Volkswagen AG, also known as the Volkswagen Group internationally and with its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany, is a multinational automobile manufacturer. The company has been publicly listed since the late 2000s, but Porsche SE, which is half-owned and entirely controlled by the German-Austrian Porsche and Pich family, controls it. The business creates, produces, and sells motorcycles, passenger and commercial vehicles, engines, and turbomachinery in addition to providing related services including financing, leasing, and fleet management. It surpassed Toyota to become the largest manufacturer in the world by sales in 2016, maintaining this position in 20172019 with 10.9 million vehicles sold. [5] For more than 20 years, it has consistently held the greatest market share in Europe. [6] On the 2020 Fortune Global 500 list of the biggest businesses in the world, it came in at number seven. [7]
In addition to selling passenger cars under the Audi, Bentley, Cupra, Lamborghini, Porsche, SEAT, koda, and Volkswagen names, the Volkswagen Group also sells motorcycles under the Ducati brand, light commercial vehicles under the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles name, and heavy commercial vehicles under the names of listed subsidiary Traton (IC Bus, International, MAN, Scania and Volkswagen Caminhes e nibus). It consists of the Automotive Division and the Financial Services Division as its two main divisions, and as of 2008, it had roughly 342 subsidiary businesses. [8] FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen are two other significant joint ventures for Volkswagen in China. The business operates in about 150 nations and has 100 production sites spread across 27 nations.
In 1937, Volkswagen was established in Berlin and incorporated in Wolfsburg with the goal of producing the car that would come to be known as the Beetle. In the 1950s and 1960s, the company’s production increased significantly. It purchased Auto Union in 1965, which went on to build the first Audi vehicles after World War II. In the 1970s, Volkswagen introduced a new line of front-wheel-drive cars, including the Passat, Polo, and Golf, which went on to become its best-selling model. SEAT became Volkswagen’s first non-German brand when the corporation acquired a controlling interest in it in 1986. Volkswagen also gained ownership of koda in 1994, Bentley, Lamborghini, and Bugatti in 1998, Scania in 2008, and Ducati, MAN, and Porsche in 2012. Over the past ten years, the company’s operations in China have expanded significantly, making China its largest market.
Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft is a publicly traded business with secondary listings on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange and SIX Swiss Exchange in addition to its principal listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, where it is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index. Since 1988, it has been traded via American depositary receipts in the US; it is currently traded on the OTC Market. In 2013, Volkswagen ceased trading on the London Stock Exchange. [9] [10] The Lower Saxony government owns 12.7% of the company’s shares, giving it legally 20% of the voting rights. [11]
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Do you think Volkswagen owns Audi?
Ten brands from five different European nations make up the Group: Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Ducati, KODA, SEAT, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The Volkswagen Group also has a large number of additional brands and business divisions, including financial services. Volkswagen Financial Services includes leasing, leasing for customers and dealers, banking, insurance, and fleet management services.
The Volkswagen Group is laying the groundwork for the biggest change process in its history with its NEW AUTO – Mobility for Generations to Come Group strategy and future program: the realignment of one of the best automakers to become a leading provider of sustainable mobility on a global scale. To do so, the Group will change its core automotive business, which will include, among other things, the introduction of another 30 or more fully electric vehicles by 2025 and the expansion of battery technology and autonomous driving as new key businesses.
Who is the owner of Audi?
Who owns Audi, one of the top German automakers still today? The Volkswagen Group subsidiary Audi has continued to make high-end automobiles that dazzle with their opulent features and superb performance while staying faithful to its German heritage.
Is Volkswagen the same corporation as Audi?
Is Audi a Volkswagen property? Yes. The bigger Volkswagen Group, with its headquarters in Germany’s Bavaria, includes Audi. The Volkswagen Group also owns numerous other car brands, including Bentley, Bugatti, Porsche, and Lamborghini.
Who owns Volkswagen?
The Volkswagen Group of America, a division of the Volkswagen Group, is in charge of overseeing the manufacturing and marketing of Volkswagen automobiles. Every year, the Volkswagen Group of America collaborates with more than 600 privately held Volkswagen dealerships.
