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Volkswagen Argentina

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Volkswagen Group Argentina
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1980; 44 years ago (1980) [1]
HeadquartersGeneral Pacheco, Argentina
Area served
Worldwide [2]
Key people
Thomas Owsianski (President)[1]
ProductsAutomobiles, pickups, transmissions
ServicesAutomotive financial services
Number of employees
c. 7,000
ParentVolkswagen Group
Divisions
List
    • Volkswagen Vehículos de Pasajeros [3]
    • Volkswagen Vehículos Comerciales
    • Volkswagen Camiones y Buses
    • Audi
    • Ducati
Websitevolkswagen.com.ar

Volkswagen Group Argentina is the Argentine subsidiary of German automotive manufacturing company Volkswagen Group. It was established in 1980 when the company acquired defunct business Chrysler Fevre Argentina including its two plants in San Justo and Monte Chingolo.[1]

Nowadays VW Argentina has two plants, one in General Pacheco where the company produces its vehicles, and the other in Córdoba. The latter is dedicated exclusively to make automobile transmissions, with total of the production exported to Europe.[1] The plants were inaugurated in 1995 and 1996, respectively.[2]

In 2010, a total of 135,600 vehicles were delivered.[4] During its more than 40 years operating in Argentina, Volkswagen has produced and imported several type of vehicles including automobiles, pickups, minibuses, and trucks.

History

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The VW 1500 (took over after Chrysler left in 1979) was the first model produced by Volkswagen in Argentina

Volkswagen started its operations in Argentina in 1980 after acquiring Chrysler Fevre Argentina and its plants in San Justo and Monte Chingolo in Buenos Aires Province. Therefore "Volkswagen Argentina" became the 8th subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group worldwide.[5] Volkswagen took over production of the 1500 model, previously marketed by Chrysler under its Dodge brand. When VW took over complete control in 1982, the car was rebadged as "Volkswagen 1500",[6][7] being also produced by Volkswagen Brazil.[8] The VW 1500 was produced in Argentina until 1990, when it was discontinued.[7] Since its inception in 1971, a total of 262,668 Dodge/VW 1500 were produced.[9]

In 1981 VW Argentina produced the first "Combi" (Type 2 model)

Volkswagen introduced its first utility vehicles in 1982, producing the 2nd. generation of the Transporter (renamed "Combi" locally).[10] The Combi was produced until 1990 in three versions: minivan, panel van, and pickup. The minibus version was the most popular with 11,331 units produced while the pickup was discontinued in 1986.[11]

In 1983 the company started production of the "Gacel", a 4-door version of its Brazilian Volkswagen Gol first generation. The firm also imported the Passat and Santana (renamed "Carat") models from Brazil.[5]

For economic reasons, in 1987 Volkswagen started a joint venture with Ford Motor Argentina to form Autolatina, moving operations to Ford's Pacheco Stamping and Assembly. During those years, the company commercialised the Gol model (which became the all-time most selling model in the history of Argentine industry) and the Saveiro pickup truck. By mid-1994 Ford and Volkswagen dissolved AutoLatina and the local VW subsidiary started to operate as "Volkswagen Group Argentina".[5]

When the economic situation improved significantly by 1995, Volkswagen re-founded its plants and in the same year commissioned a new plant in General Pacheco.[12] That same year the Gol began to be made in the country, having produced 190,511 units until 2003. In 1996 Volkswagen started production of the Polo Classic and the (second generation of) Caddy van (originally designed by SEAT and marketed in Spain as "SEAT Inca"). A total of 287,000 vehicles (Polo and Caddy) had been produced in General Pacheco until 2008. Other successful model produced was the "Suran", a station wagon version of the Fox model with more than 440,000 units produced from 2006 to 2019.[10] Volkswagen opened a new plant in Córdoba in 2001 to produce transmissions exclusively.[12]

In 2009 Volkswagen Argentina started production of the Amarok, the first global pickup of VW Group. On 15 July 2013, Volkswagen produced its 1,000,000 vehicle in the Pacheco plant.[10] Since 2011, the company has maintained its own chair at the National Technical University in Pacheco with the Ferdinand Porsche Institute.[13]

In 2019, Volkswagen Argentina reached 16 consecutive years as the top selling vehicle manufacturer in Argentina, with 1,5 million vehicles produced in General Pacheco and 14 million transmissions made in Córdoba. All the transmissions produced are exclusively for export.[5] A total of 568,000 Amarok had been produced by mid-2020, becoming the model with more units made in that factory. The Amarok was exported to over 35 countries worldwide.[10]

With an investment of US$650 million and launched in April 2021,[14] the Taos became the first crossover SUV to be manufactured by VW Argentina.[10]

