| When people talk about Volkswagen, the first thing | | | | released several other models like the Golf, Polo and |
| that usually pops up in their mind is the ever-popular | | | | the Passat with varying degrees of success and with |
| Type 1 or Beetle model. The German-based car | | | | the Golf as its mainstay model. It wasn't until 1998 that |
| manufacturing company first entered the scene during | | | | Volkswagen decided to go back to its roots, releasing |
| the late 1930's when Adolf Hitler asked Ferdinand | | | | the New Beetle, a design which was based on the |
| Porsche Sr. to design an automobile that would be | | | | Golf chassis but retained some similarities to the |
| more accessible to the common man. The result was | | | | original, providing a huge boosts to the brand up to the |
| the very first Beetle (known that time as the | | | | present. |
| KdF-Wagen), which despite only having less than 200 | | | | Much of Volkswagen's prominence can easily be |
| parts, served as Volkswagen's foundation throughout | | | | attributed to the staying power of their first model, the |
| its history. After the Second World War, the company | | | | Beetle. Originally an economy vehicle, the classic Type |
| fell into disarray but bounced back when British Army | | | | 1 sported an air-cooled engine, making it easily |
| Major Ivan Hirst took over the felled factory. This | | | | customizable and came with durable and easily |
| came after American forces handed control over to | | | | repairable parts. |
| the British. The Beetle was once again put to | | | | The use of VW Parts are not limited to the Beetle |
| production despite the damage brought on by the war, | | | | alone, as other companies have collaborated with |
| with the Wolfsburg factory producing around 1000 | | | | Volkswagen or used Volkswagen Auto Parts and |
| cars per month. | | | | components to produce their cars, like the Porsche 914 |
| As Germany started recovering from the aftermath | | | | and 914-6 and the Porsche 356. |
| of WWII, Volkswagen would further grow and break | | | | VW Parts were also provided for a series commercial |
| into foreign markets, most notably that of the US | | | | trucks under the joint venture between the |
| automotive industry. Volkswagen also ventured on | | | | Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and MAN AG, |
| other projects, releasing the Type 2 or Transporter, a | | | | whose production was from 1979 to 1993. |
| van based on the design of the Beetle. Despite the | | | | Finally, other industries also found use for VW Parts, |
| shaky start, the Type 2 and the Beetle became the | | | | specifically the Volkswagen air cooled engine, which |
| front runners for Volkswagen throughout the 1960s to | | | | found action on many experimental airplanes during the |
| the 1970s with Volkswagen releasing updated versions | | | | 60's. In Australia, the engine was used in rather odd |
| periodically. The mid-60s was also the time that | | | | ways, powering a ski lift for the Thredbo ski resort in |
| Volkswagen started acquiring different subsidiaries, | | | | New South Wales, and also modified as an |
| effectively making it the Volkswagen Group. | | | | air-compressor for some remote mining communities. |
| From the 1970s and onward Volkswagen has also | | | | |