Volkswagen, or the "people's car", is a brand that was created to enable average Germans to get around by car. At the end of the Second World War, the Wolfsburg production site was placed under British control. A few months later, the thousandth Beetle left the factory to great acclaim. In 1949, the factory was once again under German control and expanded its range and international presence. Today, the German brand is the world's leading carmaker, ahead of Toyota.