Owners

#TBT: Volkswagens tie grandkids to their family legacies

Eric Shoemaker had no real interest in cars. As a designer and entrepreneur, he primarily took an interest in hobbies like woodworking, furniture restoration, and photography. Today, however, he not only owns a business with his wife Amanda that restores air-cooled German engine components, but his website (1967beetle.com) is a go-to resource for tech tips, classifieds, and Volkswagen stories from around the globe. And what he attributes as the catalyst for his newfound passion is a 1967 Bee

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Community

#TBT: One owner, 42 Volkswagen vehicles, endless memories

You always remember your first car. For Taylor Bryant, that first car – an old Beetle – drew the template of a life-long connection to Volkswagen that has grown to more than 40 vehicles over the years. “I’ve always liked European cars and had a soft spot for Volkswagens,” Bryant said. His affection for VW began as a kid in Charleston, South Carolina. Bryant would ride his bike to the local Volkswagen dealership and admire the latest models while chatting with technicians. Six years lat

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Community

How to give your vehicle the detailing TLC it needs at home

When shelter-in-place orders took effect in cities across the U.S. this spring, a hobby renaissance began. Images of people comfort baking, knitting and puzzling flooded social media, along with car enthusiasts showing off their new DIY car detailing projects. “Our business was doing some doomsday planning as most small businesses were at the start of the pandemic, waiting for the wall to close in and it just never did,” said Jared Toops, General Manager and Director of E-Commerce at Car

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Community

How “van-lifers” embrace authentic and adventurous lifestyles

Over the past decade, a growing movement of van dwellers have ditched their cubicles for the open road, living out of their vehicles and documenting their journeys as they travel the world. It has become a lifestyle, online aesthetic and career — one both Kristen Bor and Linda Romero have embraced. When they met, Bor and Romero were studying for their master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Management from the University of California at Santa Barbara. The now full-time bloggers wen

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Owners

How one VW Vanagon Westfalia helps thousands of Philadelphians get out the vote

Across the country, civic groups are looking for unique and creative ways to reach prospective voters amidst the pandemic, which has disrupted the traditional means of voter registration and election participation. “People don’t vote every day, they vote twice a year - if that - so it’s really important for us to help them understand the rules, their options and how they can make their votes count,” said David Thornburgh, president of the Philadelphia-based Committee of Seventy, a nonpartisan

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Community

How to help prepare for a road trip during the pandemic

After months of lockdown, everyone is itching to explore. As the weather warms up and states re-open, the American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that 97% of summer travel in the United States will be done by car – totaling an estimated 683 million road trips from July to September. “Most people want to get away while trying to stay safe and distant from others. When you drive, you can travel at your own comfort level,” said Jeanette Casselano, Director of Public Relations at AAA. “You

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Community

#TBT: Formula Vee racing, a Volkswagen family tradition for five decades

Forty years after it was last sold new, the original Volkswagen Beetle can still be found on American roads, a testament to its popularity and engineering. The same holds true for American race tracks, where an important part of the Beetle legacy has only grown more popular over the years. Since its start in the early 1960s, Formula Vee racing has offered one of the most competitive and affordable forms of open-wheel racing anywhere in the world. Developed by a group of independent dealers, t

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Community

Hobbyists return to car restoration projects during the pandemic

  With time to spare and nowhere to go during lockdown, many classic-car owners have seized the opportunity to finally make progress on a restoration project – or two. Rob Dibble saw the overabundance of time at home as an opportunity to pursue his passion for car restoration. The corporate development entrepreneur has been working remotely in Charlotte, North Carolina, and his flexible schedule allowed him to focus on the restoration of his 1969 Volkswagen dune buggy. “I wante

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Community

Volkswagen and The Conservation Fund award $200,000 in grants to environmental organizations

In November, Volkswagen reinforced its corporate commitment to sustainability by establishing a $200,000 community grant program toward conservation efforts in eastern Tennessee in partnership with The Conservation Fund. After soliciting grant requests of up to $50,000 from local nonprofits, schools and public agencies, the company is pleased to announce the five charitable organizations that were selected for sponsorship. The funds will be used toward promoting environmental education fo

