Volkswagen of America
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Volkswagen of America is the U.S. subsidiary of the Volkswagen automobile company in Germany. Formed in April 1955 in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey to standardize dealership service in the United States, it grew to 909 Volkswagen dealers in the United States by 1965 under the leadership of Dr. Carl Hahn. Under him and his successor as president of Volkswagen of America, J. Stuart Perkins, VW's U.S. sales grew to 569,696 cars in 1970, an all-time peak, when Volkswagen captured 7 percent of the U.S. car market and had over a thousand U.S. dealerships. The Volkswagen Beetle was the company's best seller in the United States by a wide margin.
Ferdinand Porsche designed the Volkswagen automobiles during the 1930 in Germany. The original vehicles, targeted at the mass market. Were intended to transport a family of five at highway speeds, use modest amount of fuel, and remain within financial reach for most people. The company’s signature platform by the late 1940s was the Beetle, which with its rounded styling and reliable air-cooled engine, became internationally popular. For about 20 years, sales of the Beetle hurtled skyward, propelling the company’s total worldwide vehicle sales past a million in 1955 and to high point in 1969. Although popularity of the Beetle declined throughout in the 1970s and its importation was discontinued in the U.S late in that decade, production of Beetles in Latin America continued in the U.S late in that decade, production of Beetle in Latin America continued into the 1990s. It remains the best selling car of all time.
After peeking in the late 1960s, the pattern of sales for the North American subsidiary of Volkswagen settled into a trying cycle ups and downs that became known, due to its jagged contours, as the “Himalayan Chart”. Sales fell precipitously until the introduction of the Rabbits in 1977, then recovered briefly before dropping sharply again. This time the introduction of the Jetta prompted another
Volkswagen of America is the U.S. subsidiary of the Volkswagen automobile company in Germany. Formed in April 1955 in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey to standardize dealership service in the United States, it grew to 909 Volkswagen dealers in the United States by 1965 under the leadership of Dr. Carl Hahn. Under him and his successor as president of Volkswagen of America, J. Stuart Perkins, VW's U.S. sales grew to 569,696 cars in 1970, an all-time peak, when Volkswagen captured 7 percent of the U.S. car market and had over a thousand U.S. dealerships. The Volkswagen Beetle was the company's best seller in the United States by a wide margin.
Ferdinand Porsche designed the Volkswagen automobiles during the 1930 in Germany. The original vehicles, targeted at the mass market. Were intended to transport a family of five at highway speeds, use modest amount of fuel, and remain within financial reach for most people. The company’s signature platform by the late 1940s was the Beetle, which with its rounded styling and reliable air-cooled engine, became internationally popular. For about 20 years, sales of the Beetle hurtled skyward, propelling the company’s total worldwide vehicle sales past a million in 1955 and to high point in 1969. Although popularity of the Beetle declined throughout in the 1970s and its importation was discontinued in the U.S late in that decade, production of Beetles in Latin America continued in the U.S late in that decade, production of Beetle in Latin America continued into the 1990s. It remains the best selling car of all time.
After peeking in the late 1960s, the pattern of sales for the North American subsidiary of Volkswagen settled into a trying cycle ups and downs that became known, due to its jagged contours, as the “Himalayan Chart”. Sales fell precipitously until the introduction of the Rabbits in 1977, then recovered briefly before dropping sharply again. This time the introduction of the Jetta prompted another