Why do Volkswagens resemble Audi vehicles?
Although they differ in terms of grilles, features, and unquestionably pricing, there is frequently something about their shapes that resembles one another. That’s because the Volkswagen Group, a sizable conglomerate that owns the luxury brand Audi in addition to several other luxury brands Bentley and Lamborghini are also owned by VW.
Who manufactures BMWs?
Did you know that BMW, which stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft and means Bavarian Motor Works, is an acronym? According to the AG, it is a corporation with shareholder ownership. More than 120,000 people are employed by the BMW Group, which currently runs 31 production and assembly plants across 15 nations.
Are BMWs superior to Audis?
BMW’s vehicles, which are made to provide the “ultimate driving experience,” frequently outperform Audi in terms of handling. Because of their overall stronger suspension systems that promote a smooth, pleasant ride, Audi vehicles are significantly less agile than BMW vehicles. BMW is routinely ranked higher for reliability.
Is the same business responsible for both Mercedes and Audi?
Volkswagen AG is a global automotive behemoth with extensive global influence. The German car manufacturer offers a wide range of brands, some of which are well-known and others which are less well-known. It might be difficult for many readers to name them all.
Naturally, many of them have German roots, starting with the well-known Volkswagen brand, which is marketed in vast quantities all over the world, as well as the upscale Audi brand and the legendary Porsche. However, Volkswagen has owned the Czech brand koda since 2000 and the Spanish brand SEAT since 1990. In 1998, the business added the then-dormant French brand Bugatti to its portfolio, together with the British brand Bentley and the Italian brand Lamborghini.
Volkswagen experimented with its own sub-brand, JETTA, in 2019, but only in China. JETTA had its own dealer network.
The Volkswagen Group’s main office is in Wolfsburg, Germany, however many of its brands have regional offices that report back to the parent company. Volkswagen Group is most known for producing passenger cars, but it also owns Ducati motorbikes, which are owned by Audi through Lamborghini, and the heavy truck brands MAN and Scania. Scania was formerly a part of the corporation that also produced Saab cars.
Here is a list of the automakers currently included in the Volkswagen Group.
Volkswagen
The Volkswagen Group, headquartered in Wolfsburg and best known for the Beetle, has Volkswagen as its major, high-volume brand.
Adolf Hitler, the leader of the Nazi Party, ordered the German Labour Front to form VW in Berlin in 1937 because he desired a reasonably priced “people’s automobile,” or Volkswagen. Hitler, who loved cars but couldn’t drive, is reported to have insisted on the air-cooled engine and the ability for the car to go at its highest speed of 62 mph on the autobahn while carrying two adults and three children.
At the 1938 Berlin Motor Show, Hitler personally introduced the vehicle, which was given the official name KdF-Wagen. Moreover, despite the fact that thousands of Germans had pre-ordered and paid for one, fewer than 200 civilian versions were completed before World War II interrupted construction.
The car’s manufacture had resumed in December 1945 under the supervision of a British Army officer, Major Ivan Hirst, and many automakers, including Ford, were given the chance to take over after the war. All of them rejected the Beetle, so in 1948 Hirst hired a German engineer, Heinz Nordhoff, to run the factory on his own.
With just two units sold in its debut year, the Volkswagen brand entered the American market in 1949. However, the Beetle’s simple handling, high quality, and reliabilityall of which had been significantly enhanced under Nordhoff’s directionquickly transformed a cult following into mass market appeal. The Beetle’s popularity encouraged Detroit’s Big Three to start producing their own inexpensive compacts in the late 1950s.
Before the water-cooled, front-drive Golf took off in the 1970s, VW battled for years to find a replacement for the Beetle. A lot of other VW models failed to impress in the US because they provided too few amenities at a higher price point than competitors, despite the fact that the Golf became VW’s heartland vehicle and is still the segment benchmark in its eighth iteration. There were moments when it seemed the Volkswagen brand might completely leave the market.
The VW Golf, Jetta, Passat, and Arteon, as well as the VW Tiguan, Atlas, and Atlas Cross Sport crossovers, fill out the current roster of vehicles. Future attention will be on electric vehicles, beginning with the Volkswagen ID4 in 2021.
