Contrary to what you may have read, Volkswagen has not changed its name. “At the end of the day, it was a bit of fun with the name and the brand,” a Volkswagen spokesman, Mark Gillies, said. CNBC, USA Today and others reported on the news release, saying it was dated April 29 and appeared to have been accidentally posted a month early. On Tuesday, the company posted a new statement dated March 30 about the name change, raising a flurry of comments and speculation on social media. Late Tuesday afternoon, Volkswagen officials in Germany, where the company is based, acknowledged it was a marketing tactic.

Source: New York Times March 30, 2021 22:18 UTC