Volkswagen controls dozens of brands – from budget cars to Bugatti hypercars and MAN trucks. Here's who makes up the VW empire.
When it comes to Volkswagen, the first thing that comes to mind for many is the Beetle hatchback or even Audi cars. But today, the company that started with compact cars controls an amazing combination of well-known brands across different categories.
The German automaker was founded in 1937. In nearly a century, the company has managed to sell over 4 million cars a year, making it the largest global car brand.
Its most well-known models are the Golf, Beetle, and Passat, but in the future, the brand will focus exclusively on electric vehicles.
VW owns this commercial giant through its Traton division. Scania is considered a world leader in the production of heavy trucks and buses, known for their durability. Many of them regularly reach the million-kilometer mark without any major breakdowns.
Another sub-brand of the Traton division, known for its reliable trucks, buses, and engines. Although MAN's history initially involved producing diesel engines (along with military technology), the company later focused its efforts on the transport sector and became associated with safety.
The proof of this is that many major European football clubs travel between cities on MAN buses.
VW Group owns this French car company through a joint venture with Rimac, producing hypercars.
The Bugatti lineup currently includes one of the fastest cars in history – the Chiron Super Sport, accelerating to speeds over 480 kilometers per hour.
Another car brand producing supercars and hypercars, competing with Ferrari. The most famous of them are the Huracan and the brand new Revuelto with a V12 engine.
The company joined the Volkswagen Group in 1998, becoming the first luxury car manufacturer in the German brand's portfolio.
VW Group also owns the Porsche brand, which is one of the most profitable brands in the group. Its electric car, the Taycan, was the first production electric vehicle to challenge Tesla.
One of the key pieces of the VW Group brands, pioneering automotive innovations. Known for its Quattro all-wheel-drive systems, the company has already won Le Mans with a diesel engine and now aims to achieve victories in Formula 1 racing (beginning in 2026).
This former partner of Seat (until 2018) from Spain produces elegant, electric, and sporty models that are in decent demand. One of the company's latest innovations is the Born electric car.
The car brand from Spain, which became fully owned by Volkswagen in 1990. Seat fits perfectly in the category of brands developing and selling budget cars for Europe.