Audi
One of VW’s high-end brands, Audi, has a headquarters in Germany’s Ingolstadt and functions somewhat independently of its parent company.
The name Audi was first registered by German engineer August Horch in 1910. Horch, which in German means “listen,” was the founder of an automobile manufacturer under his own name in 1904. Audi, Hord, DKW, and Wanderer were the four automakers that combined to form Auto Union in 1932, and their names are represented by the logo’s four rings.
After Volkswagen purchased Auto Union from Daimler-Benz in 1965, the brand was revived with the release of the Audi F103 series and the restoration of the Audi name after a 25-year absence.
At first, Volkswagen was only interested in the capability of the Ingolstadt plant; it had no desire for Auto Union to function independently. The first Audi 100 was created by Auto Union engineers undercover, and it wowed VW brass before being released in 1968. A year later, Auto Union amalgamated with NSU Motorenwerke, a manufacturer of rotary engines, motorbikes, and compact vehicles. On January 1st, 1969, the new business, Audi NSU Auto Union AG, was established with Audi as a distinct brand.
In 1970, Volkswagen launched the Audi nameplate on the American market. The firm was renamed Audi AG in 1986, and its headquarters were once again in Ingolstadt.
Despite the positive reception to the debut of quattro all-wheel drive
Recalls for allegations of rapid unplanned acceleration, promoted by a false 60 Minutes piece, nearly ruined the brand in North America in the 1980s. The 1980 Audi quattro Coupe utilized an all-wheel drive system derived from the Volkswagen Iltis military vehicle.
When it was decided in 1972 that no member of the Porsche family (he was the grandson of Ferdinand Porsche) should be involved in the day-to-day operations of the German sports car manufacturer, Ferdinand Piech joined Audi from Porsche. While initially providing Volkswagen with engineering skills it lacked in-house, Audi’s impact on the company turned out to be far greater.
In 1993, Piech was appointed chairman of the Volkswagen Group. Since then, he has played a key role in the company’s aggressive brand acquisition strategy and the creation of iconic cars like the Golf 4, Audi R8, Bentley Continental, and Bugatti Veyron.
Despite being hit by scandal once more in 2015 as a result of the bigger Volkswagen emissions testing affair, Audi is now a reputable and well-known manufacturer of sporty premium vehicles and SUVs. Audi is moving into the electric car market, starting with the Audi E-Tron, in accordance with the general direction set for the Volkswagen Group.
Porsche
Porsche is a name that is closely associated with fast sports automobiles. The Volkswagen Group owns the German company, which has its headquarters in Stuttgart.
Ferdinand Porsche established Porsche in 1931, originally working on other people’s cars like the Volkswagen Beetle. The 356, which shared many design cues with the original Beetle, including its rear-mounted air-cooled four-cylinder engine, was the first Porsche vehicle built under its own brand following World War II. The rear-mounted air-cooled 911, which was created as a roomier, more powerful, and more comfortable replacement for the 356, debuted in 1963 and over the course of eight generations has grown to become one of the most recognizable sports cars in the entire world.
The Porsche and Pich families’ voting-share ownership has made the corporate structure somewhat of a soap opera over the years, which was made worse when Porsche and Volkswagen both attempted to acquire one other in the early 2000s. There were intricate arrangements over who controlled what at various corporate levels, and a resolution was reached to consolidate their manufacturing divisions, but in the end, Porsche AG was owned and run by Volkswagen AG in 2012.
Porsche’s lineup of vehicles also includes the Boxster, Cayman, and Panamera performance sedan in addition to the legendary 911. With the 2002 release of the Cayenne and the 2014 debut of the more compact Macan, the brand entered the SUV market. With the Taycan’s introduction last year, Porsche has also entered the market for high-performance electric automobiles.
Lamborghini
Italian company luscious Lamborghini is a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group in Germany.
Ferruccio Lamborghini established Lamborghini in 1963 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy, to take on Ferrari. It is renowned for its low-slung, rear-wheel-drive, unusual mid-engine vehicles. With the release of the Lamborghini Urus, a sports crossover with a twin-turbo V-8, it has progressed from sports cars to luxury sport crossovers as well.
