The story began with VW “accidentally” publishing a press release that talked about the rebranding of the manufacturer. Many were skeptical of this document, but when representatives of Volkswagen of America confirmed the corresponding intentions after some time, doubts disappeared. However, soon the main VW office in Germany refuted the truthfulness of this announcement: they stated that this action was nothing more than PR for the new electric crossover Volkswagen ID.4, which is currently entering the American market, and it was simply played out in the spirit of an April Fools' joke (April Fool's Day).
“Volkswagen of America will not change its name to Voltswagen,” – the brand's press service stated verbatim.
However, if some took this PR campaign with humor, others accused the German concern of abusing public trust. Moreover, some media even believe that such a hoax could have certain financial and reputational consequences for Volkswagen – from accusations of fraud to manipulations on the stock market (naturally, this news caused fluctuations in the manufacturer's shares on the exchange).
