30 March 2021, Herndon, Virginia, V. 2 Voltswagen of America will now officially replace Volkswagen of America as the company’s U.S. brand name, according to Volkswagen Group of America. Volkswagen is a public expression of the company’s future-forward investment in e-mobility, more so than just a name change.
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Why are they changing their name to Volkswagen?
- In order to further its EV offensive in 2021, Volkswagen has revealed plans to construct six battery plants throughout the world.
- Tuesday morning, Volkswagen of America announced via a Twitter post that it is changing its name to “Voltswagen” for its EVs in the U.S.
UPDATE: March 30, 6:50 p.m. ET: Volkswagen of America released a statement stating that company name would not change in response to claims from Reuters and the Wall Street Journal earlier this afternoon that the name change was a marketing gimmick. The April Fools’ Day joke about the “Voltswagen name” was badly done and premature.
VW has confirmed the name change via Twitter, as the post below demonstrates. UPDATE 3/30/2021, 8:30 a.m. ET:
Is Volkswagen changing its name?
Volkswagen later acknowledged that the name change had been an early April Fool’s Day joke, but not before there was significant misunderstanding and reports that it had an effect on its stock price.
The automaker claimed that the stunt was done to highlight both its new electric utility vehicle and its broad commitment to electrification.
The Associated Press reported that it was “an unwanted prank” and that it eroded public faith in the corporation after the 2015 emission test controversy, suggesting that the joke may have backfired.
The Associated Press reported information that is now known to be untrue after receiving repeated assurances from Volkswagen that its US unit planned to change its name.
“On the basis of the company’s admission, we have updated our narrative and published a new one. Accurate journalism is harmed, as is the public interest, by this and any deliberate dissemination of incorrect material.”
The article also noted that the company’s share price increased by about 5% on the same day, suggesting that the joke may lead to a regulatory investigation.
Volkswagen was founded in 1937 and is a mix of the German terms for people and vehicles, volk and wagen.
In order to signal the “opening of a new era” of electric automobiles, Volkswagen underwent a real rebranding exercise two years ago, replacing its chrome-effect emblem with a flat logo.
Should Volkswagen get a new name?
Update: As of March 31, 2021, Volkswagen will not truly change its name to Voltswagen; instead, the business played a sophisticated April Fools’ Day joke on the public.
The renaming was intended to be an announcement in the spirit of April Fool’s Day, highlighting the release of the all-electric ID.4 SUV and signaling our commitment to bringing electric mobility to all, the company said in a statement distributed by a spokesperson via email. “Volkswagen of America will not be changing its name to Voltswagen,” the spokesperson said.
What was the VW’s American name?
UPDATE: VW has decided to change its name back to Volkswagen. The company claims in a tweet that the entire situation is an April Fool’s “effort.”
The formal name change of Volkswagen in America to Voltswagen confirms the rumor from yesterday. Officially, the change takes place in May 2021.
In the official statement, Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen of America, said, “We might be swapping our K for a T, but what we aren’t altering is this brand’s dedication to delivering best-in-class automobiles for drivers and people everywhere.” “The concept of a “people’s car” is fundamental to who we are. We have stated that we will create EVs for millions of people, not just millionaires, from the beginning of our journey to an electric future. This name change is a tribute to our history as the people’s car and expresses our steadfast conviction that the people’s electric car is what we want to be in the future.”
Gallery: 2021 Volkswagen ID.4: First Drive
Volkswagen will distinguish between its combustion- and electric-powered vehicles. ICE vehicles will wear the current VW logo, while EVs will sport a Voltswagen external insignia.
The branding for Volkswagen will start appearing right away in advertisements, on its website, and on social media. The new name will subsequently begin to appear on signage at the automaker’s locations and dealerships.
What does Volkswagen currently go by?
Author’s Note To emphasize its dedication to fleet electrification, Volkswagen initially declared that it would rename its U.S. operations Voltswagen. On Tuesday, the corporation acknowledged that the release was a sophisticated April Fools’ hoax. Here is our whole account of the joke. The original article based on VW’s announcement of the name change is provided below.
On Monday, Volkswagen unintentionally published a news release a month early on its website, revealing a new moniker for its American operations: Voltswagen of America, stressing the German automaker’s efforts in the area of electric vehicles.
The release, which was dated April 29 and has subsequently been removed, was not discussed by a business spokeswoman.
The name change is anticipated to go into effect in May, according to the press release, which dubbed it a “public affirmation of the company’s future-forward engagement in e-mobility.” All electric vehicle models will have the Voltswagen exterior badge, whereas gas-powered models will just have the VW logo.
The press release stated that Volkswagen planned to keep the dark blue color of the VW emblem for gas-powered vehicles and use light blue to distinguish “the new, EV-centric identity” in order to “preserve elements of Volkswagen’s heritage.”
According to the press release, Volkswagen of America will continue to operate as a division of Volkswagen Group of America and as a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, with administrative offices in Herndon, Virginia.
Volts are the derived units for electric potential, also known as electromotive force, between two places. Between 2010 and 2019, General Motors utilized Volt as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
What is the name of the new Volkswagen?
With a starting price of $21,960, the Volkswagen Taigo is a brand-new SUV-coupe competitor to the VW Polo and T-Roc.
- currently available Volkswagen Taigo
- typical digital dials
- starting at $21,960
- available are 1.0 and 1.5-litre petrol engines.
