The cars that helped save the company

Some of these cars have achieved legendary status, while others have become a fixture of our automotive landscape and placed their manufacturer at the very top of the automotive industry.

In the following, we will reveal some of the most famous bodies on four wheels that changed the course of development in the automotive industry.

_{Photo: Volkswagen}

Volkswagen beetle (krošč)

Even today, one of the largest car manufacturers Volkswagen (VW) is a former needed a savior. He got it in the form of a well-known bug, which can still be seen occasionally on Slovenian roads, and behind the wheel was a car enthusiast who diligently maintained a vintage Volkswagen over the years.

The savior was the VW beetle from 1948. At that time, the British army unexpectedly bought as many as 20,000 copies of this very atypical car. It is a Type 1 model, which was the inspiration for all subsequent air-cooled bugs.

Sales did not explode immediately. The factory director Heinz Nordhoff gradually expanded the sales network and by 1955 they managed to sell an incredible million units. Thus, VW cemented itself in the automotive industry and laid the foundations for further production. Bugs were produced in factories all over the world: from Germany, Australia, Belgium to Brazil and Nigeria. The last models were assembled in Mexico in 2003. In total, they produced several than 21 million bugs.

Fiat 500

After the Second World War, Italy wanted to put the economy on a profitable railway as soon as possible. The demand for cheap transportation was initially filled by scooters, but it was not to the liking of today's giant Fiat. The Fiat 500, often mislabeled as a Fiat, wasn't the first cheap car, but it was among the first that didn't look like it was going to roll over at the first pothole. In 18 years of production, they have made more than 3 million copies.

It was accompanied by low maintenance costs, while at the same time it had enough power for driving around the city and in the countryside. The foundations laid by the fiat 500 are still felt today. This little fortune on four wheels returned to the production lines in 2007 and once again ensured the sales renaissance of this Italian manufacturer.

The emphasis was on personalization, and the #141 cabriolet version and the more sporty Abarth version added the finishing touches. In four years, they sold one million cars, and so far around 3 million. During this time, most of the production moved to Poland and Mexico.

Tesla Model S

The original tesla roadster was based on the lotus elise car, but it failed to capture the imagination of sports car buyers and consequently access to their finances. The failure forced the then American start-up company to air out its operations. After more belatedly, in 2012 they presented the Tesla Model S, which on paper and on the roads justified the comparison with the limousines of the time.

But what Tesla has put on the map is the strategy to set up its own electric charging infrastructure at the launch of the car. Tesla super chargers have helped to eliminate the fear of customers about charging time and location.

BMW 700 (1959)

A pattern is emerging. In the list of inevitable collapses, once another giant appeared – BMW. In the late fifties of the last century, BMW had a solid number of luxury and smaller cars, but this was not reflected in sales success. With the help of he got a BMW 700 and started to make a string of successes.

The 700 model was radical in terms of design. It was the first BMW monocoque construction. At first, the 700 was available as a coupe, soon a sedan was released, which stopped at the number of 154,000 units produced. An additional 33,000 coupés and convertibles were on the roads at the time. The BMW 700 was powered by a 697cc flat-twin engine that was pulled from a motorcycle, which didn't bother buyers.

Honda Civic (1972)

Honda considered abandoning car production to focus on motorcycles. In 1972, however, their thinking was changed by the Honda Civic. Before that, Honda was unable to penetrate beyond the Japanese market. With the Honda Civic, buyers who were looking for a small and safe car during the energy crisis at the time suddenly got a decent alternative.

The Civic was available as a three- and five-door hatchback with front-wheel drive. The closest rival was the Ford Escort, which relied on rear-wheel drive and a fairly outdated suspension concept for a less comfortable ride than the Civic. This was a valid reason for Honda to start doing business with a huge profit. In total, they sold more than like 20 million Civics. They continued their success in 1976 with the launch of the Honda Accord.

Volkswagen Golf Mk1 (1974)

Although VW was not in danger of bankruptcy in 1974, its profits depended exclusively on the sale of the bug savior. They wanted to "retire" him several times, but they didn't succeed. The Golf Mk1 also failed in this feat, but achieved its own kind of fame and success. VW additionally filled the gaps, which enabled them to start Passat production.

Although the Golf was not VW's savior before bankruptcy, it put the manufacturer on the modern track and the Golf name is still synonymous with Volkswagen today.

Ferrari F355 (1994)

At the beginning of the nineties, Ferrari did not have problems with financing, but with reputation. According to many, the sports Ferrari 348 was only average, which is unacceptable for a company that is synonymous with sports cars. They needed something aggressive, and the Ferrari 355 delivered. It was perfect from every angle, a symphony of beauty, and inside roared a 3.5-liter V8 engine with 380 horsepower. The racer stopped at 273 km/h. Ferrari delivered a nearly perfect car. They saved their reputation and once again swung to the top of the industry.

They sold more than 11,000 F355 cars, which is double the revenue of its predecessor.

Lamborghini Gallardo (2003)

We all know Lamborghini cars by their striking shapes and engines that literally spew fire. Despite their pomp, however, they never broke records. In fact, before the arrival of the Lamborghini Gallardo model, their sales success was counted in only a few hundred examples. The Gallardo was created under the guidance of a new owner (Audi), who demanded more. like the previous management. Gallardo carried a heavy burden, which he relieved on the shoulders of 14,000 customers. The latter was enticed by the combination of a V10 engine with 493 horsepower, four-wheel drive and, as always, a crazy body.

Lamborghini secured financial stability in a short time. These are just a few famous cars that saved their manufacturers. Do you know someone else who changed the course of history?