54 production models

27 discontinued models

history

The history of the “People's Car”, Volkswagen, begins on May 28th 1937 when the “Geselschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagen mbH” company is created. A year later it is renamed into “Volkswagenwerk GmbH” has it's headquarters established in Wolfsburg, a city especially created for the workers on the Volkswagen plant that are going to mass produce Hitler's dream car for the average German, designed by Ferdinand Porsche.

But Hitler's plans weren't going to materialize because WWII started and the plant switched production to armaments and the vehicles under the VW logo went to the army of the Third Reich. After the war, the plant at Wolfsburg went under Allied control, British to be specific, and under the supervision of Major Ivan Hirst, Volkswagen began the mass production of the Type 1, or the Beetle as it would come to be known throughout the world.

Initial sales abroad were disastrous, but through clever advertising, the Beetle gained popularity with the young crowd and from 1945 to 1955 numbers reached the 1 million mark. Meanwhile, sometime at the end of the 40s, Volkswagen also introduced the Type 2, a people carrier, known as the “VW Bully”.

Even through the 60s and 70s, the Beetle manages to stay on top of sales, despite the fact that it was becoming obsolete. Reliability, easy maintenance and reduced fuel consumption made the car remain a consumer favorite. On February 17th 1972, Volkswagen celebrated selling over 15 million units of the Beetle sold, thus surpassing the Ford Model T as the most popular car in the world, a title which it still holds to this day.

Despite the success it had with the Beetle, by the beginning of the 70s, Volkswagen AG was in dire need of new models to replace the aging Beetle. The help came from Audi/Auto Union, which WV had bought back in the sixties. They brought with them the knowledge for front-wheel drive vehicles and water-cooled engines.

In 1974, the first Golf rolls out of the factory's door and becomes and instant hit. Marketed as the Rabbit in the United States and Canada, it was responsible for putting Volkswagen back on the map. That same year, a more sporty model, the Scirocco makes it's way onto the Volkswagen line up. For the smaller car market, the German car maker came up with the Polo in 1976, which was quite popular throughout Western Europe.

The next decade saw Volkswagen trying to improve their products with new generations of all the older models and expanding their influence by taking over Spanish manufacturer Seat and the Czech-based Skoda Auto.

As the 90s rolled in, VW-owned Audi became a direct competitor for BMW and Mercedes-Benz with products designed for a more pretentious market. This left a void in the general market which Volkswagen now tried to fill. The third generation vehicles now came with better quality and standards. Gradually, new luxury models were introduced, like the Touareg, a premium off-road vehicle.

In the last decade, Volkswagen has been busy trying to set records when it comes to CO2 emissions and fuel-efficient technologies. This applies to their normal engines, running on gas and diesel, but they are also developing hybrids.

expand

VOLKSWAGEN news:

1 VW Karmann Ghia Type 14: The Story of a Forgotten Coachbuilt, Air-Cooled Icon

2 DIY Micro Camper Integrates Much-Needed Practical Features Into a Minuscule Space

3 Volkswagen Recalls ID.4 Over Insufficiently Fire Retardant Sunshade

4 Vatican City Is Going Electric, the First Volkswagen ID.3s Have Already Arrived

5 2025 VW Golf R Spied in Hatch and Wagon Flavors, Can You Spot the Changes?

6 2024 Volkswagen Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport Secure Top Safety Pick+ Ratings From the IIHS

7 Volkswagen Has To Shut Down Production at Its Largest Plant in Germany

8 Volkswagen ID.7 Electric Sedan Goes on Sale, Offer Includes a Free Wall Charger

9 VW Golf R 333 Deliveries Under Way, Most Expensive Golf Ever Set To Take Germany by Storm

10 2024 Volkswagen Passat Sedan Rendering Is Merely Wishful Thinking

VOLKSWAGEN Models & Brand History

production models:

sort:year name

VOLKSWAGEN ID.3

hatchbacks

Electric

2 generations

2020 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan (US)

suvs

Gasoline

1 generation

2021 - 2023

VOLKSWAGEN Touareg R

suvs

Hybrid · Plug-in hybrid

2 generations

2020 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Atlas

suvs

Gasoline

3 generations

2017 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Touareg

suvs

Diesel · Gasoline · Hybrid · Plug-in hybrid

6 generations

2002 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Passat Variant

wagons

Gasoline · Diesel · Natural gas · Plug-in hybrid · Mild hybrid

11 generations

1974 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Multivan

vans

Diesel · Gasoline · Hybrid gasoline

4 generations

2003 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf R Variant

wagons

Gasoline

3 generations

2015 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Polo 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

