How Much Do You Know About Volkswagen?

AUTO

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By: Bambi Turner

6 Min Quiz

Image: Wiki Commons via M93

About This Quiz

Can you tell a Beetle from a VW Bus, a Golf from a Passat or a classic Cabrio from a Karmann Ghia? Know when Volkswagen was founded and how it has grown over the decades? Take our quiz to prove your VW IQ!

Volkswagen has long made headlines for its automotive innovations, but it 2015, the company was in the news for a less encouraging reason; that year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency charged that some VW's were equipped with a "defeat device" designed to cheat the Clean Air Act by skewing emissions, gas mileage and other critical measures. The company eventually found itself shelling out billions in settlements and penalties to resolve the issue.

This shocking incident was surprising for a company that had long been recognized for its high-performance vehicles, superior engineering and innovative technologies. Yet despite the bad publicity, Volkswagen cars continue to be in high demand around the globe, and VW still produces in excess of six million vehicles each year as of 2017.

Think you know everything about the history, cars and stories that make up this iconic auto company? Take our quiz to find out!

What was the official name at VW for this car we now call the Beetle?

Volkswagen kept things simple when coming up with its famous Beetle, dubbing the compact car "Type I." Produced from 1938 to 2003, it was VW's first car, and one of the longest-running production runs in automotive history. Designed to sell for around 1000 Reich -- about $140 -- more than 21 million Beetles have been produced since the 1930s.

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What did VW name its famous Golf model after?

Like many VW models in the '70s, the Golf name comes from a German term related to trade winds. This second-best seller in VW history after the Beetle has been in production continuously since 1974. VW has produced more than 30 million Golfs in the form of hatchbacks, sedans, wagons and convertibles.

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What is the name of this VW sedan, which the company has produced since 1979?

VW introduced the Jetta is 1979 to serve as a sedan version of the company's popular Golf hatchback. Named for the Atlantic jet stream -- VW loves its wind names -- the Jetta has grown over the years from its original compact form. VW has produced at least 14 million Jettas since the vehicle was introduced.

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VW named the van shown here for this Greek figure, who famously held up the sky.

The third VW to be named after a figure from Greek mythology, the Atlas van was introduced in 2017. Because it was large enough for seven passengers over three rows of seating, VW chose the name Atlas -- after the Greek figure responsible for holding up the sky.

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Forget cars -- this is actually Volkswagen's best-selling product.

Sausage is such a top seller for Volkswagen that it even has its own part number. The company has been producing sausage since the '70s, and sold 6.8 million wursts in 2017 alone.

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What does the name Volkswagen translate to in German?

Volkswagen started as a company focused on producing a car for the average person. The name of the company literally means "people's car" in German. The company has had its familiar round VW logo since just after WWII.

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What is the name of the luxury SUV shown here?

Volkswagen produced its luxury Touareg SUV from 2002 to 2017. The name was inspired by the Tuareg people, a nomadic tribe that lives in the Sahara Desert. The car offered special off-road features, such as the ability to raise its height for greater clearance when traveling over tough terrain.

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The VW Passat set a Guinness World Record in 2013 for this feature.

Named for the passatwinde, or trade winds, VW launched the Passat in 1973. In 2013, the vehicle set a Guinness World Record for fuel efficiency in a non-hybrid, traveling 78 miles on a single gallon of gas.

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What word does VW use to distinguish different generations of each vehicle -- such as the Polo model that is shown here?

Different generations of VW models are distinguished by their Mark number. For the Polo, for instance, the first generation -- Mark 1 -- was produced between 1975 and 1981. The sixth generation -- Mark 6 -- came out in 2017.

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Which company, whose logo is shown here, has been part of Volkswagen since 1988?

Famous for its winged logo and founded in England in 1919, Bentley is known for its premium luxury vehicles. VW obtained the rights to Bentley in 1988 after winning a bidding war against BMW for the brand.

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VW made a major visible change to this component of the VW Bus when designing the second generation of this vehicle.

The VW Type II, better known as the Bus, came out in 1949. You can spot an original by its split windshield, which was changed to a single piece of glass by the 1967 redesign.

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What did VW call the Golf when it was first released in the U.S. in 1975?

The VW Golf was already a huge hit in Europe by the time this car came to the U.S. in 1975. Marketed as the Rabbit, the car soon became a common sight on American roadways.

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Volkswagen was founded under the direction of this early 20th century leader.

Volkswagen was founded under Adolph Hitler, who served as leader of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. His orders led to the creation of the Beetle, though significant production of the car didn't begin until after Hitler's death and the end of WWII.

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Cabrio VW models always offer this cool feature.

In the days before cars, a cabrio was a horse-drawn carriage with a retractable roof used to cover passengers from the weather. Volkswagen used the term to apply to convertible models of its cars -- so a Golf Cabrio or Cabriolet is a convertible Golf model.

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What is the name of this very famous VW Bug?

A 1963 VW Bug had a starring role as Herbie in the 1968 Disney flick "The Love Bug." A 2005 remake called "Herbie Fully Loaded" introduced this zippy car to a whole new generation.

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Do you know the name of this classic VW?

In keeping with the company's fondness for wind-related names, VW chose the name Scirocco -- a term that refers to winds that blow across the Sahara and into the Mediterranean -- for this '70s model. Produced between 1974 and 1992, the car was reintroduced to the European market in 2008.

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Which Greek mythological figure -- who pulled the sun across the sky -- did VW name this luxury sedan for?

The Volkswagen Phaeton is named for a Greek god of the same name, who controlled the chariot that pulled the sun as it traveled across the sky. The term was used for a type of 19th century carriage, then adopted by VW in 2002 for this full-size sedan.

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What did VW name this militaristic model?