Since 1973, the company has experienced three ownership changes and one bankruptcy. Ferruccio sold the business to two investors in 1974 after he retired, but they were compelled to declare bankruptcy two years later. In 1984, the receivers purchased it. Later, Chrysler purchased Lamborghini in 1987 but sold it to investment companies in Malaysia and Indonesia in 1994. In 1998, they sold Lamborghini to the Volkswagen Group, who incorporated the company under its Audi business.
In 2010 and 2012, the Volkswagen Group acquired the bulk of shares in the renowned Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati through Lamborghini, as well as the Italian design studio Italdesign Giugiaro.
Porsche makes Audi, right?
In 2011, Volkswagen acquired Porsche. Porsche was once considered a division of Volkswagen AG (interestingly, besides being the Porsche parent company, VW also owns Audi, Bugatti, and Lamborghini). In that sense, Volkswagen AG is the business that owns Porsche.
Is Volkswagen the owner of Rolls Royce?
When the Rolls-Royce automotive division was separated from the nationalized Rolls-Royce Limited in 1973, Rolls-Royce Motors was established as a British luxury vehicle company. Under the Rolls-Royce and Bentley brands, it developed high-end automobiles. Vickers bought the business in 1980 and later sold it to Volkswagen.
Which Automaker Owns Acura?
Honda’s luxury automobile business is called Acura. The Integra and Legend, which used Honda’s first V-6, were the two vehicles that the Japanese carmaker offered when it initially introduced Acura in 1986. The brand would expand to include a variety of models, such as the short-lived ZDX coupe SUV and everything from the MDX and RDX SUVs to the NSX exotic sports car.
Which Automaker Owns Alfa Romeo?
One of the many brands owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is Alfa Romeo, which left the United States for over 20 years before making a significant comeback in the middle of 2014 with the 4C, a low-volume sports vehicle. A few years later, the Giulia, Alfa’s first popular sedan, was released. The upscale company currently has an SUV nearby.
Which Automaker Owns Aston Martin?
There isn’t a bigger automaker that owns Aston Martin. For an estimated $925 million, Ford sold the British exotic car maker to a group of investors in 2007. But that doesn’t imply it’s totally apart from other automakers: Daimler, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz, owns 5%.
Which Automaker Owns Audi?
Luxury automaker Audi is a part of the Volkswagen Group. In 1965, VW acquired Audi, which had been formed by the amalgamation of four Saxony-based companies. In late 1968, the Audi 100, a pivotal vehicle for the company, made its appearance. The rest is history: Audi offers a whole portfolio of vehicles today, ranging from the A3 subcompact to the R8 supercar.
Which Automaker Owns Bentley?
Bentley has been a part of the Volkswagen Group since 1998, when it bought the British ultra-luxury company. The carmaker, whose divisions include its namesake brand as well as Audi and many others, entirely owns Bentley. That explains how the Audi Q7 and Bentley Bentayga have similar underpinnings. But don’t worrythe Bentayga’s inside is entirely Bentley.
Which Automaker Owns Bugatti?
The Volkswagen Group is well-versed in luxury, as it also owns Bugatti, the French supercar manufacturer, which it did in 1998. Most people are familiar with Bugatti’s 1,001-horsepower, $1 million+ Veyron, which was eventually upgraded to 1,200 hp in the Veyron Super Sport. Oh, and the 1,500-hp Chiron, a luxury vehicle that Bugatti now produces, is said to cost about $3 million at the present exchange rate.
Which Automaker Owns BMW?
The BMW Group, a German carmaker that also produces the Mini and Rolls-Royce, is named after its flagship brand, BMW. Mini was reintroduced by the BMW Group in 2001, and Rolls-Royce production started in early 2003.
Which Automaker Owns Cadillac?
General Motors has a division called Cadillac. The other three GM brands in the United States are Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC. Over the years, the partnership has produced some dreadful products. However, today’s Cadillac sedans are built on performance-oriented underpinnings that are also used by a smaller number of other GM cars.
