With the Volkswagen production starting out in the 1930s as requested by Adolf Hitler to create an affordable, ‘everybody’ car. Its name meaning “People’s Car,” it certainly did its job to provide an affordable family vehicle. It was based on Ferdinand Porsche’s design.
Updated August 2021: Volkswagen is now one of the world's biggest car brands, and whether you're a fan of Wolfsburg's finest, or just a lover of German cars in general, you'll be happy to know that we've updated this article with more information, better images, and more relevant links.
No credit to the other guy. Germany didn’t start mass-producing the cars until 1946, under British supervision. This helped the company reach new consumers internationally, and only bolstered its reputation for a cheap, but reliable solution. Models keep coming out, and Volkswagen is no longer just a people's car maker, they've even come up with some serious supercar designs, leaving many to wonder just which of the models were the best and most important of the bunch.
10 The Iconic Beetle
Making its way onto the scene of the fabulously hip 1960s, it’s not very hard to see why the Beetle had so many fans. With over 21-million models produced and sold, the numbers really speak for themselves regarding how well this car did internationally.
It started to become iconic, and it was the vehicle of choice for many car movies like Herbie. This kept sales very high for decades to come. Sadly, it stopped being mass-produced in 2003, and while it was a shame that it had to leave, they recently revived it with their dune buggy models. However, the Beetle wasn't really dead, it lived on as the New Beetle, based on the Golf platform, until 2019.
9 The VW Bus
The VW Bus is one of the longest-running vehicles ever produced, but that's not all, it's, arguably, also one of the most relevant vehicles in automotive history. It was the ride of choice for the hippies, whether they were partying or protesting the Vietnam War. Since then, the classic bus has become a highly sought-after collectible that has seen its prices skyrocket, and the more modern models are favorites among the van life movement.
8 Volkswagen Scirocco
Based on the Golf platform, and also receiving the Golf's powertrain options, the first generation of the Scirocco arrived in 1974 was mass-produced for eight years. It was followed by the arguably better-looking MK2 in 1981, but in 1992 the model was discontinued and replaced by the Corrado. It would be until 2008 before another Scirocco would appear on the market. Again, it was loosely based on the Golf and with similar engine options, which included a 1.4-liter, a 2-liter, and a diesel version.
7 Volkswagen Golf GTi
The Volkswagen Golf has been around since 1974. The first GTI appeared in 1976 and forever changed the automotive scenery. VW actually only planned on making 5,000 units, but thanks to incredible demand, an amazing 461,690 units were sold.
Since then, we've seen the MK2 with its 8-valve, 16-valve, and supercharged 1.8-liter engines. There was the sort of overweight MK3, available with 8-valve and 16-valve 2-liter engine, as well as a VR6 unit, the MK4, which introduced the 1.8-liter turbo and the 3.2-liter R32, the MK5 with its 2-liter turbo engines, and then for the MK6, the Golf R was introduced for the first time. The Golf is now in its 8th and final generation.
6 Volkswagen Corrado
This is the car that stole the Scirocco's spot in VW's lineup in the early '90s. Based on the Golf platform, Volkswagen gave the car a sporty design that made it a hit with the car buying public throughout its relatively short life. Only one generation was available, sold from 1988 to 1995, with engines ranging from a 1.8-liter 16-valve unit to a supercharged 1.8-liter 8-valve unit, all the way up to 2.9L VR6.
5 The Volkswagen Jetta
Just like its hatchback brother, the Golf, the Volkswagen Jetta is a long-time classic that started production in ‘74 and still roams the streets today. The newest GLi is fitted with a 228 hp engine, which just happens to be the same one used in the latest Golf GTi’s. This isn't a huge surprise, seeing as the two models are built on the same platform.
4 The Volkswagen Passat
Volkswagen really expanded its consumer base with the release of their family-based car in ‘72 with the Passat B1. Now in its 8th generation, the B8 still sets out to be a high-quality car for families. It’s a large family car available with either front-wheel-drive or four-wheel-drive. It’s a very good option for those looking for a decent sized family car that won’t break the bank. It’s even won multiple awards, like Motor Trend Car of the Year 2012 and for its record-setting low fuel consumption.
3 Volkswagen Phaeton
The Phaeton was Volkswagen's prestige project, conceived by then-chairman of VAG, Ferdinand Piëch, who wanted a car that would basically be the best German luxury car ever made. Although the Volkswagen Group already had the Audi A8 to compete in the full-size luxury car segment, they designed to Phaeton to be a direct competitor to the luxury-oriented Mercedes-Benz S-Class rather than something like the sport-oriented Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series.
Piëch gave his engineers a list of ten parameters the Phaeton had to fulfill. Some were downright ridiculous, such as the fact that the Phaeton should be capable of driving at 186 mph all day in an exterior temperature of 122 °F whilst maintaining an interior temperature of 72 °F. This is extra ridiculous considering the Phaeton's top speed was electronically limited to 155 mph
2 Volkswagen Eos
Another well-loved compact sports car done right, the Eos had a very good run with its nine years in production. The car had a plethora of available engine options, starting with a 1.4-liter, a 1.6-liter, some 2-liter units that were either gasoline or diesel-powered, and then things got a little ridiculous; VW decided to fit a 3.2-liter VR6 unit, and even a 260 hp 3.6-liter VR6 unit.
The sports car's performance potential was just as apparent at its sleek style and available drop-top style. Its final edition came in only three colors, as its sales started to decline in the U.S. Only 1,400 were left available in its final year.
1 The Volkswagen Touareg
The Touareg is an SUV that uses the same platforms as its corporate siblings; the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7. It hasn't been available on the U.S. market since the 2017 model year, as its sales never took off here. Over the years, the Touareg has been available with a range of weird and wonderful engines, such as the 6-liter W12 unit and the 5-liter V10 diesel. We really don't get the point of the V10 diesel, as it certainly wasn't frugal... it did probably have enough torque to pull a small town, though.