An Outline

America:  the Auto Industry 1950
 Larger and Larger  American cars being produced after the war, as would continue throughout the decade.  In 1949, after a full year of trying, two purchasers were found to buy the first  American VW’s.  By 1960 Nearly 100,000 a year were selling in the US Market, occupying the largest space in the import sector, and representing the beginnings of the first Major Threats to American Domestic Dominance.

Porsche Designed, Hitler Proponent, Nazi Glorified:
1931- Ferdinand Porsche designs a car for every man
1935- Hitler Wants a Car for Every Man
1938- War Prevents use of powerful Wolfsburg Factory
Only 22 VW’s made, all going to SS officers.
KdF  or "Kraft durch Freude," (Power through Joy) Hitler names it, Annoying Porsche
The war prevents further production

Postwar Surprises
In the British Occupied area of Wolfsburg, a few jobless workers assemble parts of VW’s from before the war to please (and bribe) British Officers looking for cars.  British Car companies give the KdF a look and decide it is too ugly to be mass produced.
Factory keeps going, and grows, mostly in order to employ Germans and pay reparations.
Heinz Nordhoff-  1948 appointed head of new Volkswagen (people’s car) factory
Constant Improvements and emphasis on quality, reliability, and interchangeability

The VW Goes For America
1949 Nordhoff sends Ben Pon, the experience Dutch Salesman, to America to sell the Beetle to America.  Sells one desperately at the end of months of trying for half price to buy a ticket home.  Nordhoff himself returns to sell another.
1950-53 Max Hoffman, powerful New York Importer, imports small numbers under pressure from
Nordhoff, selling them mostly to smaller import dealers, who purchase them normally in order
to guarantee shipment of specialty Jaguars and Porsche’s.
c. 1952  Sets up Volkswagen of America (henceforth VWoA), a wholly owned subsidiary of VW, to coordinate the marketing of the VW to America, the most valued market in Nordhoff’s mind.
the theory:  Most imports are plagued with parts shortages and limited service, making them a luxury.  VW would create a wide network of dealerships, having well trained technicians (5 times as many mechanics and work bays as a normal shop) and guaranteeing parts (easy due to limited change of vehicle: a 63 fender fit a 48 VW).  These Uniformly designed dealership (804 officials by 1960, countless independents) would guarantee the ongoing usage and sales of new and used VW’s.
1953-1958 Sales continue to Climb (see chart) due solely to word of mouth and prevalence of
Dealerships
1957 New head of VWoA, Max can de Kamp, appointed.  Though German, like Hoffman, was more
fluent in English, understood culture better, and understood colloquialisms.
In 1958  VW launches ad campaign that revolutionizes the industry, and drives up sales
1960 Detroit responds with launch of wide variety of smaller cars