384-610: Was held in the city centre with about 100,000 people, the first in the history of the city. The centre of Wolfsburg is unique in Germany. Instead of a medieval city centre, Wolfsburg features a new and modern attraction called the Autostadt . The old part of the city Alt Wolfsburg (de) shows some manor buildings in traditional framework style. Atop a hill by the River Aller is the Wolfsburg Castle . The Autostadt

14508-659: Was in a financial crisis and needed German government funding to produce the Beetle's replacement. Consequently, the company introduced a new generation of water-cooled, front-engined, front-wheel-drive models, including the Golf , the Passat , the Polo and the Scirocco , all of which were styled by the Italian automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro . By 1979, the Golf constituted over 50 per cent of Volkswagen sales, and it eventually became Volkswagen's most successful model since

14632-484: Was in the Autostadt complex in 2014. The event sometimes can be seen when there are special events in the complex. Besides the Autostadt, another well-known and distinctive attraction is BadeLand, a beautiful wellness and relaxation centre with a bathing area and various saunas. From about 1,000 inhabitants in 1938, the population of the city increased to 25,000 in 1950 and doubled to 50,000 until 1958. On 1 July 1972,

14756-430: Was massive. It accommodated about 10,000 production machines and covered 10.8   million square feet in roofed area, more than the combined residential area in Wolfsburg . Daily production increased to approximately 5,091, and the plant employed over 43,500 workers. By 1962, Nordhoff had spent over DM675   million in expanding the factory. At that time, Volkswagen sales constituted 34.5   per   cent of

14880-500: Was no longer positioned diagonally at the front under the hood but instead rested horizontally under a cover in the trunk area. The company initially intended to designate the car as the "1301", but a trademark already held by the French company Simca compelled Volkswagen to use "1302" instead. Volkswagen produced the more powerful 1302S alongside the 1302. The latter has an engine displacement of 79 cubic inches (1,300 cm ), while

15004-468: Was officially substituted by the term KdF ( Kraft durch Freude ; German for 'Strength Through Joy') derived from the Nazi organisation once Hitler ceremoniously laid the foundation stone for the Volkswagen factory on 26 May 1938. As part of this organisation, Volkswagen urged workers to "save five marks a week and get your car". Before the completion of the KdF factory, many Germans had already signed up for

15128-522: Was restyled to resemble that of the contemporary Golf and Polo. In 1998, Volkswagen removed the small through-flow ventilation slots behind the rear side windows and standardised front disc brakes. Furthermore, Volkswagen included a security alarm as standard and removed the "1600i" inscription from the engine lid. Over its 65-year tenure, Volkswagen produced the Volkswagen Type 1 in numerous locations worldwide. The following list encompasses all

15252-422: Was the Volkswagen Type 1 and the introduction of the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagen initially slated production for the late 1930s, but the outbreak of war in 1939 meant that production was delayed until the war had ended. The car was originally called the Volkswagen Type 1 and marketed simply as the Volkswagen. It was not until 1968 that it was officially named the "Beetle". Volkswagen implemented designations for

15376-410: Was the government assessor Karl Bock, on enactment #145 of the chief president of the government of Lüneburg effective from 1 July 1938. His allies were also deployed by the government. In 1946, the military government of the British zone of occupation established a communal constitution following the British example. After this, citizens voted for a council that elected a volunteer mayor/lord mayor as

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