VW Moments

In 1949, Dutch businessman Ben Pon arrived in New York with two Volkswagen Type 1 vehicles. Pon struggled initially to sell the cars. Volkswagen of America was established in 1955 to organize dealers and provide parts and service. In 1959, the brand ran its first “Think Small” ad touting the benefits of the air-cooled, easy-to-maintain Beetle.

From the Beetle and the Bus, through the Rabbit, Jetta and GTI, and to the Tiguan and Atlas, Volkswagen has always maintained its status as “the people’s car” delivering not just great value in transportation, but fun-to-drive cars with a unique style. In the words of an early advertisement using the NASA lunar landing vehicle “It’s Ugly but It gets You There.”

The Beetle, Bus and more niche models such as the Karmann Ghia were parts of ‘60s culture, from Woodstock to Hollywood. Volkswagen responded to demand by adding the Dasher and Squareback to its model line. The ‘70s brought demands for even more efficient models, and the first-generation Scirocco joined the lineup, followed by the Golf with its American name—the Rabbit.

Volkswagen built its first US plant in Westmoreland, Pennsylvania in 1978, and eventually assembled more than 1.1 million Rabbits there. That plant also assembled Volkswagen’s first American sporty car, the Rabbit GTI, a model that would win over generations of fans and result in several “hot-hatch competitors.”

Throughout the 1980s and ‘90s, Volkswagen offered an increasing level of sophistication and refinement in models like the Jetta and Passat. As retro culture came into vogue in the ‘90s, Volkswagen showed the Concept 1, a reimagination of the classic Beetle. It was so well received that the brand launched the New Beetle in 1998.

The company broke ground on its Chattanooga assembly plant in 2008, signaling a shift to localized production in one of the brand’s growth non-union markets. Since that time, the company has invested more than $4.3 billion in its Tennessee operations and claims it created more than 125,000 direct and indirect American jobs. In July 2022, the plant began production of its all-electric ID.4 compact SUV, its first electric vehicle assembled in the United States. The plant is also home to the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport SUVs.

In 2023, the brand unveiled its next two vehicles in its growing electric portfolio: the ID.7 and the three-row ID. Buzz. Available later this year, the all-electric ID. Buzz nods to the brand’s iconic Microbus with a retro design, but equipped with EV technology and driver-assistance systems. Also slated for the second half of 2024, the ID.7 is the first all-electric Volkswagen in the premium mid-size sedan segment.