The fascinating story of Volkswagen's raging success and near collapse in America After a wild ride of ups and downs for almost three decades, Volkswagen has regained its stature as one of America's most beloved auto makers. In Getting the Bugs Out, journalist and auto industry expert David Kiley tells the complete story of the rise, fall, and comeback of Volkswagen. Kiley traces the company's rise from Ferdinand Porsche's original design for the Beetle, through the Nazi era, and up to the Beetle's ascendancy during the flower-power 1960s. He explores the reasons for VW's downward spiral through the 1970s and 1980s, including the devastating management blunders that led to such failed efforts as the Rabbit, Dasher, Thing, and Scirocco, and equally catastrophic marketing initiatives, culminating in the notorious "Fahrfegnugen" series of ads. Finally, drawing upon his unique access to company insiders, Kiley tells the story of how Volkswagen achieved its phenomenal comeback beginning in the late 1990s through a combination of visionary management, cutting-edge product development, and brilliant marketing and advertising strategies.
David Kiley (Anne Arbor, MI), the Detroit Bureau Chief at USA Today, is a journalist with fifteen years of experience, ten of which have been devoted to covering the auto industry. He has written extensively for Adweek and Brandweek magazines.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments.
Introduction.
1. The Unveiling.
2. Sins of the Fathers.
3. The Rise.
4. The Magic.
5. The Wall.
6. The German Patient.
7. The Pitch.
8. The Recovery.
9. The Prince.
10. Curves Ahead.
Notes.
Index.
About the Author :
DAVID KILEY, the Detroit Bureau Chief at USA Today, is a journalist with fifteen years of experience covering the auto industry. Kiley has written extensively for Adweek and Brandweek magazines and has been featured as an automotive and advertising analyst on Nightline, CNBC, CNN, the Today show, and other TV news programs.
DAVID KILEY, the Detroit Bureau Chief at USA Today, is a journalist with fifteen years of experience covering the auto industry. Kiley has written extensively for Adweek and Brandweek magazines and has been featured as an automotive and advertising analyst on Nightline, CNBC, CNN, the Today show, and other TV news programs.
Review :
The story of how a rigid German automaker stormed the American market with its lovable Beetle, virtually disappeared, then came roaring back is told here by USA Today's Detroit bureau chief. Part skeptic, part admirer, Kiley details the car's roots in Nazi Germany, suggesting it grew out of Hitler's obsession with creating an autobahn and giving German citizens the chance to have their own cheap cars to drive on it. When VW infiltrated America in the 1950s, it found itself fighting Detroit's lumbering giants, who believed Americans simply desired a steady stream of gas-guzzling, chrome-plated behemoths. By remedying the almost complete lack of affordable cars with good mileage, the Beetle was able to overcome its strange appearance, weak engine and reputation of being "Hitler's car" and quickly developed a dedicated following, thanks to whimsical, innocent ads. But in the 1970s, cheap, reliable, Japanese compacts began eating away at the Beetle's lead, and through the '80s, the company was mostly dormant in America, with Beetles supplying only collectors. Then, in 1994, VW bowled over the press with its presentation of the new Beetle. Another series of engaging ads helped put it into the limelight and return to a prominent position. Kiley is realistic about VW's future, noting that Beetle sales have been dropping off and other brands like Passat are not picking up the slack. Although Kiley pays too much attention to the advertising end of things-this is an Adweek Book, after all-he deftly reports on the mystique and the reality of one of the auto world's enduring legends. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 1, 2001) "a well-researched tale." (USA Today, December 10, 2001)
"...Kiley has written an entertaining insight into one of the more interesting corners of the car industry..." (Irish Times (Dublin), 14 December 2001)
"...engaging and informative...essential reading for anyone involved in promoting a brand..." (Visions, The Peugeot Marque Magazine, January 2002)
"...it is a fascinating and sometimes inspiring read..." (Sunday Business Post, 27 January 2002)
"...offers a fascinating insight..a riveting read..." (Engineering Management Journal, February 2002)
"comprehensive account..." (The Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2002)
"?comprehensive account of the car's (VW Beetle) American marketing?" (Wall Street Journal (Europe), 16 October 2002)
"?David Kiley offers a fascinating case study of VW in the US?reams of facts and anecdotes underpin a good read that brings the boomer years to life?" (Marketing, 2 November 2002)
The story of how a rigid German automaker stormed the American market with its lovable Beetle, virtually disappeared, then came roaring back is told here by USA Today's Detroit bureau chief. Part skeptic, part admirer, Kiley details the car's roots in Nazi Germany, suggesting it grew out of Hitler's obsession with creating an autobahn and giving German citizens the chance to have their own cheap cars to drive on it. When VW infiltrated America in the 1950s, it found itself fighting Detroit's lumbering giants, who believed Americans simply desired a steady stream of gas-guzzling, chrome-plated behemoths. By remedying the almost complete lack of affordable cars with good mileage, the Beetle was able to overcome its strange appearance, weak engine and reputation of being "Hitler's car" and quickly developed a dedicated following, thanks to whimsical, innocent ads. But in the 1970s, cheap, reliable, Japanese compacts began eating away at the Beetle's lead, and through the '80s, the company was mostly dormant in America, with Beetles supplying only collectors. Then, in 1994, VW bowled over the press with its presentation of the new Beetle. Another series of engaging ads helped put it into the limelight and return to a prominent position. Kiley is realistic about VW's future, noting that Beetle sales have been dropping off and other brands like Passat are not picking up the slack. Although Kiley pays too much attention to the advertising end of things-this is an Adweek Book, after all-he deftly reports on the mystique and the reality of one of the auto world's enduring legends. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 1, 2001) "a well-researched tale." (USA Today, December 10, 2001)
