The first Advisory Board of Volkswagenwerk GmbH was constituted on May 22, 1951 as instructed by the German government. The Advisory Board is seen as the predecessor of the Supervisory Board, which superseded the Advisory Board in August 1953 in accordance with the provisions of the Company Constitution Act adopted in 1952. In Wolfsburg, the appointment of the Advisory Board was welcomed as the “first step towards the normalization of conditions.”

For Volkswagen, the appointment of the Advisory Board was an important step towards democratization and a basic element on its way to becoming a successful international company. Since the start of civilian production of the Volkswagen “Beetle” in December 1945, all the essential foundations had been laid and a competitive company had been created in the space of a few years.

In October 1949, the British Military Government, which had laid the foundation for the continuation of the factory, returned trusteeship to the German government. The company was then administered by the State of Lower Saxony. After competences and basic legal provisions had been defined and the growing economic importance of the Volkswagenwerk GmbH had made this step appropriate, an Advisory Board was established by the Federal Government and the State of Lower Saxony.

Interaction between the parties involved was defined in the decree of May 21, 1951: “The Federal Minister of Finance shall appoint the Chairman of the Advisory Board and the Vice-Chairman by agreement with the Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and in liaison with the Government of the State of Lower Saxony.” The first Chairman of the Advisory Board of Volkswagenwerk GmbH was Heinz M. Oeftering, a senior civil servant who represented the Federal Ministry of Finance. In addition to representatives of the authorities and industry, the Advisory Board also included members of trade unions and the VW field sales and service organization.

The inaugural meeting of the Advisory Board was held in Wolfsburg on May 22, 1951. The first topics on the agenda mainly included everyday business and the opening balance sheet in Deutschmarks required following the currency reform in 1948.

Heinrich Nordhoff, Director General of the Volkswagenwerk GmbH, had great expectations of cooperation with the Advisory Board and concluded his speech as follows: “We are very happy that part of the responsibility has been removed from the shoulders of the Management Board through the formation of this Advisory Board. We are extremely grateful to you for your willingness to provide the company with your valuable advice and support.”

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Just a few days after the new Polo was announced, Volkswagen has launched advance sales. The clever compact car has a newly designed front and rear, comfort and assistance systems from higher vehicle classes, a significantly greater range of standard specifications and some digital features. Three different engines will be available to order.

The new Polo is now ready for pre-orders. It has a new, dynamic design – the front and rear including the bumpers have been redesigned, as have the headlights and taillights, which score points with LED technology as standard. The optional “IQ.LIGHT – LED matrix headlights” mean the new Polo also has a continuous LED strip light linking the front headlights.

And it is not only on the outside that the new Polo makes a good impression with a stylish updated design, it also comes up trumps on the inside with a much higher standard spec: The basic version includes the “Digital Cockpit”, the newly designed multifunction steering wheel, air conditioning and the latest generation of the MIB3 infotainment systems including eSIM on board as standard. The new Polo has three sustainable engines: Two economical TSI aggregates with 70 and 81 kW respectively and a natural gas turbo engine with 66 kW are available to choose from.

Volkswagen has also reconfigured the specifications matrix of the Polo: In addition to the basic version “Polo”, the lines “Life”, “Style” and “R-Line” are now also available. The comprehensive standard specification of the basic model includes features such as the lane departure warning system “Lane Assist”, the surroundings monitoring system “Front Assist” with city emergency braking function and pedestrian detection, as well as the “Digital Cockpit”.

Attractive special edition Polo “Fresh”

With the Polo “Fresh”, Volkswagen will offer an attractive entry-level model at an introductory price of less than 16,000 euros in June.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

Just in time for the traditional GTI weekend meet on Lake Wörthersee, which is again unable to take place due to COVID-19, Volkswagen is offering a first peek at the new Polo GTI. The compact sports car is based on the new Polo that was recently presented, and will become the premium version of the product line. This GTI model also represents pure dynamism and expressive design – the success factors of the GTI concept. The official world premiere of the new Polo GTI will take place at the end of June 2021.

“Once a GTI, always a GTI” – that’s how fans of the sporty Volkswagen models with the “magic three letters” continually express their loyalty. GTI – pure fascination and excitement. The success story continues, with the new Polo GTI in the starting blocks. Traditionally, it is the sportiest model in the Polo series. With its high-torque front-wheel drive, dynamically tuned sports chassis and expressive design, it really stands out from the crowd. Moreover, it fulfils the promise of exceptional driving dynamics in combination with exceptional everyday usability.

