VW’s triumphs and tribulations
Despite falling sales in U.S.,
1972:
Beetle breaks world car production
record set by
15,007,034 units built worldwide
with
Ford Model T
VW introduces new models
1974:
including
firm from potential
bankruptcy
credited with saving
Golf,
New Chancellor of Germany,
1933:
calls for a people’s car –
Adolf Hitler,
“volkswagen” – that average family
can afford
German government founds
1937:
VW buys
1990s:
Bentley, Bugatti,
state-owned
Volkswagenwerk
Skoda
and
Lamborghini, Seat
Designed
1939:
New CEO
1993:
Ferdinand Piech
by
Ferdinand
poaches
from
Jose Ignacio Lopez
first cars
Porsche,
General Motors. Law suits follow
amid claims of industrial espionage
roll off production
line in modern-day
Wolfsburg
After
1945-46:
World War II, heavily
bombed factory restarts production.
British Army buys 20,000 vehicles.
Company renamed
launched
1998:
New Beetle
Volkswagen
After nearly 70 years
Jul 2003:
Volkswagen exports its first
1949:
of production last of 21,529,464
Beetles rolls off line in Mexico
cars to North America
Iconic
1950:
VW buys 49.9% stake in
2009:
VW Microbus
for €3.9 billion
Porsche
camper van
debuts. Factories
opened in
Australia, Britain,
Brazil and South Africa
VW buys remaining half
2012:
of Porsche’s car-making operations
2014:
VW makes
one in nine vehicles
in world and employs
592,000 people.
Annual revenue hits
record €202.5 billion
Advertising
1959:
agency
Doyle Dane
launches
Bernbach
landmark
Beetle
VW admits cheating
Sep 2015:
advertising campaign
U.S. diesel emissions tests – agrees
to recall 11 million diesel vehicles
VW buys
1960s:
Disney’s first
Audi.
Shares tumble as emission
Nov:
Herbie film,
The Love
problems spread to petrol cars
released
Bug,
Pictures: Associated Press, German Federal Archive, Getty Images, VW
© GRAPHIC NEWS
VW’s triumphs
and tribulations
New Chancellor of Germany,
1933:
Adolf Hitler,
calls for a people’s car – “volkswagen” – that
average family can afford
German government founds
1937:
state-owned
Volkswagenwerk
Designed by
1939:
Ferdinand
first cars roll off production
Porsche,
line in modern-day Wolfsburg
Ferdinand Porsche and 1937 VW-30 prototype.
Note rear-hinged doors, lack of rear window, and
louvres required by rear-mounted, air-cooled engine
After World War II, heavily bombed
1945-46:
factory restarts production. British Army buys 20,000
vehicles. Company renamed
Volkswagen
Volkswagen exports its first cars to U.S.
1949:
Iconic
1950:
VW Microbus
camper van
debuts. Factories
opened in
Australia, Britain,
Brazil and
South Africa
Advertising
1959:
agency
Doyle Dane
launches
Bernbach
landmark
advertising campaign
Beetle
1960s:
VW buys
Audi.
Disney’s first
Herbie film,
The Love
Bug,
released
Despite falling sales in U.S., Beetle
1972:
breaks world car production record set by
with 15,007,034 units built
Ford Model T
worldwide
VW introduces new models including
1974:
Golf,
credited with saving
firm from potential
bankruptcy
VW buys
1990s:
Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini,
and
Seat
Skoda
New CEO
1993:
poaches
Ferdinand Piech
Jose Ignacio Lopez
from
General Motors. Law suits
follow amid claims of
industrial espionage
launched
1998:
New Beetle
After nearly 70 years of production
Jul 2003:
last of 21,529,464 Beetles rolls off line in Mexico
2007:
Martin Winterkorn
appointed CEO. He introduces
MQB – Modularer
Querbaukasten – standardised,
interchangeable engines and
transmissions from which to
build variety of cars
VW buys 49.9% stake in
2009:
for €3.9 billion
Porsche
VW buys remaining half of
2012:
Porsche’s car-making operations
VW makes one in nine
2014:
vehicles in world and employs 592,000 people.