Think of the Volkswagen Thing as an early precursor to the Hummer. Originally designed for the German military, this vehicle was released for civilians in 1968. Known as the Type 181 in-house, and as the Trekker in Europe, the Thing was a two-wheel drive, four-door convertible designed for everyday driving.

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Can you name this shapely VW sportscar?

Volkswagen made close to half a million Karmann Ghia sports cars between 1955 and 1974. Most were coupes, though a smaller number were cabriolets. The car is known today for its sleek style and hand-shaped body panels.

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Which luxury car company did Volkswagen acquire in 1998?

Feruccio Lamborghini founded his iconic car company in Italy in 1963, and quickly developed the classic Miura sports car. The company was sold to Volkswagen in 1998, and became a subsidiary of the Audi branch.

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Which country does VW call home?

When Germany was building its highway network, including the Autobahn, the country's leaders decided to invest in the development of an affordable car for citizens. Developed under lead designer Ferdinand Porsche -- yes, that Porsche -- the Beetle was released in 1938.

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What does the GTI on some VW models refer to?

That GTI you see on some VW models -- starting with the 1976 Golf -- stands for Gran Turismo Iniezione. It's an advanced fuel injection technology that supercharges the engine, making it a great choice for car buyers who love powerful rides.

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What was the Eos model known for?

Named for the Greek goddess of the dawn, the Eos was produced between 2006 and 2015. This two-door convertible had a very innovative five-piece folding hardtop, as well as a sliding sunroof.

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What does the CC stand for on certain VW models?

The Volkswagen CC started as a special version of the Passat. It had a sedan style, but a sloped roofline that resembled a traditional coupe. Eventually, the CC -- or comfort coupe -- became an independent model.

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What is the VW Tiguan named for?

The Tiguan SUV came out in 2007, and its name was determined by a poll published in a German auto magazine. The name -- pronounced Tee-Gwan -- is a portmanteau of the German terms for tiger and iguana.

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This 1984 flick featured an appearance by a classic VW Beetle.

Kevin Bacon's character Ren drove a yellow VW Bug -- a '72 to be exact -- in the 1984 teen flick "Footloose."

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Volkswagen purchased this luxury car brand in 1998.

Ettore Bugatti founded his iconic car company in Germany in 1909. Though he only produced around 8,000 vehicles, they were celebrated for their artistic designs. The company was sold to VW in 1998.

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When did the New Beetle come out?

Sixty years after the Beetle came out in 1938, Volkswagen released a retro-inspired version known as the New Beetle in 1998. The new model has the engine in the front, rather than in the rear, but was still heavily inspired by the original design.

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What is the name of this '00s VW minivan?

The Routan minivan was only sold in North America, and only produced between 2009 and 2014. A joint venture with Chrysler, the vehicle's name was a mix of the word route and the suffix "an." The unpopular name and high price led the company to discontinue the Routan after only a few years.

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What scientific name did Volkswagen use for this '80s model -- the North American version of the second generation Passat?

Volkswagen used to make it a point of renaming cars for different markets to appeal to local buyers. The G2 Passat, produced between 1981 and 1988, became the Quantum in North America -- and was renamed the Corsar and Carat in various Latin American markets.

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Known as the Gol in South America, what name was given to this subcompact for the North American market?

The Gol is a huge Latin American seller for VW, and was the best-selling car in Brazil from 1987 to 2014. From 1987 to 1993, it was available in North America as the Fox.

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What does VW call its off-road version of the Golf?

Volkswagen has an Alltrack variant of several popular models, including the Golf and Passat. All Alltrack models are designed for off-road success, and come with increased clearance and improved suspension compared to standard models.

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What name did Volkswagen announce in 2016 for its new all-electric models?

Volkswagen gave the world a sneak peek of the all-electric I.D. at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. Built on VW's MEB platform, the I.D. is not only efficient, but stylish -- with intriguing suicide doors.

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What fruit did Volkswagen compare the Beetle to in an iconic 1960 ad campaign?

After its successful "Think Small" campaign in 1959, VW followed up with a 1960 ad comparing a Beetle to a lemon. The ad is so memorable that it was later discussed on an episode of "Mad Men."

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What year did Volkswagen finally hit the 15 million mark with Beetle production to outperform the Model T?

Henry Ford produced just over 15 million Model T's between 1908 and 1927, the most of any car model in history. It took VW 34 years from the introduction of the Beetle to beat this long-held record on Feb. 17, 1972.

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Which of these car companies has been owned by Volkswagen since 1966?

Audi was formed in 1934 when four German car companies united -- hence the four-rings logo. In 1966, Audi became a fully-owned subsidiary of Volkswagen.

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Which 1985 film featured a chase in a Volkswagen Type 2 bus?

In the 1985 film "Back to the Future," terrorists in a blue VW van chased down a time-traveling DeLorean. One drove the van, while the other shot at the DeLorean through the VW's sunroof.

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The Volkswagen Corrado was named for the Spanish verb correr, which means...

Volkswagen replaced the Scirocco with the Corrado compact coupe in 1988. It's name comes from the Spanish verb for "to run,%0D but this car didn't fly off dealer lots. Instead, fewer than 100,000 units were sold before the car was discontinued in 1995.

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What is the Guinness World Record for most people to fit in a VW Beetle?

Believe it or not, students at Asbury University in Kentucky fit 20 people into a 1964 VW Beetle in 2010 -- establishing a Guinness World Record for the feat.

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Which luxury car company merged with Volkswagen in 2011?

Porsche began in Stuttgart, Germany in 1931, and soon became famous for classic cars like the 911 and the Boxster. In 2011, Porsche and Volkswagen merged to form a single company after years of financial infighting and debate.

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