Automotive industry in GermanyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Volkswagen assembly line as of 1973

The automobile industry in Germany is one of the largest employers in the country, with a strong labour

force of over 866,000 (2005) working in the industry.

With annual output near 6 million and 35,6% share among European Union now, Germany is absolute

leader of auto production in Europe since 1960s, and in Worldwas the third during 1970s - middle of 2000s

and is fourth now (conceding to China, United States and Japan only).

Germany designed cars won in the European Car of the Year, the International Car of the Year, the World

Car of the Year annual awards one of the most times among other countries. Two cars (Volkswagen

Beetle and Porsche 911) took 4th and 5th places in the Car of the Century award.

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Contents

  [hide] 

1 History

2 Present day

3 Manufacturers

4 References

5 External links

[edit]History

Germany is considered to be the birthplace of the automobile since Karl Benz and Nikolaus

Otto independently developed four-stroke internal combustion engines in the late 1870s, with Benz fitting

his design to a coach in 1887, which led to the modern day motor car. By 1901, Germany was producing

about 900 cars a year.[1] In 1926, Daimler-Benz was formed from the predecessor companies of Karl

Benz and Gottlieb Daimler and produced cars under the marque of Mercedes-Benz. In 1916 BMW was

founded, but didn't start auto production until 1928.

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American economist Robert A. Brady extensively documented the rationalization movement that shaped

German industry in the 1920s, and although his general model of the movement applied to the automotive

industry, the sector was in poor health in the later years of the Weimar Republic. Germany's slow

development of the industry left the market open for major American auto manufacturers such as General

Motorswho took over German company Opel in 1929, and the Ford Motor Company which maintained the

successful German subsidiary Ford-Werke, beginning in 1925.[2]

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The collapse of the global economy during the Great Depression in the early 1930s plunged Germany's

auto industry into a severe crisis. While eighty-six auto companies had existed in Germany during the

1920s, barely twelve survived the depression, including Daimler-Benz, Opel and Ford's factory in Cologne.

In addition, four of the country's major car manufacturers — Horch, Dampf Kraft

Wagen (DKW),Wanderer and Audi — formed a joint venture known as the Auto Union in 1932, which was

to play a leading role in Germany's comeback from the depression.[3]

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The turnabout for the German motor industry came about in the 1930s with the election of the Nazi Party to

power. The Nazis instituted a policy known as Motorisierung ("motorization"), a transport policy whichAdolf

Hitler himself considered a key element of attempts to legitimise the Nazi government by raising the

people's standard of living. In addition to development and extensions of major highway schemes,

theVolkswagen project was also conceived to design and construct a robust but inexpensive "people's car".

[2]

By the end of World War II, most of the auto factories had been destroyed or badly damaged. In addition,

the eastern part of Germany was under control of the Soviet Union, which dismantled much of the

machinery that was left and sent it back to the Soviet Union as war reparations.

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Some manufacturers, such as Maybach and Adler (automobile), started up again, but did not continue

making passenger cars. TheVolkswagen production facility in Wolfsburg began making the Volkswagen

Beetle (Type 1) in 1945, a car which it had intended to make prior to the war (under the name of KdF-

Wagen), except that the factory was converted to military truck production during the war. By 1955 VW had

made one million Volkswagen Beetles, and by 1965 had built ten million. Other auto manufacturers rebuilt

their plants and slowly resumed production, with initial models mostly based on pre-war designs.