Annual revenue hits record €202.5 billion
VW admits cheating
Sep 2015:
U.S. diesel emissions tests –
agrees to recall 11 million
diesel vehicles.
Winterkorn resigns.
Matthias Mueller,
62-year-old Porsche
chief, named CEO
in bid to recover
from scandal
Shares tumble
Nov:
€23 billion
as emission problems
spread to petrol cars.
Volkswagen’s shares have plunged by nearly
30% since scandal broke in September, wiping
€23 billion off company’s market capitalisation
Pictures: Associated Press, German
Federal Archive, Getty Images, Volkswagen
© GRAPHIC NEWS
VW’s triumphs
and tribulations
New Chancellor of
1933:
Germany,
calls for
Adolf Hitler,
a people’s car – “volkswagen” –
that average family can afford
German
1937:
government founds
state-owned
Volkswagenwerk
Designed by
1939:
first cars
Ferdinand Porsche,
roll off production line in
modern-day Wolfsburg
Ferdinand Porsche
and 1937 VW-30
prototype.
Note rear-hinged
doors, lack of rear
window, and louvres
required by rear-mounted,
air-cooled engine
After World War II,
1945-46:
heavily bombed factory restarts
production. British Army buys
20,000 vehicles. Company
renamed
Volkswagen
Volkswagen exports
1949:
its first cars to U.S.
Iconic
1950:
VW Microbus
camper van debuts. Factories
opened in
Australia,
Britain,
Brazil
and South
Africa
Advertising agency
1959:
Doyle Dane Bernbach
launches landmark
advertising campaign
Beetle
1960s:
VW buys
Audi.
Disney’s first
Herbie film,
The Love Bug,
released
Despite falling sales in
1972:
U.S., Beetle breaks world car
production record set by
with 15,007,034
Ford Model T
units built worldwide
VW introduces new
1974:
models including
credited with saving
firm from potential
bankruptcy
Golf,
VW buys
1990s:
Bentley, Bugatti,
Lamborghini,
Seat
and
Skoda
New CEO
1993:
Ferdinand Piech
poaches
Jose
from
Ignacio Lopez
General Motors.
Law suits follow
amid claims of
industrial espionage
launched
1998:
New Beetle
After nearly 70 years
Jul 2003:
of production last of 21,529,464
Beetles rolls off line in Mexico
2007:
Martin
Winterkorn
appointed
CEO. He
introduces
MQB –
Modularer
Querbaukasten –
standardised, interchangeable
engines and transmissions
from which to build variety of cars
VW buys
2009:
49.9% stake in
for
Porsche
€3.9 billion
VW buys
2012:
remaining half of Porsche’s
car-making operations
VW makes one in nine
2014:
vehicles in world and employs
592,000 people. Annual revenue
hits record €202.5 billion
VW admits cheating
Sep 2015:
U.S. diesel emissions tests –
agrees to recall 11 million
diesel vehicles. Winterkorn
resigns.
Matthias Mueller,
62-year-old Porsche
chief, named CEO
in bid to recover
from scandal
€23bn
Shares tumble as
Nov:
emission problems spread to
petrol cars. Volkswagen’s shares
have plunged by nearly 30%
since scandal broke in
September, wiping €23 billion off
company’s market capitalisation
Pictures: Associated Press, German
Federal Archive, Getty Images, Volkswagen
© GRAPHIC NEWS
BUSINESS
VW’s highs and lows
November 4, 2015 - Shares in carmaker Volkswagen have continued to fall after it said it had understated fuel consumption of 800,000 cars sold in Europe. VW’s share price has declined by 40% since the start of the year and more than 26% since September, when it admitted to using software designed to cheat at emissions tests.