All Press Releases

From August 1991, Volkswagen kickstarted a new era of safety with the third generation of the Golf. The Mk3 Golf was the product line’s first model to be available with front airbags, from 1992, and furthermore, large steps forward in body design also led to significantly improved crash properties. With the Golf Mk3, Volkswagen democratised passive safety, as the improved protection it offered benefited many people.

In 1983 Volkswagen launched the second Golf generation on the market. It was in this vehicle that the “Golf generation”, as German best-selling author Florian Illies coined the vehicle’s contemporaries, learnt to drive. The fact of the matter is that this Golf also became a worldwide success: by the time it was phased out in 1991, Volkswagen had produced 6.3 million Golf Mk II.

The first series-production Golf rolls off the production line in Wolfsburg in March 1974 and is available at dealerships from May in the same year. Where the Beetle had dominated the scene with its rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive for many decades: the era of the front-mounted engine installed across the body and front-wheel drive had finally dawned. The Scirocco and the Passat, introduced in 1973, had kicked off this trend shortly before. With the Golf, the class with the highest volumes had now also been converted to the new technology.

Only presented as a concept vehicle at the New York International Auto Show last year, the production version of the Atlas Cross Sport has now been unveiled in Chattanooga. The successful SUV for North America, Russia and the Middle East is now available as a coupe version. The dynamic version of the Atlas combines sporty properties with a high utility value.

In September, the Volkswagen brand delivered 533,700 vehicles to customers throughout the world, 10 percent more than the same month last year. Volkswagen is therefore winning market shares in a shrinking overall global market. The brand recorded the strongest growth in Europe (+45.4 percent) and especially in Germany (+73.9 percent). This was due to the marked fall in deliveries in September 2018, when vehicle availability was severely restricted as a result of the changeover to the new WLTP type approval procedure. In the USA and China, Volkswagen succeeded in maintaining or further expanding its market share in a generally shrinking overall market. The situation in South America was similar. Brazil remains the strongest motor for growth in deliveries in the region (+16.0 percent).

Powerful like a genuine sports car, casual like a versatile CUV – the new T-Roc R is the new star of the T-Roc family. Generating a mighty 221 kW/300 PS, the compact Volkswagen R powerhouse accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. The vehicle reaches a top speed of 250 km/h before the electronics limit the forward thrust of the new top-of-the-range T-Roc version.

Lap times on Saturday and school runs during the week: The performance brand Volkswagen R represents the sportiest models in the Volkswagen portfolio. Since 2002, the R models have been at home on race tracks throughout the world and, in addition to high-performance engines, have offered their owners the combination of everyday usability and stylish understatement. Along with the Golf R in four generations, the portfolio includes the Passat R36, the Touareg R50, the Scirocco R and the Golf R Convertible. Aside from the Golf R and the Golf R Variant, the new T-Roc R is also currently available.

The Volkswagen Wolfsburg plant receives the "Lean & Green Management Award 2019" in the "Automotive OEM" category for its efficient and sustainable production. More than 250 plants from more than ten countries and 20 different industries participated in this competition.

The Volkswagen brand is well on its way to achieving its own goals for more cost-effective vehicle production. Following the launch of the new production strategy TRANSFORM.TOGETHER last year, initial successes are now emerging. Board member for production and logistics Andreas Tostmann commented the interim review with 500 leading managers at an international conference: "The figures demonstrate that our strategy is working. In 2019, our productivity will have improved by more than 6 percent. And for the first time since 2013, we lowered the costs per vehicle in production. The workforce did an extraordinary great job here and I thank them very much for their achievements. We have demonstrated team spirit, and with our new models we managed strong and smooth starts of production. With great competence, our colleagues consistently contribute to increasing production efficiency and productivity. We will continue along our chosen path. Especially in a time of global economic uncertainties, we are well advised to make ourselves crisis-proof. To do what is in our hands so we are prepared for what is not in our hands. "

The Mille Miglia is without doubt one of the most legendary classic car rallies worldwide. The “Mille Miglia Green” is a completely new event that borrows the original idea of long-distance racing – but only electric and hybrid vehicles are permitted to compete. The first edition of the competition starts next weekend (27–29 September). Just like the traditional event for classic models, it starts in Brescia – and the new e-up! with increased range will be taking part, as well as two electrified e-Beetles.