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 Mercedes-Benz resumed production in 1946 with the pre-war designed 170 series. In 1951 they

introduced the 220 series, which came with a more modern engine, and the 300 series. Opel revived the

pre-war cars Opel Olympia in 1947 and the Opel Kapitän in 1948. (Toolings for the Opel Kadett were taken

by the Soviets and used to make theMoskvitch 400-420.) Ford, which had resumed production of trucks in

1945, began building the pre-war Ford Taunus in 1948. Porsche began production of their Porsche 356 in

1948, and introduced their long-lived Porsche 911 in 1964. Borgward began production in 1949,

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Goliath, Lloyd, Gutbrod, and Auto Union (DKW) began in 1950. BMW's first cars after the war were the

luxurious BMW 501 and BMW 502 in 1952. In 1957 NSU Motorenwerke re-entered the car market.[4][5]

Automobile manufacturers in East Germany after the war included Eisenacher Motorenwerk (EMW), which

also made the Wartburg (car), and VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau, which made the IFA

F8(derived from the DKW F8) and the Trabant. Initial production by EMW after the war were models that

were essentially pre-war BMW 326 and BMW 327 models, as the plant in Eisenach was formerly owned by

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During the mid-to-late 1950s the Bubble car became popular. BMW was the largest maker, with the BMW

Isetta and BMW 600. Other makes included the Messerschmitt KR175 and KR200, the Heinkel Kabine,

and the Zündapp Janus. Microcars such as the Glas Goggomobile, BMW 700, and Lloyd 600 also were

popular.

In the late-1950s, BMW developed financial difficulties and control of the company was acquired by the

Quandt family. BMW acquired Glas in 1966. In 1961, the Borgward auto group, including Goliath and Lloyd

went out of business.

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In 1958 Auto Union was acquired by Daimler AG, but then in turn it was sold in stages from 1964 to 1966

to Volkswagen AG (at which time the DKW marque was ended and the Audi name was resurrected). In

1969, Volkswagen AG acquired NSU Motorenwerke (developer of the Wankel engine) and merged it with

Auto Union, but the NSU nameplate disappeared by 1977.

The West of Germany was far more technically advanced in comparison with the East (more than 4,5

millions against 200 thousands annual production of auto vehicles in 1980s), with the divide ending

withGerman reunification in 1990.

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During the 1980s and 1990s, the German auto industry engaged in major acquisitions and international

expansion all over the World. Besides of direct eport, German manufacturers found or bought plants in

European, Asian, Latin American countries and in the United States even. Auto industry

of Mexico, Brazil, China, Turkey, some post-socialist East European countries gained by German

investments in a significant share. Famous Volkswagen Beetle was issued in Mexico more than in

motherland.

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Volkswagen set up a joint venture with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation in 1984

(named Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive), acquired SEAT in 1986, and Škoda in 1991. In 1998 VW

acquired Bentley,Bugatti, and Lamborghini. BMW acquired the Rover Group in 1994, but large losses led to

its sale in 2000. However, BMW retained the Mini (marque) name for a line of new cars.

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During the 1990s, BMW opened a production facility for SUVs in Spartanburg County, South Carolina,

U.S.A. BMW also acquired the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars name, effective as of 2003. Daimler-Benz entered

into what was initially called a "merger of equals" with Chrysler Corporation in 1998. However, cultural

differences and operating losses led to its dissolution in 2007. The company also launched the Smart

(automobile) in 1998 and relaunched the Maybach brand in 2002. In addition, during the 1990s they

opened a production facility for SUVs in Tuscaloosa County , Alabama , U.S.A.[6][7][8]

[edit]Present day

Currently, six German companies dominate the automotive industry in the country: Volkswagen AG, BMW

AG, Daimler AG, Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Adam Opel AG and Ford-Werke GmbH. Nearly six million

vehicles are produced in Germany each year, and approximately 5.5 million are produced overseas by

German brands.[9] Alongside the United States, China and Japan, Germany is one of the top 4 automobile

manufacturers in the world. The Volkswagen Group is one of the three biggest automotive companies of

the world (along with Toyota and General Motors).

