Volkswagen was born in the 30s of the previous century when Adolf Hitler decided to create a vehicle for the German population.
The project was ordered to Ferdinand Porsche and the request was to create a car that cost less than 1000 marks, could carry five passenger (or three soldiers and a machine gun), could reach at least 100 km/h (63 mph) and consumed seven liter of gasoline per 100 km/h (63 miles).
The first Volkswagen was presented for the first time at the Berlin Exhibition in 1936 and was soon affectionately called “Maggiolino”.
The Second World War stopped the development of the company which restarted at the end of the war thanks to the help on Ivan Hirts.
The German car manufacturer went very well in 50s and 60s with models like Maggiolino and Transporter, but the real revolution came in 1974 with the introduction of the Volkswagen Golf and Volkswagen Scirocco in market.
Today the Volkswagen is still the most loved car in the world with his style, comfort and high-security level.
The Volkswagen Group is a German multinational corporation with headquarter in Wolfsburg. It includes 12 big car brands from 7 different countries: Audi, which was bought from Daimler-Benz in 1964; Porsche, bought in 2012; Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugatti, all three bought in 1998; then Seat, Skoda, Scania AB, Men SE and, obviously, Volkswagen cars.
In fiscal year 2018, the Volkswagen Group increased its deliveries to costumers worldwide by 0,9% year-on-year, achieving a new record of 10,8 millions vehicles sold. Including the Chinese joint ventures, the group employed an average of 655,7 thousand people during 2018, with an increase of 3,4% year-on-year. The income statement records sales revenue of €235,8 billions in fiscal year 2018, exceeding the prior-year figure by €6.3 billions. The operating profit before special items records €17,1 billions, on level of the previous year.
BUSINESS 4 BEGINNERS 