Produced models

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Current production

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Name Type Origin Orig. name Produced Image
Amarok Pickup  GER Amarok 2009–present
Taos Crossover SUV  GER Taos 2021–present [10]

Past production

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Name Type Origin Orig. marque Orig. name Produced Image
1500 [n1 1] Sedan  UK Rootes Group Hillman Avenger 1982–88
Combi Minivan /
Panel van /
Pickup		  GER Volkswagen Transporter
(2nd. generation)		 1981–90 [15]
Gacel [n1 2] Sedan /
Station wagon		  BRA Volkswagen Gol
(1st. generation)		 1983–96
Gol / Voyage [n1 3] Subcompact /
Station wagon [n1 4]/
Pickup [n1 5]		  BRA Volkswagen Gol
(1st.–3rd. generation)		 1993–2021 [17]
Polo Classic Sedan  GER Volkswagen Derby
(3rd. generation)		 1996–2008 [10]
Caddy Van  SPA SEAT Inca 1996–2008 [10]
Suran Mini MPV  BRA Volkswagen Fox
(station wagon)		 2007–19 [18]
Notes
  1. ^ It had been previously manufactured by Chrysler Fevre Argentina under the Dodge brand.
  2. ^ It was renamed "Senda" in 1990.
  3. ^ In Argentina, the "Voyage" was the 4-door version of the Gol.
  4. ^ Rebranded "Gol Country", produced until 2013.[16]
  5. ^ Named "Saveiro".

Imported models

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Notes
  1. ^ The first lines of Passat commercialised in Argentina were imported from Brazil.
  2. ^ Rebrand of the Santana model.
  3. ^ Rebrand of the Passat model. marketed in Argentina as a station wagon.
  4. ^ Rebrand of the Jetta A5/A6/A7 model.
  5. ^ Rebrand of the Taigo model.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Volkswagen, 40 años en argentina on Ambito, 5 May 2020
  2. ^ a b Volkswagen festeja sus 40 años en Argentina on Cars Magazine, 24 Apr 2020
  3. ^ Nuestras áreas on VW Argentina, (1 Jul 2022)
  4. ^ Auftakt für die Errichtung des Ferdinand Porsche Instituts in Argentinien Pressemitteilung, 6. Oktober 2011
  5. ^ a b c d VolksWagen cumple 40 años en Argentina: historia de un ícono de la industria automotriz on Forbes, 29 Apr 2020
  6. ^ Dodge 1500 models 1971–1979
  7. ^ a b Autoguía clasicos: del Dodge 1500 al Volkswagen 1500 by Rene Villegas on Cuyo Motor, 26 Dec 2020
  8. ^ Historia del Dodge 1500
  9. ^ Dodge 1500: el clásico mediano de Argentina cumplió 50 años by Diego Zorrero on Infobae, 22 Aug 2021
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Historia de Volkswagen en Argentina on AutoHistoria
  11. ^ 40 años de Volkswagen en Argentina: ¿sabías que la Kombi se fabricó en el país? on TN, 26 Apr 2020
  12. ^ a b Unternehmensportrait bei Volkswagen Media Services
  13. ^ Comenzó la construcción del Instituto Porsche en Pacheco autoblog.com.ar, 6. Oktober 2011
  14. ^ Nuevo Volkswagen Taos: lanzamiento en Argentina, desde $3.955.000 at 16 Valvulas, 27 May 2021
  15. ^ 40 años de Volkswagen en Argentina: ¿sabías que la Kombi se fabricó en el país? on TN, 26 Apr 2020
  16. ^ Adiós la VW Gol Country, 18 Sep 2013
  17. ^ Volkswagen Voyage se dejaría de fabricar on Autocosmos, 10 Jul 2021
  18. ^ VW deja de fabricar el Suran en el país tras 12 años y lo reemplazará un nuevo modelo, La Nación, 4 Jan 2019
  19. ^ Adiós al VW Bora on Autoblog
  20. ^ Adiós a un histórico: Volkswagen dejó de fabricar uno de sus modelos más chicos y baratos on TN, 7 Oct 2021
  21. ^ Adiós al Volkswagen Fox on Motor1, 7 May 2020
  22. ^ Volkswagen Fox se despide del mercado después de 18 años on Parabrisas, 7 Oct 2021
  23. ^ Lanzamiento: Volkswagen Scirocco, 19 Jun 2012
  24. ^ Lanzamiento: Volkswagen The Beetle, 16 May 2014
  25. ^ Lanzamiento: Volkswagen T-Cross, 27 Jun 2019
  26. ^ Lanzamiento: Volkswagen Nivus 170 TSi Manual on Motor1, 28 Jan 2022
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