The Chevrolet Volt and its Voltec Technology have been invented and developed first and foremost by the

former German Opel engineer Frank Weber and—still today—some of the most important parts of the

development of GM's electric vehicles is done in Germany.[10]

List of automobile manufacturers of GermanyFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of current and defunct automobile manufacturers of Germany.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Contents

[hide]

1 Current major manufacturers

o 1.1 Audi

o 1.2 BMW

o 1.3 Mercedes-Benz

o 1.4 Opel

o 1.5 Porsche

o 1.6 Volkswagen

2 Current minor manufacturers

3 Former manufacturers

o 3.1 A-C

o 3.2 D-F

o 3.3 G-K

o 3.4 L-O

o 3.5 P-S

o 3.6 T-Z

4 See also

5 References

6 Sources

[edit]Current major manufacturers

[edit]Audi

Audi (1909-1939; 1965-present) is a luxury automobile manufacturer headquartered in Ingolstadt, and

has been subsidiary of Volkswagen AG since 1966, following a phased purchase of its predecessor,

Auto Union, from its former owner, Daimler-Benz. Volkswagen relaunched the Audi brand with the

introduction of the Audi F103 series in 1965.

The Audi name is based on the surname of the founder August Horch, his surname meaning listen in

German—which, when translated into Latin, becomes Audi. The four rings of the company logo

represent the companies which merged (Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer) to create Auto Union.

• 50 • 72/75 • 80/90/Coupè/S2/RS2/Cabriolet • 100/200/5000/S4 • 4000CS

quattro • A1 • A2 • A3/S3/RS3 • A4/S4/RS4 • A5/S5/RS5 • A6/S6/RS6 • Allroad • A7 • A8/S8 • Q5 • Q7 

• Quattro/Coupé GT • R8 / R8 GT •TT/TTS • V8

[edit]BMW

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) (1916-present) is an automobile, motorcycle and engine

manufacturing company founded in 1917. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the

parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and

Husqvarna brands. In 2010, the BMW group produced 1,481,253 automobiles and 112,271

motorcycles across all its brands.The elaboration of BMW is Bavarian Motor Work.

• 1 Series • 3 Series/M3 • 5 Series/M5 • 6 Series/M6 • 7 Series • 8 Series • 303 • 315 • 319

• 321 • 326 • 327 • 328 • 329

• 335 • 340 • 501/502 • 503 • 507 • 600 • 700 • 1500/1600/1800/2000/2002 •2500/2800/3.0S/3.0Si/

3.3Li • 3200 CS • Isetta • M1 • X3 • X5 • X6 • Z1 • Z3 • Z4 • Z8

[edit]Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz (1886-present) is a manufacturer of luxury automobiles, as well as buses, coaches,

and trucks and a division of Daimler AG. The name first appeared in 1926 under Daimler-Benz but

traces its origins to Daimler's 1901 Mercedes and to Karl Benz's 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen,

widely regarded as the first automobile. It is also known as the world's oldest automotive company

which recently celebrated its 125th anniversary on 2011.the logo represents land air and water.

• A-Class • B-Class • C-Class • CL-Class • CLC-Class • CLK-Class/CLK-GTR • CLS-Class • E-Class • 

G-Class • GL-Class • GLK-Class • M-Class/ML-Class • R-Class • S-Class • SL-Class • SLK-Class • SL

R-McLaren • SLS • V-Class

[edit]Opel

(1899-present)

• Agila • Ascona • Astra • Antara • Calibra • Combo • Commodore • Corsa • Diplomat • GT • Insignia • 

Kadett • Manta • Meriva • Monza • Omega • Rekord • Senator • Signum • Speedster • Tigra • Vectra • Z

afira

[edit]Porsche

(1931-2012, 2013 onwards Volkswagen AG)

• 356 • 911/912/930 • 914 • 924 • 928 • 944 • 959 • 968 • Boxster • Carrera

GT • Cayenne • Cayman • Panamera

[edit]Volkswagen

(1937-present)

• 181/Thing • Amarok • Beetle • Caddy • Corrado • Dasher • Eos • Fox • Gol/Saveiro/Parati/Fox/

CrossFox/Sácefox • Golf/Rabbit/Caribe • Golf Plus • Jetta/Bora/Vento • Karmann Ghia • Lupo • New

