Volkswagen do Brasil Ltda. is a subsidiary arm of
Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
, established in 1953 with local assembly of the
Volkswagen Type 1
The Volkswagen Beetle—officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in German (meaning "beetle"), in parts of the English-speaking world the Bug, and known by many other nicknames in other languages—is a two-door, rear-engine economy car, ...
from parts imported from Germany. It produced over 20 million vehicles in Brazil, having been market leader for the majority of their more than sixty years in existence. Beginning in 1958, the Type 1 ("
Fuscas") had a 24-year run as the number one in sales in Brazil. From 1987 until 2012, the
Gol has been in first place in sales for 26 years straight.
History
The Volkswagen assembly plant in Brazil was established after the Brazilian government prohibited the import of fully built-up vehicles in 1953.
Its first president was
Friedrich Schultz-Wenk, who had emigrated to Brazil in 1950 after a brief stint as a prisoner of war followed by some time in
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg (; Eastphalian: ''Wulfsborg'') is the fifth largest city in the German state of Lower Saxony, located on the river Aller. It lies about east of Hanover and west of Berlin.
Wolfsburg is famous as the location of Volkswagen AG's hea ...
.
Their first plant was in
Ipiranga, São Paulo and was a strict
knock-down kit
A knock-down kit (also knockdown kit, knocked-down kit, or simply knockdown or KD) is a collection of parts required to assemble a product. The parts are typically manufactured in one country or region, then exported to another country or region ...
operation. In two years 2268
Fuscas and 552 Kombis were assembled there by hand.
[ After ]Juscelino Kubitschek
Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira (; 12 September 1902 – 22 August 1976), also known by his initials JK, was a prominent Brazilian politician who served as the 21st president of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. His term was marked by economic prosp ...
's import substitution programs began taking effect, Volkswagen was compelled to open a proper factory in São Bernardo do Campo
São Bernardo do Campo () is a Brazilian Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in the state of São Paulo.
It is part of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. The population is 844,483 (2020 est.) in an area of .
History
The city was founded b ...
. Work on the factory began in mid-1957. Originally only the Kombi was built locally from September 1957, but from January 1959 the 1200 cc "Fusca" also entered local production, with ever-growing local parts content.[ In 1959, VW started production at the plant near São Paulo.][Komplizen? - VW und die brasilianische Militärdiktatur.]
Das Erste, ARD, documentary, 24.07.2017
Workers have been accusing Volkswagen do Brasil of spying on them starting in the 1970s, which was during Brazil's military dictatorship from 1964-1985. VW's security personnel informed the political police on eventual oppositional activities. In 1976, mass arrests occurred and some VW employees were tortured. In 1979, Brazilian VW workers traveled to Wolfsburg to inform the CEO in person.[Agence France Press]
Volkswagen aided Brazil dictatorship’s repression: historian
Business Recorder REPORT, 25 July 2017
In 2014, the "truth commission" convened by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff (; born 14 December 1947) is a Brazilian economist and politician who served as the 36th president of Brazil, holding the position from 2011 until her impeachment and removal from office on 31 August 2016. She is the first w ...
found documents that "dozens of companies, including Volkswagen and other foreign automakers, helped the military identify union activists", including Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Luiz is a Portuguese given name that is an alternative form of Luís. It's archaic in Portugal, but common in Brazil. Notable people referred to by this name include the following:
People
*Luiz Bonfá (1922-2001), Brazilian guitarist and composer
...
.[Brian Winte]
spied on Lula, other Brazilian workers in 1980s
5 September 2014 Reuters In subsequent meetings before the São Paulo state commission, VW legal counsel have denied accusations and contested there was no document proving VW had violated human rights.
In 2015, activists and former VW employees in Brazil spoke out in public accusing the company's silence about the persecution of its workers.[VW worked hand in hand with Brazil's military dictatorship]
24.07.2017 Deutsche Welle
In November 2016, VW commissioned a second expert review of the situation by historian Christopher Kopper of Bielefeld University
Bielefeld University (german: Universität Bielefeld) is a university in Bielefeld, Germany. Founded in 1969, it is one of the country's newer universities, and considers itself a "reform" university, following a different style of organization a ...
, which is due end of 2017. after its "chief historian Manfred Grieger quit around the same time as Kopper was appointed."[ Grieger had recommended to donate a memorial for those whose human rights were violated.][ In the July 2017 ARD interview, former VW CEO Carl Hahn denied ever having known of security police activities.][ The Brazilian attorney general has been investigating.][ The further investigations concentrated on assumed slavery work at a so called " Fazenda Volkswagen", a Volkswagen owned cattle farm in rural ]Amazonia
The Amazon rainforest, Amazon jungle or ; es, Selva amazónica, , or usually ; french: Forêt amazonienne; nl, Amazoneregenwoud. In English, the names are sometimes capitalized further, as Amazon Rainforest, Amazon Forest, or Amazon Jungle. ...
.
