Volkswagen (abbreviated VW) is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers.
In 9 December 2009, Volkswagen AG and Suzuki reached a common understanding to establish a close long-term strategic partnership. Volkswagen will purchase 19.9% of Suzuki’s issued shares. A VW Golf turbo-diesel hybrid concept car was exhibited at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show, which has a fuel economy of 70 mpg (3.3 litres per 100 km). Compelled by the second oil crisis, and after development and testing with government fleets by the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA) (CTA) at São José dos Campos, and further testing of several prototypes developed by the four local carmakers, including Volkswagen do Brasil, neat ethanol vehicles were launched in the Brazilian market beginning in that year. and remaining gasoline-engine sales comes from imports. The flex fuel models produced for the local market are Gol, Fox, CrossFox, Parati, Polo Hatch, Polo Sedan, Saveiro, Golf, and Kombi. It uses a all-integrated drive electric motor, (continuously rated at ) mounted at the front and driving the front wheels.
Hybrid electric vehicles
Volkswagen and
Sanyo have teamed up to develop a battery system for
hybrid electric vehicles.
Volkswagen head
Martin Winterkorn has confirmed the company plans to build compact hybrid electric vehicles. He has stated "There will definitely be compact hybrid models, such as
Polo and
Golf, and without any great delay", with gasoline and
diesel engines. For example, Golf is the ideal model to go hybrid as the Golf 1.4 TSI was recently awarded the “Auto Environment Certificate” by the
Oko-Trend Institute for Environmental Research, and was considered as one of the most environmentally friendly vehicles of 2007. Also underway at Volkswagen's
Braunschweig R&D; facilities in Northern Germany is a hybrid version of the next-generation
Touareg.
VW intends all future models to have the hybrid option. “Future VW models will fundamentally also be constructed with hybrid concepts,” VW head of development Ulrich Hackenberg told Automobilwoche in an interview. Hackenberg mentioned that the car based on the Up! concept seen at Frankfurt Motor Show, as well as all future models, could be offered with either full or partial hybrid options. The rear-engine up! will go into production in 2011. Nothing has been said about plug-in hybrid options.
Volkswagen announced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show the launch of the 2012 Touareg Hybrid, scheduled for 2011. VW also announced plans to introduce diesel-electric hybrid versions of its most popular models in 2012, beginning with the new Jetta, followed by the Golf Hybrid in 2013 together with hybrid versions of the Passat.
Environmental record
Volkswagen first implemented its seven environmental goals in Technical Development in 1996. The plan contains themes involving climate protection, resource conservation, and healthcare, through objectives such as reducing greenhouse emissions and fuel consumption, enabling the use of alternative fuels, and avoiding the use of hazardous materials. The original 1996 goals have since been revised in 2002 and 2007. Volkswagen was the first car manufacturer to apply
ISO 14000, during its drafting stage and was re-certified under the standards in September 2005.
Motorsport
In 1963,
Formula Vee circuit racing, with cars built from easily available
Beetle parts, started in the United States. It quickly spread to Europe and other parts of the world. It proved very popular as a low-cost route into formula racing.
In 1971, Volkswagen of America started the more powerful Formula Super Vee, which became famous for hothousing new talent. In the 11 years it ran, until 1982, it produced a stable of world-famous Formula One drivers—names like Niki Lauda, Jochen Mass, Nelson Piquet, Jochen Rindt and Keke Rosberg. Volkswagen also notched up several victories, and the championship in Formula Three.
In 1976, Volkswagen entered the under-2000-cc
Trans-Am Series, with the Scirocco, and they won their class outright.
In 1981, now based in Hanover, and renamed Volkswagen Motorsport, VW took a new direction into rallying, with the launch of the first-generation Golf, and Sweden's Per Eklund, Frenchman Jean-Luc Thérier, and the Finn Pentti Airikkala. The final chapters in Volkswagen Racing UK's rallying story were the 'one-make' Castrol Polo Challenge, and the Polo GTI 'Super 1600' in 2001.
