Who founded Volkswagen?

VOLKSWAGEN are among the biggest car manufacturers in the world, synonymous with their iconic camper vans and the Beetle.

So who founded the automotive giant, and who owns them now?

Who founded Volkswagen?

Volkswagen have produced some of car-making’s most iconic vehicles.

Old models of their classic Beetle are coveted by car collectors, and the firm is among the biggest names in the industry.

The company started shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, and mass-production didn’t begin until the mid 1940s.

Volkswagen Group – also known as Volkswagen AG – was founded in 1937 by the German government to mass-produce affordable cars.

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The firm was originally operated by the German Labour Front, the labour organisation of the Nazi Party.

World War II began in 1939 before mass-production could start, with the factory used to produce military vehicles and equipment.

It became a target for bombing by the Allies, and was in ruins by the time the war ended.

But the factory was later rebuilt under British supervision, and mass-production started in 1947.

Production of their staple model the Beetle ended in 2019, having sold over 21 million across the car’s three generations internationally.

Who owns Volkswagen?

The company is owned by Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft (otherwise known as the Volkswagen Group or Volkswagen AG).

It’s headquarted in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany, and has 120 production plants worldwide.

Porsche Automobil Holding SE, also known as Porsche SE, are the firm’s largest shareholder.

Porsche SE is a multinational corporation majority owned by the Austrian-German Porsche–Piëch family.

Which car brands does Volkswagen Group own?

Volkswagen also has some of the sector’s most prestigious brands and companies in its portfolio.

It comprises 10 brands from five European countries.

This includes some of the car industry’s most celebrated luxury car and sports car companies.

They are: