This is Volkswagen’s 75th anniversary of bringing the Beetle to America
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Wednesday is the 75th anniversary of Volkswagen’s first attempts to sell a vehicle in the United States.
On January 17, 1949, VW imported two versions of the Beetle for American car buyers.
A Dutch businessman brought them to New York. It was slow-going to begin with.
But in six years, he had enough success to establish Volkswagen of America to service multiple dealerships here.
By the 1960’s, the Beetle and the Beetle bus had become cultural icons in the U.S.
This year, Volkswagen is celebrating with the new ID.Buzz, which is an electric re-imagining of the old Microbus.
You’ll see new marketing campaigns all year plus a return by Volkswagen to the Super Bowl commercial realm.
“Over the past 75 years, Volkswagen has grown from a tale of two Beetles into a part of America’s cultural fabric,” said Rachael Zaluzec, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience & Brand Marketing, Volkswagen of America. “We carry people in our name and our heart. As we look forward to the next 75, we will celebrate the real people and real-life moments that have made Volkswagen brand the people’s love story it is today.”
