Who Owns Volkswagen And Where Are Its Cars Made?

With a history dating back to just before the start of the second World War, Volkswagen's early days were no doubt affected by the brand's German progeny. But even as much of Germany struggled through the years following the end of the conflict, Volkswagen promptly positioned itself as luminary of the country's post-war recovery, and has since become one of the most recognizable brand names in the world, having produced a successful lineup of cars, vans, and sport utility vehicles that would be the envy of any company in the auto industry.

That lineup is, of course, fronted by names like the beyond legendary VW Beetle, the Golf, and the ever-evolving Passat. And yes, those storied vehicles have long displayed the VW badge that adorns every Volkswagen make and model. For the better part of their production lifetimes, they were also the product of one company, Volkswagen. That is not exactly the case these days, however, as Volkswagen is listed as one of 10 major automobile brands currently held by the Volkswagen Group. Among its banner mates are some legitimately iconic brand names like Porsche, Lamborghini, Audi, Bentley, Ducati, and VW Commercial Vehicles. VW Group also owns Škoda, Cupra, and Seat.

Though Volkswagen is noted as a holding of the VW Group, the brand wasn't acquired in the traditional sense of the concept. Rather, the original Volkswagen essentially served as the foundation for the VW Group as we know it (or Volkswagen AG), officially changing its name in the 1980s.     

Having confirmed that Volkswagen is, in essence, owned by Volkswagen, we can turn our attention to the question of where, exactly, vehicles fronting the VW logo are made. The answer to that question is also a little tricky, as Volkswagen-branded vehicles are made in manufacturing plants scattered over several locations throughout the world. That should hardly come as a surprise, as The VW Group counts a group of holdings that is the very definition of multinational. Likewise, Volkswagen's vehicles are sold and driven in cities and suburbs all over the globe.

The company was, of course, founded in what is now Wolfsburg, Germany back in the mid-1930s before taking the name Volkswagen GmbH in 1938. The fledgling automaker built its first production facility in that city too, and is, in fact, still headquartered in Wolfsburg. Not surprisingly, Volkswagen also still makes vehicles in Wolfsburg, doing so these days in a 6,500,000 square-meter (or 6,996,5417 square-feet) facility that in 2023 alone produced 490,000 automobiles. 

Just FYI — Volkswagen purports to own and operate 113 other production facilities across the globe. As it currently stands, VW notes that it has plants located in 17 countries on the European continent, as well as 10 countries throughout North and South America, Asia, and Africa. In North America, one of VW's most prominent is the sprawling production plant located in Chattanooga, Tennessee. That facility — which occupies a 1,400 acre plot of land and employs more than 5,500 individuals — has been up and running since 2011, and continues to play a vital role in the development of VW's growing EV fleet.