Jason Rodrigues 

Volkswagen at 75: Classic print adverts for VW’s bestselling cars

Founded 75 years ago today, an important factor in Volkswagen's continued success has been advertising. The Guardian has featured many VW car adverts down the years, including ads for the Beetle, Campervan and Golf. Here's a selection
  
  


VWadverts: VW1956
1956 : A best selling car loved by many, the Beetle, as it came to be known, has a dark past. Volkswagen (literally, "people's car") was Hitler's pet project. In 1945, with Germany defeated, the British military government took temporary charge of the car plant. Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen: VW Beetle advert 1962
1962: Reliability was often a key message in VW adverts Photograph: Guardian
VWadverts: VW1972
1972: The Devon Motor Caravan promised to take you places you've never been, and in comfort you never dreamed possible. Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen: VW 1972 K70 car advert
1972: Not all British motorists wanted to own a Volkswagen. The K70 came with a promise that it looked like a "normal, civilised car" Photograph: Guardian
VWadverts: VW1975
1975: This advert came out after Volkswagen almost went bankrupt, and showed VW's new direction in designing sportier models, among them the Golf. Later Golf variations included the Golf GTI, described in the motoring press as a 'hot hatch' Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen: VW 1978 Polo car advert
1978: The Polo had to live in the shadow of the hugely successful Golf, but the small hatchback was still a bestseller Photograph: Guardian
VWadverts: VW1980
1980: It's the fuel economy, stupid! Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen: VW 1982 seat belts advert
1982: This advert preceded the law change making British drivers belt up in 1983. Seat belt use in the back became law for children in 1989; extended to adults in 1991 Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen: 1986 VW car advertVWDriving isn't just about getting from A to B
1986: Driving isn't just about getting from A to B Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen: VW 1991 Nova
1991: In the caring nineties, greed was bad - unless you were looking for a bigger slice of the car market. Photograph: Guardian
Volkswagen car adverts: VW 2000 car advert Dr Who Dalek
2000: Presumably to illustrate how close to the floor VW's prices were, they used a Dalek from the science fiction series, Dr Who, in this advert Photograph: Guardian
 

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