In 2000, Volkswagen started a one-make racing cup with the newly released to Europe New Beetle called the ADAC New Beetle Cup. Beside that, the ADAC Volkswagen Lupo Cup, founded in 1998, is continued to support young talents on the way to the top.
In 2001, the department was renamed Volkswagen Racing, and since then has concentrated all its efforts on developing its circuit racing championship, the Volkswagen Racing Cup.
In 2003, VW replaced the ADAC Volkswagen Lupo Cup with the newly released Polo, to become the ADAC Volkswagen Polo Cup.
In 2004, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles entered the European Truck Racing series with the Volkswagen Titan series truck – it became back-to-back champions for the 2004 and 2005 series.
The Dakar
In 1980, Volkswagen competed in the Paris-Dakar Rally with the Audi developed Iltis, placing 1st, 2nd, 4th and 9th overall.
Volkswagen enlists Dakar Champion Jutta Kleinschmidt, the first woman to win the Dakar rally in 2001, to help design and compete a Dakar Racer.
In 2003, the Hanover based team starts with a 2WD buggy named Tarek. It placed 6th outright but took 1st in the 2WD and Diesel class.
In 2004, VW enters the newly developed Race-Touareg T2, finishing 6th overall and 2nd in the Diesel class.
In 2005, an updated Race-Touareg with slightly more power is entered, with driver Bruno Saby, finishing in 3rd overall and 1st in the Diesel class.
In 2006, Volkswagen released the most powerful Race-Touareg yet: the Race-Touareg 2. Five vehicles entered, with driver Giniel de Villiers finishing in 2nd place overall, and 1st in the Diesel class.
In 2009, Volkswagen won the 2009 Dakar Rally held in Argentina and Chile. Race Touareg 2 finished 1st and 2nd.
In 2010, Volkswagen won the 2010 Dakar Rally held in Argentina and Chile. Race Touareg 2 defends 2009 victory with first three places.
Volkswagen motorsport: around the world
Below are Official, or Dealership-sponsored Volkswagen Racing activities, outside Germany:
China rally participation: Shanghai-VW Santana, Shanghai-VW Polo, FAW-VW Jetta, and Shanghai-VW supported the 1st Shanghai F1 Grand Prix, with a Polo Cup support series.
South Africa rally participation: VW Polo, SEAT Ibiza based Polo Playa, VW Citi and VW Golf. Circuit participation: SEAT Ibiza based Polo Derby/Classic, A3 engined series which supports the A1 Racing series, and the GTI-engined F3 style racing series.
France: A French Volkswagen team entered the 2000 and 2001 Le Mans Series, with their 2.0 Turbo racer, which produced around 356 kW/485 hp.
Argentina: Many Volkswagen models have competed in TC 2000, including the 1980 to 1983 champion Volkswagen 1500 and the 1994 champion Volkswagen Gol.
Brazil rally participation: Gol and Voyage, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles heavy trucks. Circuit participation: Brasilia, Karmann Ghia, and Gol, Voyage. The Bora used nowadays in Stock Car Brasil is actually a plastic body around a tubular chassis with Chevrolet V8 engine.
Peru: VW Peru Rally the Fox in the S1600 class.
Japan circuit participation: Golf, Lupo and Polo Cup's.
Poland circuit participation: Golf with TDI Cup.
United Kingdom circuit participation: Lupo, Polo, Golf, Jetta (Vento/Bora),
Scirocco,
Corrado, Beetle, Type 3, and
Caddy. Rally entries: Beetle, Type 3, Polo and Golf. VW Racing UK now have their own cup; they also have had Rallyed a Polo 1600 class and Golf TDI.
Australia: VW has a very close relationship with motorsport. It was the REDeX and Mobil Trials of the 1950s which propelled VW to be a sales success in Australia. In 1999 and 2000, VW won the F2 Australian Rally Championship with the Golf GTI. In 2001 and 2002, VW raced the New Beetle RSI in the GT Performance series, it was close to the top of the board both seasons. In 2003, VW Australia was the first to race and develop the R32 Golf in the 2004 GT Performance series, and came 2nd overall.