The legendary GTI meet at Wörthersee Lake

The GTI meet can look back on a long history. GTI fans met for the first time in 1982 in the Austrian municipality of Reifnitz/Maria Wörth. Over the years, the event not only attracted car enthusiasts, but also became a true folk festival under the simple but powerful motto “GTI”. Each event lasts four days, from the Wednesday before Ascension Day to the following weekend. For more information about the annual event, see: https://woertherseetreffen.at/.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com

The Tiguan was given an update back in autumn 2020 and now it is the turn of the long-wheelbase version: revised design, new control and assist systems, new premium features such as interactive IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights and touch panels to control the standard automatic air conditioner take the Tiguan Allspace to the next level. Currently, more than every second Tiguan (55 percent) that rolls off the production line worldwide has a long wheelbase. The XL version of the Tiguan Allspace can, upon request, be fitted to become an SUV with seven seats or boast 1,920 litres of storage space. Pre-sales start in the next few weeks. In Germany, it is available in the new specification packages Life, Elegance and R-Line.

Since the start of production of the long version in 2017, around 1.5 million units of the long-wheelbase version (LWB) have been sold worldwide. The long version offered in Europe as the Tiguan Allspace is optionally available with a third row of seats – a rare specification option in this segment. This feature makes it a perfect partner for families and people with an active lifestyle.

After the major visual and technological update of the Tiguan, the Tiguan Allspace is now next in line – with a sharper look, digital cockpit, new technologies, new equipment matrix and comprehensive connectivity. Its virtues as a spacious SUV remain unchanged: with a five-seat configuration, it offers a luggage compartment volume of 760 to 1,920 litres, with the seven-seater offering 700 to 1,755 litres. The optional seats in the third row can be folded like the rear bench seat and backrest in the second row. They can be dropped to fit flush into the luggage compartment floor thus creating an even loading area. There are three TSIs and two TDIs engines available. Upon request or depending on the equipment, a 7-speed dual clutch gearbox ensures fast, efficient gear changes and the optional 4MOTION all-wheel drive offers optimum traction.

Due to its redesigned front, the Tiguan Allspace has now grown to a length of 

4,723 mm (22 mm longer); all the generous interior measurements are unchanged. With its newly designed front featuring an independent radiator grille and elegant signature light, the vehicle exudes premium quality. For the first time, the Tiguan Allspace can now be ordered with IQ.LIGHT LED matrix headlights. A further new feature is the “sweeping” indicator function of the LED turn signals. On either side of the redesigned Volkswagen logo, an illuminated strip in the radiator grille adds a striking visual note.

Three equipment options available

Volkswagen has reconfigured and optimised the equipment matrix of the Tiguan Allspace. In future, it will be available in the versions Life, Elegance and R-Line in Germany. The Elegance equipment elegantly showcases the new Tiguan Allspace with numerous chrome-plated elements in the interior and on the exterior as well as 19-inch alloy wheels. Sporty drivers can order the Tiguan Allspace in the R-Line version. A multifunction leather sports steering wheel with touch operation and R-Line logo, decorative trims in Carbon Grey, Digital Cockpit Pro and 19- or 20-inch wheels are just some of the distinctive features. When it comes to comfort, the front seats can be ordered in the ergoActive version with electric 4-way lumbar support adjustment and massage function.

All air conditioning, heating and ventilation functions of the standard three-zone automatic air conditioner are operated via a new digitalised module in the centre console. Touch panels and sliders take the place of rotary knobs and buttons. The driver can now also choose to receive information via the full-colour head-up display. It projects driving-related information such as speed, directions and warnings in the driver’s field of vision. The already proven optional Trailer Assist system supports the driver when manoeuvring a trailer. The maximum trailer weight is up to 2.5 tonnes with the 4MOTION all-wheel drive.

Partly automated driving is made possible by IQ.DRIVE Travel Assist that is used for the first time in the Tiguan Allspace. Depending on the gearbox type, the system can take over steering, braking and acceleration at speeds starting from 0 km/h (with dual clutch gearbox) or 30 km/h (manual gearbox) up to 210 km/h. To do this, Travel Assist relies on familiar systems including Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) for longitudinal guidance, and Lane Assist (fitted as standard) for lateral guidance.

Digitalisation in the Tiguan Allspace is progressing

For smart connectivity, the Tiguan Allspace boasts a number of new infotainment systems (new-generation MIB3) that are linked up to a wide range of online services. An Online Connectivity Unit (OCU) with integrated eSIM allows users to benefit from the online services of We Connect (set up for an unlimited usage period) and We Connect Plus (set up for free use for one or three years in Europe). Depending on the equipment level, the range of MIB3 systems is supplemented with features such as natural voice control, access to streaming services and cloud-based personalisation via Volkswagen ID. Additionally, apps can now be integrated wirelessly via App-Connect Wireless for Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™.

The optional premium sound system that Volkswagen has developed together with Harman Kardon ensures fascinating acoustic experiences. A subwoofer, a digital 16-channel amplifier, 8 plus 1 high-performance loudspeakers and an amplifier with a 480-watt total output provide crystal clear treble and deep, rich bass sounds. Four sound scenarios, surround mode and razor-sharp speech reproduction guarantee high-end sound at all seats.

Article source: www.volkswagen-newsroom.com