Wolfsburg is not only a hub of Volkswagen operations, but also one of the biggest industrial centers in the whole of Germany. Europe’s largest automaker has just announced that 42 million cars have been made here as of this week. The landmark vehicle is a new VW Golf GTE plug-in hybrid, which was launched only a month ago. Once it rolled off the line, the green hatchback was placed in the company of one of its spiritual ancestors, a 1978 GTI, both models being finished in white.
It’s perhaps fitting that a classic GTI would meet the new Golf GTE in this fashion. The 2014 model is heralded as the hot hatch of the 21st century ,making some compromises for the sake of fuel economy and adopting an electric drivetrain that can power it independently of the internal combustion one. Currently, Wolfsburg assembly lines roll out many models, including the VW golf Mk7 that was launched in 2012 and continuing with the e-Golf electric model, the Golf Sportsvan, the GTE, Touran and Tiguan.
Volkswagen senior officials, including plant manager Jens Herrmann and production manager Werner Gose, were joined on the scene by two workers, Jürgen Hildebrandt and Andreas Heim.
“Today we have 42 million reasons to be proud of our work here at the site. With this anniversary, the Wolfsburg plant sets new standards for efficient production. The thanks go to all the employees who made it all possible with high commitment and professionalism that success,” said plant manager Jens Herrmann.
It took them a full decade of Beetle production to reach the first million sales in 1955. Right before the first Golf started being made in 1974, production had reached 11,916,519 Beetles. The Golf was so successful that it only took them 2 years to sell the first million. In 1988, the 10th million Golf was ready. It’s no all Volkswagens though, as over the years, Wolfsburg made the Audi 50, Audi 80, Audi 100 and the SEAT Arosa (pictured above).