Models
Current models
* Volkswagen Gol
The Volkswagen Gol is a subcompact car that has been manufactured by Volkswagen do Brasil since 1980 as Volkswagen's entry-level car in the Latin American market—where it succeeded the Volkswagen Type 1 (Fusca) and the VW Brasilia. Sever ...
* Volkswagen Voyage
Voyage(s) or The Voyage may refer to:
Literature
*''Voyage : A Novel of 1896'', Sterling Hayden
* ''Voyage'' (novel), a 1996 science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter
*''The Voyage'', Murray Bail
* "The Voyage" (short story), a 1921 story by ...
* Volkswagen Polo
The Volkswagen Polo is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by the German car manufacturer Volkswagen since 1975. It is sold in Europe and other markets worldwide in hatchback, saloon, and estate variants throughout its production run.
History
...
* Volkswagen Virtus
The Volkswagen Virtus is a subcompact sedan (B-segment) manufactured by the German automaker Volkswagen since 2018. It is based on the Polo Mk6 with an extended wheelbase and the same Volkswagen Group MQB A0 platform, which it also closely shar ...
* Volkswagen Nivus
The Volkswagen Taigo is a subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment) with a sloping roofline manufactured by the German automaker Volkswagen. The vehicle was first released as the Volkswagen Nivus, which was unveiled in May 2020 in Brazil. It has been ...
* Volkswagen T-Cross
The Volkswagen T-Cross is a subcompact crossover SUV (B-segment) manufactured by the German automaker Volkswagen. It is based on the MQB A0 platform shared with the Polo Mk6, and was officially launched in April 2019. Positioned below the T-Roc ...
* Volkswagen Taos
The Volkswagen Taos is a compact crossover SUV produced by the German automobile manufacturer Volkswagen. It was first released in October 2018 as the Volkswagen Tharu in China, while the Taos was released in October 2020 as a restyled version of ...
* Volkswagen Jetta GLI
* Volkswagen Saveiro
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post-W ...
* Volkswagen Amarok
The Volkswagen Amarok is a pickup truck produced by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles since 2010. It is a body-on-frame truck with double-wishbone suspension at the front and leaf springs at the rear. The Amarok range consists of single cab and d ...
Brazilian developed Volkswagens
By 1961, Volkswagen had surpassed Willys-Overland
Willys (pronounced , "Willis" )
was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II era and later military jeeps (MBs ...
to become the biggest producer of vehicles in Brazil.[ Many models were designed especially for ]Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
:
*Brasília
Brasília (; ) is the federal capital of Brazil and seat of government of the Federal District. The city is located at the top of the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West region. It was founded by President Juscelino Kubitsche ...
* SP1 & SP2
* 1500/Variant/Variant II
* Karmann Ghia TC
* Gol
*Voyage
Voyage(s) or The Voyage may refer to:
Literature
*''Voyage : A Novel of 1896'', Sterling Hayden
* ''Voyage'' (novel), a 1996 science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter
*''The Voyage'', Murray Bail
* "The Voyage" (short story), a 1921 story by ...
- a Gol sedan, sold as the Volkswagen Fox in North America
* Parati - a Voyage/Fox station wagon derivative
* Saveiro - a Gol pickup truck
* Fox/CrossFox/SpaceFox
From 1971 to 1975 approximately 250 Brazil "kombi" buses were produced with Special Editions, these buses had +8 sky windows, mouldings, timer clock. These buses are called "de luxe," the German name is "Samba."
After 1997 Volkswagen has been the only manufacturer to continue manufacturing ethanol powered vehicles after others withdrew.
In 2012, Volkswagen built 852,086 units (including CKD kits), making them the biggest producer in the country and second in sales.[ Volkswagen operates four plants, in ]São Bernardo do Campo
São Bernardo do Campo () is a Brazilian Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in the state of São Paulo.
It is part of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo. The population is 844,483 (2020 est.) in an area of .
History
The city was founded b ...
, Taubaté
Taubaté is a medium-sized city in the State of São Paulo, in southeastern Brazil.
Location
Its strategic location between the two most important Brazilian cities (São Paulo away, and Rio de Janeiro away), connected to both by the Presiden ...
, São José dos Pinhais
São José dos Pinhais () is a municipality in the state of Paraná in Brazil. It is a part of the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba.
Etymology
With geographical and religious origins the city's name is a homage to São José (Saint Joseph) and ...
, and São Carlos
São Carlos (Saint Charles, in English, ; named after Saint Charles Borromeo) is a Brazilian municipality in the interior of the state of São Paulo, 254 kilometers from the city of São Paulo. With a population of 254,484 inhabitants, it is th ...
. The São Carlos plant only makes engines.[
From 1987 to 1995, Volkswagen do Brasil's history was affected by the ]AutoLatina
AutoLatina was a joint venture between Volkswagen Group subsidiary Volkswagen do Brasil (51%) and Ford Motor Company subsidiary Ford Brasil (49%) in South America. The main reason for the joint venture was the bad economic situation at the time, ...
arrangement between Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
and Volkswagen Group
Volkswagen AG (), known internationally as the Volkswagen Group, is a German multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. The company designs, manufactures and distributes passenger and commercial ...
