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Volkswagen Factory Photos
A curated collection of rare Volkswagen factory photographs documenting Beetle, Bus, Ghia, and Type 3 production from the 1940s through the 1970s. These images capture assembly lines, testing areas, and behind-the-scenes moments from Wolfsburg, Ingolstadt, Emden, and other historic VW plants, preserving the story of how these air-cooled icons were built.
Painted
bodyshells arrive in a hall at Volkswagen Emden prior to fitting out and
final assembly in 1969. The photo captures a key stage in the production
process, showing freshly finished shells lined up under bright factory
lighting as they await installation of mechanical components and interiors.
Konrad Adenauer, the first Chancellor of West Germany, who had been in
post since 1949, made an official visit to the Volkswagenwerk in Wolfsburg
on 22 April 1955. Hosted by Volkswagen Generaldirektor Heinrich Nordoff,
he was given a tour of the factory in a new Volkswagen Cabriolet.
New
Volkswagens arrive from the factory at a German port for export by ship
in 1951. Most of you will be aware that hubcaps and wipers were left inside
the vehicles for the sea crossing - a practice that went on into the late
1970s.
Type
3 final assembly at Volkswagenwerk Wolfsburg, featured in the December
1970 VW 1600 sales brochure. The photo captures the production line in
full operation, with rows of Type 3 bodies moving through the last stages
of assembly under bright factory lighting. Workers are fitting doors,
inspecting panels and completing interior details as each car nears completion.
The
new vehicle departure yard of the Anchieta plant of Volkswagen do Brasil,
located in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, pictured in
1969. As well as many Beetles, there are quite a few box-shaped VW 1600
models too.
The Swiss Federal Railways were transferring Volkswagens between Germany
and Switzerland, moving new cars across the border as part of their regular
freight operations. This 1972 photo captures a moment in that process,
with VW models loaded for transport during an era when rail played a major
role in moving vehicles through Europe.
Several
metallic green Beetle bodies sit outside in the sun at the Puebla plant
in 2001, lined up in rows and waiting for assembly. The shells catch the
light, showing off the deep green finish that became one of the signature
colors of the final production years.
The
VW van plant in Hanover is largely mechanized. Machines have relieved
humans of heavy physical labor. This has allowed for increased production
output while simultaneously improving the quality of the product.
Careful
and meticulous bodywork preparation is essential for the longevity of
the paint finish. The three-layer synthetic resin paint makes every Volkswagen
immune to temperature fluctuations. Our photo shows a VW flatbed truck
undergoing automatic spraying.
Body
presses at the VW Transporter plant in Hanover. A push of a button is
all it takes to set these steel behemoths in motion. Here, the "face"
of the VW Transporter is continuously formed from special sheet metal.
Images courtesy of Volkswagen Factory Pictures
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