Beetle •Passat/Quantum • Phaeton • Polo • Scirocco • Sharan • SP2 • Tiguan • Touareg • Touran • Tra

nsporter/Caravelle/Microbus/Vanagon/Eurovan • Type 3 • Type 4 • Routan • Volkswagen Vento

[edit]Current minor manufacturers

Alpina  (1965-present)

Apal  (1999-present)

Artega  (2006-2012)

CityEl  (1987-present)

Gumpert  (2004-present)

Isdera  (1983-present)

Jetcar  (2000-present)

Keinath  (1996-present)

Lotec  (1981-present)

Maybach  (1921-1940; 2002-2013)

Melkus  (1969-1980; 2006-present)

Pegasus  (1995-present)

Ruf Automobile  (1982-present)

Smart  (1997-present)

Wiesmann  (1985-present)

Yes!  (1999-present)

[edit]Former manufacturers

[edit]A-C

AAA  (1919-1922)

Aachener  (1902)

AAG  (1900-1901)

Adler  (1900-1939)

Alan  (1923-1925)

AFM  (1949-1953)

AGA  (1919-1929)

Alfi  (1921-1924)

Alliance  (1904-1905)

Allright  (1908-1913)

Altmann  (1905-1907)

Amor  (1924-1925)

Amphicar  (1961-1968)

Ansbach  (1910-1913)

Anker  (1919-1920)

Apollo  (1910-1927)

Argus  (1902-1910)

Arimofa  (1921-1922)

Atlantic  (1921-1923)

Auto Union  (1958-1962)

AWS  (1971-1974)

Baer  (1921-1924)

Beaufort  (1901-1906)

Beckmann  (1900-1926)

BEF  (1907-1913)

Benz  (1883-1926)

Benz Söhne  (1906-1926)

Bitter  (1973-c.1992)

Boes  (1903-1906)

Borgward  (1939-1961)

Brennabor  (1908-1934)

Brütsch  (1952-1958)

Butz  (1934)

Certus  (1928-1929)

Champion  (1948-1954)

Cito  (1905-1909)

Club  (1922-1924)

Colibri  (1908-1911)

Cudell  (1899-1908)

Cyklon  (1902-1929)

[edit]D-F

Daimler  (1885-1889)

Deutz  (1907-1911)

Diabolo  (1922-1927)

Diana  (1922-1923)

Dixi  (1904-1928)

DKW  (1928-1966)

DMG  (1890-1902)

Dehn  (1924)

Dürkopp  (1898-1927)

Dux  (1905-1926)

EAM  (1990)

Ego  (1921-1926)

Ehrhardt  (1905-1924)

Ehrhardt-Szawe  (1924-1925)

Eisenach  (1898-1903)

EMW  (1945-1956)

Erdmann  (1904-1908)

Excelsior-Mascot  (1911-1922)

Exor  (1923)

Express  (1901-1910)

Fadag  (1921-1925)

Fafag  (1921-1923)

Fafnir  (1908-1926)

Falcon  (1921-1926)

Falke  (1899-1908)

Faun  (1921-1928)

Favorit  (1908-1909)

Feldmann  (1905-1912)

Flitzer  (1948-1953)

Ferbedo  (1923-1925)

Fiat -Neckar (1957-1971)

Framo  (1932-1937)

Freia  (1922-1927)

Fuldamobil  (1950-1960)

Fulmina  (1913-1926)

[edit]G-K

Gaggenau  (1905-1911)

Gasi  (1921)

Geha  (1910-1923)

Glas  (1955-1969)

Goggomobil  (1955-1969)

Goliath  (1931-1963)

Grade  (1921-1926)

Gridi  (1923-1924)

Gutbrod  (1904-2005)

HAG  (1922-19257

HAG-Gastell  (1925-1927)

Hanomag  (1925-1952)

Hansa  (1906-1939)

Hataz  (1921-1925)

Hawa  (1923-1925)

Heim  (1921-1926)

Heinkel  (1955-1958)

