To say Volkswagen has got something of a bad rap in the press these past few months is probably a bit of an understatement.
But among all the dieselgate drama, Volkswagen has nonetheless been one of the industry’s most innovative companies throughout the decades, influencing everything from design to engineering and even culture.
Here are seven surprising things that you probably had absolutely no idea that Volkswagen invented.
1. The crumple zone
Austrian designer Béla Barényi dreamt up the concept what would eventually become the Volkswagen Beetle in 1925 aged 18, and in doing so also came up with the idea of the crumple zone for the first time.
At the time, it was thought that a car needed to be strong like a suit of armour in order to deflect impacts, but Barényi believed that areas which could strategically deform to absorb energy would protect occupants more effectively.
The inventor would go on to join Daimler-Benz, who patented the idea of the crumple zone in 1952, but it was with his original Beetle concept that the idea was first formed. Today, crumple zones are standard on all consumer cars and have in their time saved thousands upon thousands of lives.
2. The boxer engine
These days, the boxer engine is most commonly associated with manufacturers like Subaru, but it actually first began initially as a failed experiment when the original Beetle was being built.
The boxer engine is so named because its cylinders lie flat, horizontally opposed to each other at 180-degrees, and which resemble the way a boxer punches his gloves together pre-fight. Originally, it was tested on the Beetle but the first trial produced too much engine soot and noise.
Nonetheless, it design which better compensated for inertial forces and provided more power than a traditional in-line engine layout, paved the way for more powerful motors, eventually culminating in the famous Porsche flat-six.
3. The Hippie lifestyle
Needless to say, the original Volkswagen T1 Transporter is an icon of the flower-power era, but it was its successor, the T2, which truly precipitated the advent of the travelling hippie lifestyle.
Released in 1967, the T2 offered more room and more comfort than its predecessor, perfect for large families, groups of friends or communes. As a result, the T2 Transporter became the darling of the Age of Aquarius, cheerfully painted in the wild colours of the Free Love generation.
4. Modern dealership service
By 1950, the combination of mass production and the increasing size of Volkswagen’s dealership network led the company to pioneer a new blanket system of customer care.
Spurred on by the success of the Beetle, Volkswagen introduced a new sales and service model, ensuring that all of its dealerships had access to original spare parts, the correct tools and well-trained staff to ensure quality across the board.
5. The boxy hatchback era
Introduced in 1974 as the first direct successor to the Beetle, the MkI Volkswagen Golf was a departure from its predecessor in all kinds of ways, not just mechanically but also aesthetically.
Designed by legendary Italian automotive designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, famed for his work with DeLorean, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari among others, the original Golf marked a radical departure from the appearance of most of its contemporaries.
Angular in an attractive way, the Golf was a million miles away from the rounded and bulbous Beetle, and although its lines have since softened its overall shape still appeals to millions of people around the world to this day.
6. Standard traction control in small cars
Volkswagen also established stability control as standard equipment in the compact class for the first time, when it introduced its anti-skid system to the Golf back in 1997.
The electronic stability program, which automatically engages the brakes to keep the car stable in extreme situations, is now considered one of a vehicle’s most important safety systems, just behind the seatbelt and the airbag.
7. The most economical car in the world
At the start of the 2000s, Volkswagen introduced the XL1 hybrid, otherwise known as the 1-litre car or the most economical car in the world.
Fitted with all sorts of lightweight and aerodynamic components, along with a tiny engine specifically tuned for economy, the XL1 was able to achieve an absolutely amazing 317mpg on the route from Wolfsburg to Hamburg.
It wasn’t just a one-off concept either, and Volkswagen released 200 of the things to the public back in 2013, where demand was so high that the company had to employ a raffle-style system to randomly select successful buyers.