.
Trucks and buses
From 1979 until 1999, Volkswagen do Brasil created and developed Volkswagen Caminhões Ltda, (the Volkswagen Trucks and Buses
Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post-W ...
division), after which the operation was taken over by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV; german: Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge , abbreviated ''VWN'' ) is a German brand, marque of light commercial vehicles, owned by Volkswagen Group. It is headquartered in Hannover, Lower Saxony, Germany. Originall ...
. In December 2008, it was announced that Volkswagen Trucks and Buses was to be sold to MAN
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromos ...
.
In 1986, Volkswagen entered a deal with Paccar
Paccar Inc is an American ''Fortune'' 500 company and counts among the largest manufacturers of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the world, and has substantial manufacturing in light and medium vehicles through its various subsidiaries. It was o ...
to sell their trucks with Peterbilt
Peterbilt Motors Company is an List of American truck manufacturers, American truck manufacturer. Established in 1939 from the acquisition of Fageol, Fageol Truck and Motor Company, Peterbilt specializes in the production of heavy-duty (Truck c ...
or Kenworth
Kenworth Truck Company is an American truck manufacturer. Founded in 1923 as the successor to Gersix Motor Company, Kenworth specializes in production of heavy-duty ( Class 8) and medium-duty (Class 5–7) commercial vehicles. Headquartered in ...
badging in the United States. This would allow Paccar's dealers to offer Class 7 trucks without having to go the competition. Volkswagen's Latin American trucks had always been built much heavier than elsewhere in the world, where this sector has mainly been the responsibility of MAN
A man is an adult male human. Prior to adulthood, a male human is referred to as a boy (a male child or adolescent). Like most other male mammals, a man's genome usually inherits an X chromosome from the mother and a Y chromos ...
. The Peterbilt-Volkswagen 200 was affectionately known as "Peter Rabbit
Peter Rabbit is a fictional animal character in various children's stories by English author Beatrix Potter.
A mischievous, adventurous young rabbit who wears a blue jacket, he first appeared in ''The Tale of Peter Rabbit'' in 1902, and subs ...
."
Facilities
Volkswagen do Brasil operates four factories:
CEOs
* Friedrich Schulz-Wenk (1953–1969)[ Wolfe, p. 129]
*Rudolf Leiding
Dr. Ing. h.c. Rudolf Leiding (4 September 1914 – 3 September 2003) was the third post-war chairman of the Volkswagen automobile company (''Volkswagenwerk AG''), succeeding Kurt Lotz in 1971.
Leiding began his career with Volkswagen at Wolfsburg ...
(1969–1973)
*Wolfgang Sauer
Wolfgang is a German male given name traditionally popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The name is a combination of the Old High German words ''wolf'', meaning "wolf", and ''gang'', meaning "path", "journey", "travel". Besides the regula ...
(1973–1993)
*Herbert Demel
Herbert may refer to:
People Individuals
* Herbert (musician), a pseudonym of Matthew Herbert
Name
* Herbert (given name)
* Herbert (surname)
Places Antarctica
* Herbert Mountains, Coats Land
* Herbert Sound, Graham Land
Australia
* Herbert, ...
(1997–2002)
* Paul S. Fleming (2002–2003)
* Hans-Christian Maergner (2004–2007)
* Thomas Schmall (2007–2015)
* David Powels (2015)
See also
*List of German cars
Current major manufacturers
Current minor manufacturers
* 9FF (2001–present)
* Aaglander (2003–present)
* AC Schnitzer (1987–present)
* Alpina (1965–present)
* Apollo Automobil (2016-present)
* Arden
* Artega (2016-present)
* ...
*Volkswagen Group of America
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (sometimes referred to as Volkswagen of America, abbreviated to VWoA), is the North American operational headquarters, and subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group of automobile companies of Germany. VWoA is responsi ...
*Volkswagen Group China
Volkswagen Group China (VGC; 大众汽车(中国)) is a division of the German automotive concern Volkswagen Group in the People's Republic of China.
Volkswagen Group China enjoys sales of about 3.14 million cars (2017) in the Chinese market ...
References
External links
Illustrated_research_paper_by_a_UC_Berkeley
.html" ;"title="UC Berkeley">Illustrated research paper by a UC Berkeley
">UC Berkeley">Illustrated research paper by a UC Berkeley
graduate student, lithic.org
Volkswagen Brazil's Homepage
(in Portuguese)
Volkswagen Brazil's Leading Enthusiasts Site
(in Portuguese)
{{Authority control
Volkswagen Group
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1953
Motor vehicle manufacturers of Brazil
Brazilian subsidiaries of foreign companies
Car manufacturers of Brazil