Henschel  (1899-1906)

Hexe  (1905-1907)

Hildebrand  (1922-1924)

Hoffmann  (1954-1955)

Horch  (1900-1939)

IFA  (1948-1956)

Induhag  (1922)

Joswin  (1920-1924)

Juho  (1922)

Kenter  (1923-1925)

Kleinschnittger  (1950-1957)

Koco  (1921-1926)

Komet  (1922-1924)

Komnick  (1907-1927)

Kondor  (1902-1904)

Körting  (1922-1924)

Kroboth  (1954-1955)

Kühlstein  (1898-1902)

[edit]L-O

Leichtauto  (1924)

Lindcar  (1922-1925)

Lipsia  (1922-1924)

Lloyd  (1906-1914; 1950-1963)

Loreley  (1906-1928)

Lux  (1897-1902)

Mada  (1947-1949)

MAF  (1908-1921)

Maico  (1955-1958)

Maja  (1923-1924)

Mannesmann  (1923-1929)

Mars  (1906-1908)

Maurer-Union  (1923-1929)

Mauser  (1923-1929)

MCA  (1962-1964)

Mercedes  (1901-1926)

Merkur  (1985-1989)

Meyra  (1948-1956)

Minimus  (1921-1924)

Mock  (1924)

Mölkamp  (1923-1926)

Morgan  (1924-1925)

MWD  (1911-1912)

Nacke  (1901-1913)

NAG  (1901-1934)

Neckar  (1957-1971)

NSU  (1905-1929; 1958-1977)

NSU-Fiat  (1929-1957)

Nug  (1921-1925)

Omikron  (1922-1925)

Orient Express  (1895-1903)

Oryx  (1907-1922)

[edit]P-S

1920 Szawe Type 125

Pawi  (1921)

Phänomen  (1907-1927)

Piccolo  (1904-1912)

Pilot  (1923-1925)

Pinguin  (1953-1955)

Pluto  (1924-1927)

Podeus  (1911-1914)

Presto  (1901-1927)

Priamus  (1901-1923)

Primus  (1899-1903)

Protos  (1899-1926)

Rabag/Rabag-Bugatti  (1922-1926)

Röhr  (1927-1935)

Rollfix  (1933-1936)

Rumpler  (1921-1926)

Sablatnig-Beuchelt  (1925-1926)

Sachsenring  (1956-1959)

SB/Slaby-Beringer  (1920-1924)

Scheibler  (1900-1907)

Securus  (1906)

Seidel-Arop  (1925-1926)

Selve  (1919-1929)

S.H.W.  (1924-1925)

Simson /Simson Supra (1911-1933)

Solidor  (1905-1907)

Solomobil  (1921-1923)

Sperber  (1911-1919)

Sphinx  (1920-1925)

Staiger  (1923-1924)

Standard Superior  (1933-1935)

Staunau  (1950-1951)

Steiger  (1914-1926)

Steudel  (1904-1909)

Stoewer  (1899-1940)

Stolle  (1924-1927)

Szawe  (1920-1924)

[edit]T-Z

Taunus  (1907-1909)

Tempo  (1933-1956)

Thurner  (1970-1973)

Titan

Tornax  (1934-1937)

Tourist  (1907-1920)

Trabant  (1957-1991)

Trippel  (1934-1944)

Turbo  (1923-1924)

Utilitas  (1920-1921)

Victoria  (1900-1909; 1957-1958)

Voran  (1926-1928)

Veritas  (1947-1953)

Vogtland  (1910-1912)

Wanderer  (1911-1942)

Wartburg  (1898-1904)

Wartburg  (1956-1990)

Wendax  (1950-1951)

Wenkelmobil  (1904-1907)

Wesnigk  (1920-1925)

Westfalia  (1906-1914)

Windhoff  (1908-1914)

Wittekind  (1922-1925)

Zender  (1985-c.1990)

Zündapp  (1956-1958)

Zwickau  (1956-1959)

[edit]See also