- modern interior features
- tech for partially autonomous driving assistance
Starting at 21,960, the new Volkswagen Taigo compact SUV is available for purchase. That will get you a 95 horsepower 1.0-liter gasoline model, while there are also 110 and 150 horsepower variants available right now that come with extra standard features.
Why did Volkswagen change their logo?
The new logo is a modernized, minimalist, digital-first redesign of the original, focusing on the combined V, W, and surrounding circle as its only visible components. Because of this, it has a very wide range of applications. The logo works well on both small scales, like a smartwatch or phone, and on huge scales, like factories. It displays clearly on digital devices and applications.
In 2013, Apple began using this kind of flattened, streamlined look for their icons. Android soon did the same. The car industry appears to be finally catching up.
Does Kia have a new logo?
In January, Kia stated that the logo was meant to represent a new beginning and a shift in the company’s focus. According to a news release, the logo’s “rhythmical, uninterrupted line expresses Kia’s commitment to offering moments of inspiration, while its symmetry demonstrates confidence.”
Is Volkswagen producing it once more?
According to a carmagazine.co.uk article from August 2020, the VW Type 181 could return in this decade as an all-electric vehicle. The upcoming model was dubbed “VW Junglezz” by the British newspaper. This trademark has been registered by Volkswagen Group with the EUIPO, and a hinting idea might be taking shape in a VW design studio.
In 2019, the VW 181, or “VW Thing” as it is known to Americans, turned 50. According to autobild.de, the Volkswagen Group is seeking some “fascinating vehicles to revitalize the ID. family of next-generation electric cars. The Bulli/Microbus does, in fact, make a reappearance this year, but that’s not all. According to the German news article, Volkswagen has a number of unusual cars on the list, one of which is a replacement for the VW Type 181.
Dr. Herbert Diess, the CEO of the Volkswagen Group, has a special place in his heart for the VW Thing. According to the German journal, Dr. Diess has sympathy for the versatile 4WD vehicle from the World War II era. A Kubelwagen offshoot, the VW 181 was first a military vehicle officially named as the VW Kurierwagen (courier car). It had been ordered by the German army, and work on it started in October 1969. The civilian market accounted for more than 80% of the cross-country vehicle’s total output.
What does the German word “Volkswagen” mean?
In 1937, Volkswagen was established in Germany. Given the occasion and setting, it should come as no surprise that the German governmentmore especially, Adolf Hitlerdesigned the vehicle with the intention of fostering a sense of nationalism among its citizens. The German government, who controlled it, chose the name “Volkswagenwerk,” which means “the people’s automobile firm.” The German Labor Front ran it from Wolfsburg, Germany. On select Volkswagen vehicles, the Wolfsburg Edition trim can be found. It is typically positioned in the center and comes with extra amenities not present in the base trim. For instance, the Wolfsburg trim of the 2018 Golf comes after the S trim and offers extras like keyless entry with push-button start, V-Tex leatherette seats, blind spot monitoring, and more.
The Volkswagen factory was in ruins after World War II, and it appeared that the Volkswagen brand might vanish. However, as a result of the Allies’ efforts to revive the German auto sector, Volkswagen started to thrive and is now one of the most popular vehicle brands in the world. Due to the Nazi connection, it took some time for it to catch on in the United States, but it quickly gained popularity.
VW: Will it leave the US?
For VW USA, this marks the end of an era. Although there is enough stock to keep the 2021 Mk7 version of the Golf running through the end of the year, production of the US-market Golf at VW’s facility in Puebla, Mexico, will cease.
Although it will be possible to purchase a 2022 Golf GTI or Golf R starting in the fall, VW won’t be introducing the regular Golf 8 to the USA. The bogo 2021 Mk7 automobile will only be offered in “Golf TSI” configuration.
The 1.4-liter inline-four turbocharged ‘TSI’ engine found in these vehicles produces a respectable 148 bhp and 184 lb-ft of torque. It can be connected to a traditional eight-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual transmission. We’re sorry, but there are no quick-shifting DSGs here. A manual costs $23,195, while an automatic model costs $23,995. There will need to be a $995 destination fee added to each.
It’s a big thing that the model has been removed from the US market. Almost 2.5 million of the vehicles have been sold by VW in the nation since 1974, though recent years have seen a decline in sales. The decision is not entirely unexpected because the car’s exit from the US was originally speculated about in 2019.
Hein Schafer, senior marketing vice president of Volkswagen of America, commented on the Golf’s impending demise in the US as follows:
“For forty years, American drivers have received excellent value from the Golf. It was the best example of what Volkswagen creates, combining purposeful packaging, dynamic driving characteristics, and unparalleled quality. Although the seventh-generation Golf will be the final standard hatchback sold in this country, the GTI and Golf R will continue its tradition.
Audi just another Volkswagen?
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.
What became of Passat?
Volkswagen announced that it would discontinue the Passat sedan for the American market in July 2021. According to CarBuzz, towards the end of 2021, the carmaker stopped making the Passat Sedan for international markets. The Passat sedan will no longer be sold in international markets after the 2022 model year, similar to the U.S. market.
The Passat sedan sold in foreign nations is different from the Passat manufactured in America. The Passat is a larger vehicle that is built on an earlier platform in the US. Since 2014, the Passat has been sold with global specifications. Regardless of the platform, the end of the road is close for the Passat sedan.