Volkswagen

Manufacturer Overview

The origins of the company date back to the 1930s, the design for the car that would become known as the Beetle / "Kafer" date back even further, as a pet project by car designer Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951). Adolf Hitler's desire that almost anybody should be able to afford a car coincided with this design—although much of this design was inspired by the advanced Tatra cars of Hans Ledwinka.

Hitler had a keen interest in cars but was not particularly technically knowledgeable himself and demanded Porsche make changes to the original design to include better fuel efficiency (to make it more economical for the working man), reliability, ease of use, and economically efficient repairs and parts. The intention was that ordinary Germans would buy the car by means of a savings scheme, appeared from 1936 onwards (the first cars had been produced in Stuttgart). The car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine, features similar to the Tatra. The VW car was just one of many KdF programs which included things such as tours and outings.