Volkswagon, which began its operations in 1938, had to undergo serious damages after the Second World War. The factory was heavily bombed by Americans and later the factory was taken over by the British army. As no English manufacturer came out to take over Volkswagen, the British government decided to use it to produce military vehicles.

From 1948, Volkswagen became a very important element, symbolically and economically, of West German regeneration.

Heinrich Nordhoff, the former senior manager at Opel was recruited to run the factory in 1948. In 1949 trust was setup to run the company, controlled by the West German government, and the government of the State of Lower Saxony. Volkswagen Type 2, a  commercial vehicle was launched in the year along with the VW Karmann Ghia sports car. Volkswagens made its ntry into the US market in 1949. But the initial yerar was not a sweet experience. It could sell just two units in America that first year.

On its entry to the U.S. market, the VW was briefly sold as a “Victory Wagon”. Volkswagen of America was formed in April 1955 and slowly grabbed the yankee market.

Heavy advertising helped VW to take up the sales in US to new heights. Thanks to efforts by  New York advertising agency Doyle, Dane Bernbach. The Volkswagen ads became as popular for its usage of crisp layouts and witty copy to lure the younger, sophisticated consumers with whom the car became associated. The first reference to the name Beetle occurred in U.S. advertising in 1968, but not until 1998 and the Golf-based New Beetle would the name be adopted by Volkswagen.

VW easily and comfortably grabbed the American market, which resulted in expanding base over to other countries. The big succes over the European markets helped Volkswagen in emrging as the largest car maker in the next decades.

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