Golf Blue-e-Motion Launched in 2013

In Palo Alto, California, Volkswagen has established its ERL (Electronics Research Laboratory), the largest of its kind outside of Germany, where approximately 100 engineers are engaged in daily research. This announcement signifies a further strengthening of the research conducted here.

Following the "Touareg Hybrid," Volkswagen announced the release of the new "Jetta Hybrid" in 2012, and in 2013, the production model of the "E-Up!" and the "Golf Blue-e-Motion." The production model of the E-Up! and the Golf Blue-e-Motion will be the first production EVs from the Volkswagen Group in the United States.



Furthermore, Chairman Martin Winterkorn stated, "Volkswagen will become an automaker that launches EVs accessible to all users." The Volkswagen Group is set to fully commit to the field of electric vehicles.

BRAND HISTORY
Volkswagen, founded in 1936, is an automobile manufacturer. While often perceived as a pragmatic brand due to its focus on mainstream vehicles rather than sports cars, its high level of technological expertise has secured its position as one of the world's leading passenger car manufacturers.

A distinctive aspect of Volkswagen is its post-war establishment as a full-scale automobile manufacturer, which is somewhat unusual in Europe. Moreover, it is evident that the company cherishes the passion for car manufacturing of its founder, engineer Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, as a heritage.

After laying its foundation with the Type 1, commonly known as the Beetle, the company began producing passenger cars for a wider market using technology from the acquired Audi. The breakthrough came in 1974 with the Golf, which brilliantly balanced the two essential functions of a car – practicality and driving pleasure – becoming a major hit. This spirit of car manufacturing continues today, with Volkswagen models being pragmatic yet equipped with genuine driving enjoyment. Notably, the previous generation Golf was an early adopter of the dual-clutch system.

Volkswagen is also a company adept at marketing. The establishment of the GTI variant for the Golf, creating the "hot hatch" genre, can be considered a monumental achievement in automotive history. The brand is also skilled in its strategic use of its portfolio. Audi, under its umbrella, utilizes its proprietary quattro all-wheel-drive technology to cultivate a distinct market image and reach different customer segments than Volkswagen. Currently, it also owns Lamborghini, Bentley, and Bugatti, arguably the most high-performance and expensive sports cars in the world, and is the largest shareholder in Porsche.

In the late 1990s, Volkswagen significantly focused on improving quality with the goal of surpassing Japanese cars. As a result, its build quality has reached global standards. Furthermore, recent advancements in noise reduction have been remarkable, posing a significant challenge to the long-held dominance of Japanese cars in this area.

The lineup in Japan primarily consists of the compact hatchback Polo, the Golf and its station wagon variant the Golf Variant, the multi-purpose minivan Touran, the Golf's sedan counterpart the Jetta, and the Passat Variant with its larger body. Additionally, the lineup includes the two-door coupe Scirocco, the Passat CC which, despite being a four-door, boasts a stylish coupe-like silhouette, and the SUVs Tiguan and the large Touareg.

The Golf, in particular, offers a rich variety of trims, ranging from models equipped with a 1.2-liter turbo engine to the GTI, and the Golf R, which combines a 4Motion all-wheel-drive system with a 256ps engine. This spectrum, from fuel-efficient and comfortable models to those designed for driving enthusiasts, clearly demonstrates the breadth and depth of Volkswagen's car manufacturing philosophy.