"...Kiley has written an entertaining insight into one of the more interesting corners of the car industry..." (Irish Times (Dublin), 14 December 2001)
"...engaging and informative...essential reading for anyone involved in promoting a brand..." (Visions, The Peugeot Marque Magazine, January 2002)
"...it is a fascinating and sometimes inspiring read..." (Sunday Business Post, 27 January 2002)
"...offers a fascinating insight..a riveting read..." (Engineering Management Journal, February 2002)
"comprehensive account..." (The Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2002)
"?comprehensive account of the car's (VW Beetle) American marketing?" (Wall Street Journal (Europe), 16 October 2002)
"?David Kiley offers a fascinating case study of VW in the US?reams of facts and anecdotes underpin a good read that brings the boomer years to life?" (Marketing, 2 November 2002)
The story of how a rigid German automaker stormed the American market with its lovable Beetle, virtually disappeared, then came roaring back is told here by USA Today's Detroit bureau chief. Part skeptic, part admirer, Kiley details the car's roots in Nazi Germany, suggesting it grew out of Hitler's obsession with creating an autobahn and giving German citizens the chance to have their own cheap cars to drive on it. When VW infiltrated America in the 1950s, it found itself fighting Detroit's lumbering giants, who believed Americans simply desired a steady stream of gas-guzzling, chrome-plated behemoths. By remedying the almost complete lack of affordable cars with good mileage, the Beetle was able to overcome its strange appearance, weak engine and reputation of being "Hitler's car" and quickly developed a dedicated following, thanks to whimsical, innocent ads. But in the 1970s, cheap, reliable, Japanese compacts began eating away at the Beetle's lead, and through the '80s, the company was mostly dormant in America, with Beetles supplying only collectors. Then, in 1994, VW bowled over the press with its presentation of the new Beetle. Another series of engaging ads helped put it into the limelight and return to a prominent position. Kiley is realistic about VW's future, noting that Beetle sales have been dropping off and other brands like Passat are not picking up the slack. Although Kiley pays too much attention to the advertising end of things-this is an Adweek Book, after all-he deftly reports on the mystique and the reality of one of the auto world's enduring legends. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 1, 2001) "a well-researched tale." (USA Today, December 10, 2001)
"...Kiley has written an entertaining insight into one of the more interesting corners of the car industry..." (Irish Times (Dublin), 14 December 2001)
"...engaging and informative...essential reading for anyone involved in promoting a brand..." (Visions, The Peugeot Marque Magazine, January 2002)
"...it is a fascinating and sometimes inspiring read..." (Sunday Business Post, 27 January 2002)
"...offers a fascinating insight..a riveting read..." (Engineering Management Journal, February 2002)
"comprehensive account..." (The Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2002)
"?comprehensive account of the car's (VW Beetle) American marketing?" (Wall Street Journal (Europe), 16 October 2002)
"?David Kiley offers a fascinating case study of VW in the US?reams of facts and anecdotes underpin a good read that brings the boomer years to life?" (Marketing, 2 November 2002)
The story of how a rigid German automaker stormed the American market with its lovable Beetle, virtually disappeared, then came roaring back is told here by USA Today's Detroit bureau chief. Part skeptic, part admirer, Kiley details the car's roots in Nazi Germany, suggesting it grew out of Hitler's obsession with creating an autobahn and giving German citizens the chance to have their own cheap cars to drive on it. When VW infiltrated America in the 1950s, it found itself fighting Detroit's lumbering giants, who believed Americans simply desired a steady stream of gas-guzzling, chrome-plated behemoths. By remedying the almost complete lack of affordable cars with good mileage, the Beetle was able to overcome its strange appearance, weak engine and reputation of being "Hitler's car" and quickly developed a dedicated following, thanks to whimsical, innocent ads. But in the 1970s, cheap, reliable, Japanese compacts began eating away at the Beetle's lead, and through the '80s, the company was mostly dormant in America, with Beetles supplying only collectors. Then, in 1994, VW bowled over the press with its presentation of the new Beetle. Another series of engaging ads helped put it into the limelight and return to a prominent position. Kiley is realistic about VW's future, noting that Beetle sales have been dropping off and other brands like Passat are not picking up the slack. Although Kiley pays too much attention to the advertising end of things-this is an Adweek Book, after all-he deftly reports on the mystique and the reality of one of the auto world's enduring legends. (Nov.) (Publishers Weekly, October 1, 2001) "a well-researched tale." (USA Today, December 10, 2001)
"...Kiley has written an entertaining insight into one of the more interesting corners of the car industry..." (Irish Times (Dublin), 14 December 2001)
"...engaging and informative...essential reading for anyone involved in promoting a brand..." (Visions, The Peugeot Marque Magazine, January 2002)
"...it is a fascinating and sometimes inspiring read..." (Sunday Business Post, 27 January 2002)
"...offers a fascinating insight..a riveting read..." (Engineering Management Journal, February 2002)
"comprehensive account..." (The Wall Street Journal, October 11, 2002)
"?comprehensive account of the car's (VW Beetle) American marketing?" (Wall Street Journal (Europe), 16 October 2002)
"?David Kiley offers a fascinating case study of VW in the US?reams of facts and anecdotes underpin a good read that brings the boomer years to life?" (Marketing, 2 November 2002)