Finland: In 2002, VW won the
Finnish Rally Championship in a7/(F2), with a Golf Mk4 KitCar, with
Mikko Hirvonen. In 1999 and 2000, VW won the Finnish Rally Championship in a7/(F2) with a Golf Mk3 KitCar. In 2000, 2001 and 2002, VW won the Finnish Racing Championship in Sport 2000 with a Golf Mk4.
Austria: From 1967 until 1974, the Austrian sole distributor "Porsche Salzburg (Austria)" successfully entered the
VW Beetle (1500, 1302S and 1303S) in Europe-wide rallies. Victories were achieved in 1972 and 1973 in the overall Austrian championship, on Elba, in the Acropolis rally (first in class). The last versions used the 1600 cc engine with and a 5-speed Porsche 914 transmission. Top drivers were
Tony Fall (GB),
Achim Warmbold (D), Günter Janger (A),
Harry Källström(S).
United States: Beginning in 2008 Volkswagen introduced the Jetta TDI Cup. The Jetta TDI Cup is a SCCA sanctioned race series that features 25 drivers between the ages of 16 and 26 driving slightly modified 2009 Jetta TDIs. The series features 10 events at 8 different road courses across North America. There is $50,000 prize money at stake over the course of the series in addition to the $100,000 prize awarded to the champion of the series at the conclusion of the last race.
Motorsport gallery
See also
Baron Klaus von Oertzen – ''"father" of Volkswagen in South Africa
Murat Günak Twike – hybrid vehicle developed by former VW employee
Standard Superior – Volkswagen prototype by Josef Ganz
Volkswagen advertising history
VDub – tagline for the recent VWoA Golf GTI TV advertisement
List of German cars
Twin Drive
Baja bug
Cal Look
Punch buggy
Steyr 50
Volksrod
VW 276 Schlepperfahrzeug, military use 1944
Notes & references
External links
Official site
Volkswagen.com Volkswagen Cars Worldwide portal
Official Website concerning Historic Volkswagen Products (German)
Official Motorsport links
Volkswagen-Motorsport.com Volkswagen Motorsport corporate site , ,
Volkswagen-Group-Motorsport.info Volkswagen Group Motorsport official Press Release website ,
Volkswagen Racing UK
* VW-Cup.co.uk Hankook Volkswagen Racing Cup official site
Volkswagen South Africa Racing official website
New Technology Volkswagen’s 115mpg
Volkswagen Turtle Automobil Association(VKOD)-Turkey
Volkswagen Endurance Cup Netherlands
Unaffiliated sites
The Volkswagen Beetle Community
1938 essay on the early VW
eBahn.com official aftermarket technical information site for Volkswagen of America and Audi of America
Volkswagen Owners Club Forum Volkswagen Owners Discussion Forum
Chicago Volkswagen Organization
Category:Car manufacturers of Germany
Category:Companies established in 1937
Category:German brands
Category:Companies of Germany
Category:Cars of Germany
Category:Motor vehicle manufacturers of Germany
Category:Motor vehicle companies
![Volkswagen Constellation 19.320 Titan tractor unit, at the 2006 IAA Nutzfahrzeuge (Commercial Vehicles show) in Hannover The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass (GCM)[1] segment.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110404063241im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/95/f5/8ceae55f421f0dd36c115214c791_grande.jpg "Volkswagen Constellation 19.320 Titan tractor unit, at the 2006 IAA Nutzfahrzeuge (Commercial Vehicles show) in Hannover The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass (GCM)[1] segment.")
![Volkswagen Constellation 19.320 Titan tractor unit, at the 2006 IAA Nutzfahrzeuge (Commercial Vehicles show) in Hannover The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass (GCM)[1] segment.](http://web.archive.org./web/20110404063241im_/http://cdn.wn.com/pd/95/f5/8ceae55f421f0dd36c115214c791_thumb.jpg "Volkswagen Constellation 19.320 Titan tractor unit, at the 2006 IAA Nutzfahrzeuge (Commercial Vehicles show) in Hannover The Volkswagen Constellation is the flagship truck from Volkswagen Trucks and Buses line, covering the 13-57 tonne gross combination mass (GCM)[1] segment.")
