Editing Volkswagen (section)

===1948–1961: Icon of post-war West Germany===
[[File:1949 VW Beetle.jpg|right|thumb|1949 Volkswagen "split rear window" [[Sedan (car)|Sedan]]]]
[[File:Volkswagen Typ 1 Cabriolet 1953.jpg|thumb|right|Volkswagen Cabriolet (1953)]]
[[File:2010-05-04-VW-T1-1.JPG|right|thumb|[[Volkswagen Type 2]] (T1)]]
[[File:Glj01.jpg|thumb|right|An original 1300 Deluxe, circa 1966]]
[[File:Volkswagen Beetle successor proposal (1967) which never got past the prototype stage.JPG|thumb|right|In the later 1960s, as the worldwide demand for the Beetle finally began to diminish, a variety of successor designs were proposed and, in most cases, rejected by management.]]

From 1948, Volkswagen became an important element, symbolically and economically, of [[Wirtschaftswunder|West German regeneration]].{{according to whom|date=July 2017}} [[Heinrich Nordhoff]] (1899–1968), a former senior manager at [[Opel]] who had overseen civilian and military vehicle production in the 1930s and 1940s, was recruited to run the factory in 1948. In 1949, Major Hirst left the company—now re-formed as a trust controlled by the West German government and government of the State of [[Lower Saxony]]. The "Beetle" sedan or "peoples' car" Volkswagen is the Type 1. Apart from the introduction of the [[Volkswagen Type 2]] [[commercial vehicle]] (van, pick-up, and camper), and the [[Volkswagen Karmann Ghia|VW Karmann Ghia]] sports car, Nordhoff pursued the one-model policy until shortly before his death in 1968.

Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949 but sold only two units in America that first year. On entry to the US market, the VW was briefly sold as a ''Victory Wagon''. [[Volkswagen Group of America|Volkswagen of America]] was formed in April 1955 to standardise sales and service in the United States. Production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years, the total reaching one million in 1955.

The UK's first official Volkswagen importer, Colborne Garages of [[Ripley, Surrey]], started business with importing parts for the models brought home by soldiers returning from Germany.<ref name=uk-import-first/>

Canadian Motors, Limited brought in Canada's first shipment of Volkswagens on 10 July 1952 (shipping order 143075).{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} The order consisted of 12 vehicles, (3) model 11C, a black, green, and sand colour (3) 11GS, a chestnut brown and two azure blue, (2) 24A-M51 in red, (1) 21A in blue, (1) 23A in blue, (1) 22A beige colour, and one ambulance.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} Volkswagens were seen in Canada for the first time at the Canadian National Exhibition in August 1952 and were accepted enthusiastically. (At least one Type 2 bus from this order still exists, and is currently in France undergoing restoration).{{citation needed|date=October 2016}} The first shipment for Volkswagen Canada reached Toronto in early December 1952. (At least one Type 1 from this first shipment still exists, and was driven on a nationwide tour for Volkswagen Canada's 60th year of business festivities in 2012).{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

By 1955, sales warranted the building of the Volkswagen plant on a {{convert|32|acre|ha|adj=on}} site on [[Scarborough, Toronto|Scarborough's]] [[Golden Mile, Toronto|Golden Mile]]. To this, a {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} building with administration, showrooms, service, repairs and parts was built in 1957, with storage for $4,000,000 of parts.{{citation needed|date=October 2016}}

In 1959, VW started production at a plant near São Paulo in Brazil.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ardmediathek.de/tv/Reportage-Dokumentation/Komplizen-VW-und-die-brasilianische-M/Das-Erste/Video?bcastId=799280&documentId=44669802|title=Komplizen? – VW und die brasilianische Militärdiktatur|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170726152904/http://www.ardmediathek.de/tv/Reportage-Dokumentation/Komplizen-VW-und-die-brasilianische-M/Das-Erste/Video?bcastId=799280&documentId=44669802|archive-date=26 July 2017|website=DasErste|publisher=ARD|date=24 July 2017}}</ref> Volkswagen do Brasil was accused of spying on workers during the time of the military dictatorship in the 1970s and informing police on oppositional activities. In 1976, mass arrests occurred and some VW employees were tortured. In 1979, Brazilian VW workers travelled to Wolfsburg to inform the CEO in person. In 2015, activists and former VW employees in Brazil spoke out in public accused the company's silence about the persecution of its workers. In fall 2016, VW commissioned an expert review of the situation due end of 2017.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dw.com/en/vw-worked-hand-in-hand-with-brazils-military-dictatorship/a-39814070|title=VW worked hand in hand with Brazil's military dictatorship|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724135938/http://www.dw.com/en/vw-worked-hand-in-hand-with-brazils-military-dictatorship/a-39814070 |archive-date=24 July 2017|date=24 July 2017|work=Deutsche Welle}}</ref>

On 22 August 1960, ''Volkswagenwerk GmbH'' was renamed to ''Volkswagenwerk AG''. Sales soared throughout the 1960s, peaking at the end of the decade thanks in part to the famous advertising campaigns by New York advertising agency [[DDB Worldwide|Doyle, Dane Bernbach]].{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} Led by art director [[Helmut Krone]], and copywriters [[Julian Koenig]] and Bob Levinson, Volkswagen advertisements became{{when|date=July 2017}} as popular as the car, using crisp layouts and witty copy to lure the younger, sophisticated consumers with whom the car became associated.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}} Even though it was almost universally known as the Beetle (or the Bug), it was never officially labelled as such by the manufacturer, instead referred to as the Type 1.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Patton|first=Phil|title=Bug: the strange mutations of the world's most famous automobile|date=2002|publisher=Simon & Schuster|isbn=0-7432-0242-2|location=New York|page=137|oclc=49959289}}</ref>

Although the car was becoming outdated, during the 1960s and early 1970s, American exports, innovative advertising, and a growing reputation for reliability helped production figures surpass the levels of the previous record-holder, the [[Ford Model T]]. On 17 February 1972, the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold. Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most-produced, single make of car in history. By 1973, total production was over 16 million.

To commemorate its passing the Ford Model T's record sales mark and its victories in the Baja 1000 Mexican races from 1967 to 1971, Volkswagen produced its first limited-edition Beetle. It was marketed as the "Baja Champion SE"<ref>All Volkswagen Cars List [https://qesot.com/cars/en/brand/80/ All Volkswagen Cars Models] Qesot.com</ref> in the United States and the "Marathon" Superbeetle in the rest of the world. It featured unique "Marathon Blau" metallic blue paint, steel-pressed 10-spoke {{convert|15|in|cm|0|adj=on}} magnesium-alloy wheels, a commemorative metal plate mounted on the glovebox and a certificate of authenticity presented to the original purchaser. Dealer-installed options for this limited-edition Superbeetle included the following: white stripes running the length of the rocker-panel, a special shifter knob, bumper overriders, tapered exhaust tips, fake walnut inserts in the dashboard (behind the steering wheel and the glovebox cover) as well as [[Robert Bosch GmbH|Bosch]] fog lights mounted on the front bumper.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}