In April 2000, Volkswagen AG expands its position on the international commercial vehicle market by acquiring 18.7 % of the shares and 34 % of the voting rights of the Swedish truck manufacturer "Scania AB". On 1 July 2000, the Volkswagen Group opens the AutoStadt, the virtual theme world of the Group brands, in Wolfsburg. Vehicles are delivered to their new owners in the Customer Centre of this exciting service and competence location.
On 1 January 2001, "Volkswagen Group Australia Pty. Ltd.", an importing company registered in Alexandria, takes over responsibility for Volkswagen sales, stepping up the pace at which the Australian market is developed. Production of the fourth generation of the Polo, which defines a class of its own between the Golf and the Lupo in terms of style and technology, begins in August 2001. Just two and a half years after the foundation stone was laid, the "Gläserne Manufaktur" (transparent factory) opens in Dresden on 11 December 2001. The innovative manufacturing process combines industrial automobile production with high quality craftsmanship, and is staged as an attraction for customers to strengthen their emotional ties with the brand. The Phaeton, the first vehicle to be manufactured at the plant and Volkswagen's first model for the automotive luxury class, goes into production in December 2001.
To sharpen brand profiles, the Automotive Division is restructured with effect from 1 January 2002. The Volkswagen brand group, which stands for authenticity and reliability, combines the Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Škoda, Bentley and Bugatti brands. The second brand group, with its values of sportiness, innovative technology and stylish design, consists of the Audi, SEAT and Lamborghini brands. Commercial vehicles are integrated in the new Group structure as an independent brand.
On 16 April 2002, Bernd Pischetsrieder becomes Chairman of the Board of Management, succeeding Ferdinand Piëch who becomes Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG. On 25 June 2002, the Golf overtakes the legendardy Beetle to become Vollkswagen's largest-volume model with the number of units produced reaching 21,517,415. In August 2002, the Bratislava plant of Volkswagen Slovakia, a.s. begins production of the Touareg, a luxury class off-roader that brings Volkswagen into a new market segment. "Auto 5000 GmbH", with a factory at the Wolfsburg plant, starts manufacturing the Touran compact van in December 2002. A special collective agreement is developed for lean production with flat hierarchies, team work, flexible working times and more employee process competence in order to transfer responsibility for production volumes and quality to employees themselves. The qualification concept integrated in the work process encourages independent learning and culminates in the "Automobilbauer IHK" mechanic's certificate at the end of a two-year period.
With a new, dynamic design and vehicle technology, the fifth generation of the Golf goes into production in 2003. On 1 December 2003, Volkswagen AG and the Chinese government sign a declaration of intent to intensify cooperation concerning the manufacture of new products and the establishment of further joint ventures. The first step is taken mid-2003 with the construction of a second automobile factory in Changchun to enhance the model diversity of FAW-Volkswagen. Shanghai-Volkswagen begins producing vehicles for export at the end of November.
