Volkswagen

The word “volkswagen” means “people’s car”. In Germany, before the 1930’s there had been many efforts to create a car people could afford. The challenge was to build a car less than the average worker’s yearly salary.  In 1931 Ferdinand Porsche designed a car for a German motorcycle company. Later in 1933, Adolf Hitler met with Ferdinand Porsche to discuss Hitler’s ideas of a Volkswagen. Hitler proposed a car that would carry 5 people, cruise up to 62mph, return 33mpg and cost only 100 Reich Marks.  In 1939, after several years of designing and testing the VW Beetle was born.