VW Special

Stunning landscapes, wild animals and pure off-road feeling: that's the Amarok Adventure Tour by Expedition leader Matthias Göttenauer. For a total of three weeks, 2.5 tons of four wheel drive vehicles fight their way through South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe. The first three-day leg takes them through the Kalahari Desert, which reaches temperatures of up to 40 degrees.

What is the fascination behind these open pickup trucks? Off-road expert Kurt Sigl and Toyota specialist Alexander Wohlfarth find out, when they test the German VW Amarok and the classic Japanese Toyota Hilux on and off the road.

The Volkswagen Golf is a reasonable car. it's not really exiting, but a bestseller! With more than 30 million units sold, the Golf is one of the most successful cars in automotive history. The models of the first generation have been cult objects for years, especially the Golf GTI and the Golf Cabriolet. Car History tells the story of the Volkswagen Golf and reveals its secret to success.

The Volkswagen Group is the second biggest car company in the world. It all starts in 1936 with one car: the Volkswagen Beetle. It is supposed to make people's dream of owning a car come true, but turns to be even more: a propaganda object in the Third Reich, a push for the economy after the war, a million seller, a film star and a sports car. The Beetle makes Volkswagen world-famous.

In the 1970s Volkswagen is in a crisis after the company was hit by the oil price shock and the popularity of the Beetle has declined. Only with the introduction of the Passat and Golf, Volkswagen finds its way back on track. The Golf is a bestseller. With more than 30 million units sold, it makes the Volkswagen Group a global player. Now, twelve brands are part of the Volkswagen Group.

The Volkswagen Transporter, affectionally called VW Bulli, has been built in Hannover-Stöcken since 1956. Currently, there are 14,500 people working for Volkswagen at this plant with a small group making travel dreams come true: The manufacture the Volkswagen California is a nearby special facility. Since opening in 2004, the number of produced cars has almost been doubled to 60 units a day.