11 generations

1994 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf R

hatchbacks

Gasoline

9 generations

2002 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Jetta / Vento / Bora

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel · Natural gas · Hybrid gasoline

9 generations

1992 - present

VOLKSWAGEN T-Roc

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2017 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Polo GTI

hatchbacks

Gasoline

5 generations

2005 - present

VOLKSWAGEN T-Roc Cabriolet

suvs

Gasoline ·

2 generations

2019 - present

VOLKSWAGEN T-Roc R

suvs

Gasoline ·

2 generations

2019 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTI / GTD / GTE

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel · Mild hybrid · Hybrid

19 generations

1976 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf Variant

wagons

Gasoline · Diesel · Natural gas · Mild hybrid

7 generations

1993 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan Allspace

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2017 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf Alltrack

wagons

Diesel · Gasoline · Mild hybrid

3 generations

2014 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Arteon

sedans

Diesel · Gasoline · Hybrid gasoline

4 generations

2017 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Tiguan

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel

5 generations

2008 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Amarok

trucks

Diesel · Gasoline

4 generations

2009 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf 5 Doors

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel · Natural gas · Hybrid

11 generations

1974 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Passat GTE

sedans

Hybrid · Hybrid gasoline

2 generations

2015 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Passat Alltrack

wagons

Gasoline · Diesel

3 generations

2012 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Passat

sedans

Gasoline · Natural gas · Diesel

12 generations

1981 - present

VOLKSWAGEN e-UP!

hatchbacks

Electric

2 generations

2013 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Passat Variant GTE

wagons

Hybrid

2 generations

2015 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf Sportsvan

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2014 - present

VOLKSWAGEN up!

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Natural gas

4 generations

2012 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Caddy

vans

Gasoline · Diesel · Natural gas

3 generations

2005 - present

VOLKSWAGEN e-Golf

hatchbacks

Electric

2 generations

2014 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Touran

vans

Gasoline · Diesel · Hybrid · Natural gas

6 generations

2003 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Scirocco R

coupes

Gasoline

2 generations

2009 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Scirocco

hatchbacks

Gasoline · Diesel

4 generations

1977 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Gol

hatchbacks

Ethanol

2 generations

2008 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Sharan

vans

Gasoline · Diesel

3 generations

1996 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Polo Sedan

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

1996 - present

VOLKSWAGEN ID.5 GTX

suvs

Electric

1 generation

2021 - present

VOLKSWAGEN ID.5

suvs

Electric

1 generation

2021 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Golf GTD Variant

wagons

Diesel

1 generation

2015 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Transporter Kombi

vans

Diesel · Gasoline

1 generation

2015 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Jetta GLI

sedans

Gasoline

1 generation

2021 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Taigo

suvs

Gasoline

1 generation

2021 - present

VOLKSWAGEN T-Cross

suvs

Gasoline · Diesel

2 generations

2018 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Atlas Cross Sport

suvs

Gasoline

2 generations

2019 - present

VOLKSWAGEN ID.4

suvs

Electric

2 generations

2020 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Arteon Shooting Brake

wagons

Hybrid gasoline · Gasoline

2 generations

2020 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Polo BlueGT

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

2013 - present

VOLKSWAGEN ID.7

sedans

Electric

1 generation

2023 - present

VOLKSWAGEN ID. Buzz

vans

Electric ·

2 generations

2023 - present

VOLKSWAGEN up! GTI

hatchbacks

Gasoline

1 generation

2018 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Nivus

suvs

Gasoline

1 generation

2020 - present

VOLKSWAGEN Vento

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel

sedans

Gasoline · Diesel

1 generation

1982 - 1985

VOLKSWAGEN XL1

sedans

Hybrid

1 generation

2013 - 2016