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Partnerships

Team Volkswagen kicks off Drive Bigger program to get charities back on the field

As the world works toward a new normal in the COVID-19 era, sports like soccer have had to adapt and try new approaches. With teams and players slowly returning to the field, the demands on soccer-related charities remain high, with programs delayed or cancelled and needs greater than ever. To help address those challenges, Volkswagen of America has worked with U.S. Soccer Men’s and Women’s National Team players who serve as brand ambassadors on Team Volkswagen. These ten ambassadors have cho

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Philanthropy

Volkswagen dealers across the nation participate in Community-Driven Atlas Initiative

Volkswagen and its network of dealerships are supporting local communities during COVID-19 through the Community-Driven Atlas Initiative, a program that allows dealerships the ability to re-purpose their service loaner vehicles for community service endeavors like delivering food, masks and other essential goods to individuals in need. “We have been involved with a number of organizations in our communities for years now,” said Kristen Walker, marketing director for Coastal Volkswagen. “But w

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A Florida father-son mechanic duo restores vintage Volkswagens

Gregg Ammerman has loved vintage Volkswagens ever since he purchased his very first car, a watermelon green Super Beetle, in 1982. His passion for the brand has grown over time, and now the former Army mechanic shares his love for car restoration with his youngest son, Dalton Ammerman. The father-and-son duo began restoring cars over five years ago, starting with a yellow 1978 Karmann Convertible Super Beetle in 2015. Together, the Ammermans worked on the car for months, with Gregg le

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Community

Let Tanner Foust share some proper donut-making technique on National Donut Day

Tanner Foust knows how to cook up a proper donut – at least of the automotive kind. The Volkswagen R brand ambassador has twice won championships for drifting, where cars go in precise circles while turning tires into smoke, and demonstrated his handling skills at the wheel of the Volkswagen 560-hp rallycross Volkswagen Beetles. (You may have also seen his skills in a few movies along the way.) For this year’s National Donut Day, Tanner took some time to demonstrate some of his donut-making t

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Community

Drive-in theaters experience a revival nationwide amid COVID

Drive-in movie theaters are one of the few businesses experiencing a renaissance amid the coronavirus pandemic. As one of the few entertainment destinations you can still visit outside of the home, they’ve experienced a boom in popularity and demand over the past couple months. “We’ve seen a resurgence in interest across the country. Our shows are selling out every night. It’s the best market I have ever seen in all my years in business,” says Jim Kopp, owner of The Family Drive-in Theatre i

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Company

#TBT: Learn about the past, present, and future of mobility with virtual Autostadt tours

With public attractions like museums and theme parks largely closed around the world, many are turning to virtual tours. Autostadt, the automotive theme park next to the Volkswagen production factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, has recently reopened, but developed several virtual experiences. A coloring project lets people virtually race through the park in a personalized ID. BUZZ concept vehicle, and a series of “sofa tours” allow a closer look at the past, present, and future of mobility. Bring

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Vehicles

On National Road Trip Day, where do you want to go next?

Due to COVID-19, Americans have stayed off the road, but it doesn’t mean the desire to see the world has faded. It’s not too early to dream about where your first road trip might be and Volkswagen wants to hear about your dream trips today on National Road Trip Day. Volkswagen enthusiasts across the country are invited to join the conversation on social media by sharing the destinations and people they’ll visit once we can all hit the open road again. When the green light is given by your loc

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Lifestyle

#TBT: Ten movies co-starring Volkswagen classics

While many movie theaters remain closed, even as some states start to re-open this month, you can still get your film fix from home. Whether you want to watch something new or revisit an old favorite, these ten movies featuring Volkswagen models are perfect for any mood. The films are available for rent on most streaming services, so make some popcorn, dim the lights and see if you can spot these beloved cars. ‘The Love Bug’ (1968): A down-on-his-luck racecar driver and his mechanic discove

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Vehicles

How the latest 4Motion® with Active Control all-wheel drive system helps keep the Atlas on track

