When you start looking at car companies, it doesn’t take long to realize that many of the brands are owned by one entity. However, sometimes it’s surprising to see which brands are the property of the same company. Take VW for example. This company owns many different vehicle companies that you likely never put together.
Audi
VW acquired Audi in 1964. Did you know that the interior of the Audi A8 has 36,520 stitches in the leather? Audi has been an innovator in the car industry throughout the years, and the first dual-clutch vehicles ever built were Audi rally cars in the 1980s.
Scania
VW has had a controlling stake in Scania since 2008. As of January 15, 2015, VW has owned the company 100 percent. During World War II, Scania created and produced military vehicles for the Swedish Army. Scania trucks have been manufactured in South Korea, Argentina, Brazil, Botswana, the Netherlands, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and the United States.
SEAT
VW originally had complete ownership of SEAT in 1982, however they sold part of the company in 1986. By 1990, VW-owned the brand completely again. SEAT is the only major Spanish manufacturer that can create and develop their vehicles in-house. In 2000, SEAT had its highest production numbers ever, building a total of 523,756 vehicles.
Skoda
In 1991, VW made an initial agreement with the owner of Skoda for 30 percent ownership. However, this brand has been 100 percent under VW’s control since 2000. Skoda started off making bicycles, moved on to motorbikes, and eventually started making cars. Skoda has resurrected many different model names over the years, including Felicia, Octavia, Superb, and Rapid.
Bugatti
Bugatti is a fully owned subsidiary of VW, and has been that way since 1998. The Bugatti Veyron has ten radiators in each car, and each radiator takes 15 hours to build. It’s also quicker to decelerate the Veyron from 60 mph to 0 than it takes to accelerate—and it only takes 2.8 seconds to go from 0-60.
Bentley
Since 1998, VW has owned the Bentley brand and marque. One of the original Bentley car racers, Glen Kidston, helped get his submarine unstuck from the ocean floor while he was a naval officer. He also was the only survivor of a plane crash, and then went on to win Le Mans.
Lamborghini
Lamborghini has been part of the VW family since 1998. The most expensive Lamborghini ever sold for $1,600,000—the Lamborghini Reventon. The highest sales in a year for Lamborghini was in 2007. That year the company sold 2,580 cars.
Porsche
VW became the parent company of Porsche when they purchased all shares in the company in 2012. The world’s first hybrid electric vehicle was created by Ferdinand Porsche in 1899. Dutch police drove the Porsche 356, ten of which were built a year after the original production stopped.
It’s interesting to see where different car companies started compared to where they are today. With so many new and innovative ideas coming from these brands, it’s no wonder that Volkswagen continues to grow.
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