Which Automaker Owns Ferrari?
Ferrari operates on its own. The Italian exotic automobile manufacturer, which was formerly a part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, was spun off to form its own business in early 2016. Despite this, given that FCA and Ferrari share the same CEO, Ferrari automobiles nevertheless bear a lot of FCA’s signature.
Which Automaker Owns Genesis?
Hyundai’s newest luxury division is called Genesis. It all started off as a single model that Hyundai unveiled in the beginning of 2008. In late 2015, the Korean carmaker introduced Genesis as a distinct luxury brand, redesigning the more expensive Equus and second-generation Genesis sedans as the Genesis G80 and G90, respectively. Although Genesis does not yet have its own stores, Hyundai continues to sell the G80 and G90 through its dealership network.
Which Automaker Owns Infiniti?
Nissan’s luxury division is called Infiniti. In 1989, the Japanese carmaker introduced Infiniti with the Q45 sedan and M30 coupe along with a small number of dealerships. Infiniti currently offers a variety of sedans and SUVs with the Q (sedan or coupe) and QX (SUV) designations.
Which Automaker Owns Jaguar?
Jaguar is owned by Indian carmaker Tata Motors. In 2008, Ford sold Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata, who had previously owned both brands. Since then, Jaguar has produced an SUV, the F-Pace, as well as a specialized roadster, the F-Type. Despite its association with Land Rover, the F-Pace is not based on a modern Rover.
Which Automaker Owns Lamborghini?
One of the many brands owned by the Volkswagen Group is Lamborghini. Since VW acquired the Italian supercar manufacturer in 1998, the company’s product selection has remained modest. Lamborghini only produces the Huracan and Aventador nowadays, along with a few one-off vehicles that go to a select few lucky (and extremely expensive) owners.
Which Automaker Owns Land Rover?
Land Rover is owned by the Indian carmaker Tata Motors. In 2008, Tata acquired the British SUV marque and Jaguar, its sister company, from Ford, which had previously owned both companies. Since then, Jaguar has introduced an SUV, but don’t anticipate Land Rover to begin producing sports cars anytime soon.
Which Automaker Owns Lincoln?
Lincoln is Ford’s high-end label. Ford has owned Lincoln for almost 100 years; it acquired the carmaker in 1922; nonetheless, Lincoln has never been a prominent factor in terms of sales among luxury divisions at major automakers. However, the constant influx of new SUVs may change that.
Which Automaker Owns Lexus?
The upscale brand of Toyota is Lexus. The mid-size ES and premier LS cars were the Japanese automaker’s first two Lexus models. Today, Lexus competes with BMW and Mercedes-Benz for top sales popularity among luxury brands in the United States with a lineup of SUVs, sedans, and coupes.
Which Automaker Owns Maserati?
One of the many brands owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is Maserati. In its pre-FCA era, Fiat bought Maserati from Ferrari, in which it already had a controlling stake, assuming full ownership of the Italian automaker in 2005.
Which Automaker Owns Mercedes-Benz?
A division of Daimler, which also produces Smart and a few commercial car brands, is Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes once had international affiliates since, from 1998 to 2007, it was joined with Chrysler as part of the later-merged DaimlerChrysler.
Which Automaker Owns Porsche?
One of the brands owned by the Volkswagen Group is Porsche. After Porsche’s failed takeover attempt of its larger German rival, VW purchased Porsche in 2012. Porsche is still mostly known for its high-performance sports cars, but two SUVsthe Macan and Cayennehave recently added to its lineup and increased sales.
Which Automaker Owns Range Rover?
The premium SUV range from Land Rover, which is owned by Tata Motors in India, is known as Range Rover. The Range Rover is the company’s primary large SUV, but it also comes in the Range Rover Sport and Range Rover Evoque tiny trim levels.
Which Automaker Owns Rolls-Royce?
Rolls-Royce has been a part of the BMW Group for more than a decade. At the end of 2002, BMW fully purchased the British ultra-luxury brand after acquiring the name’s rights in 1998. Models like the Ghost sedan have some BMW inspirations, but don’t worryRolls trademarks are still all over the vehicle.