Last year, nearly 8 million vehicles sold in America came with some form of all-wheel-drive. In northern states, all-wheel or four-wheel drive has long been considered essential for winter travel. Even in southern states, all-wheel drive has gained in popularity as a peace-of-mind feature for wild weather days. But as anyone who’s driven on snowy or muddy roads knows, there’s more to getting going than simply which wheel does the work. This is why the available 4Motion® with Active Control sy

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Community

Be inspired from home with help from MoMA

As a partner since 2011 and the lead sponsor of education since 2015, Volkswagen is proud to support the ongoing and expanded educational opportunities at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. While MoMA’s galleries are temporarily closed, the Museum has taken its programs and exhibitions online through #MuseumFromHome, a global initiative that allows the public the rare chance to view the Museum’s exhibitions and partake in an array of programs and activities from home. Wi

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Vehicles

The road to amazing sound, driven by Volkswagen, Fender and Panasonic

While stay-at-home orders are easing in some states, most are months away from re-opening concert venues. Many musicians are continuing to share their talents by holding virtual performances, giving fans a show while raising funds for those impacted by the pandemic. And the most advanced sound system available for listening to those events – or even finding a few minutes of solitude with your favorite tunes under lockdown – may be in your vehicle. On Thursday, May 14 at 8 pm ET, Volkswage

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Community

How Volkswagen owners are supporting COVID-19 relief efforts

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, Volkswagen drivers across the nation are pitching in to help their neighbors. Community service is nothing new to Marqese Singleton, and when the pandemic hit his community in early March, he had no plans of slowing down. A parent liaison for Hawthorne Avenue Elementary School in Newark, New Jersey, Singleton has distributed free, fresh vegetables to local families every week for the past three years. On Fridays, he picks up unused produce in his white 2013 Vo

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Company

Volkswagen drives bigger to fight the COVID-19 outbreak

Across America and around the world, Volkswagen has rolled out several new efforts to help customers and communities fight the coronavirus. Earlier this month, Volkswagen of America and fabrics supplier Faurecia announced a collaborative effort to manufacture Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items, with the first batch shipped to New York City’s Javits Center and other area hospitals. Working with Volkswagen strategy and logistics, Faurecia was able to quickly convert one of its factor

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Vehicles

#TBT: The ARVW, the most aerodynamic Volkswagen ever built

Aerodynamics play a key role in every modern vehicle. The less drag a vehicle generates when moving through the air, the less energy it consumes and the more quietly it moves. Over the years, automakers have experimented with extreme vehicle shapes to demonstrate the innate relationship between drag and power. Few have been more radical than the Aerodynamic Research Volkswagen of 1980, a single-seat arrow that remains the most aerodynamic vehicle ever built with a VW badge. Sparked by the oi

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Vehicles

How the 2021 Volkswagen Atlas is built for families

It’s no secret that sport utility vehicles have become the family hauler of choice among Americans, far outpacing sedans, wagons and minivans. Last year, just under half of all vehicles sold in the United States were some form of SUV, a trend that has only grown in recent years. First introduced in 2017, the Atlas remains the largest Volkswagen ever sold in America, and, since its launch, also one of the best-selling. Here are the key ingredients for the success and improvements for the 20

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Community

#TBT: Three big brands that started small with a Volkswagen

Many successful companies trace their heritage to a small business that started as a passion project. Surprisingly, some of these now-famous companies credit a Volkswagen model as a key player in the early days of their business. Domino’s Delivery Beetle Brothers Tom and James Monaghan founded Domino’s Pizza in 1960 when they bought a small pizzeria in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The brothers purchased the store for only $900 and decided to keep the original name, DomiNick’s. They were given

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Community

Dealerships perform acts of kindness during COVID-19 crisis

From organizing senior meal deliveries to leading donation drives, Volkswagen dealerships across the country are doing their part to help find new and inventive ways to support their neighbors during these difficult times. Below are three examples of dealerships driving something bigger in their local communities. To show their appreciation to essential workers, Auburn Volkswagen in Washington decided to come up with multiple plans to help address the growing need in their community. “My

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