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Volkswagen Celebrates 75 Years By Bringing Charlene Johnson's 1987 Cabriolet Home To The U.S.
Charlene Johnson, a U.S. citizen, bought her first car, a 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet, while working in the Netherlands. She acquired it through Volkswagen's Tourist Automobile Shipping Program (TASP), which allowed customers to buy cars in Europe and have them shipped to the U.S. However, she ended up staying in the Netherlands for her career.
Johnson's teaching job in the Netherlands turned into a lifelong career, from which she recently retired. As she planned her return to the U.S., she couldn't bear to leave her cherished Cabriolet behind. "The TASP program is long gone," said Johnson. "But I always kept the paperwork."
Despite TASP being discontinued, Johnson reached out to Volkswagen of America with hopes of bringing her car back to Montana. Her story caught the attention of several employees, including Mark Gillies, Director of Public Relations and Reputation at VWoA. "It threw us for a loop," said Gillies. "The program has been expired a long time. But when we read Ms. Johnson’s story and felt her love of our product, we decided to honor the program."
The Cabriolet was shipped earlier this year from Houston, Texas, to a Volkswagen dealership in Montana. Johnson and her daughter were thrilled to collect it upon arrival. However, they encountered an issue; the car wouldn't start initially due to an empty fuel tank.
"Come to find out, there was no gas. Put the gas in and it fired right up," Johnson explained. The vehicle has been incredibly reliable over the years, reflecting what she believes is part of Volkswagen's brand essence. For Johnson, the car is intertwined with memories of family and friends.
Johnson fondly recalls using the Cabriolet for significant life events: "It was the coolest car, and I loved driving it around with the top down," she said. "We went to our wedding in the Cabriolet. I taught my kids how to drive in it." The car became an integral part of their European travels and family life.
Volkswagen's Legacy
Volkswagen of America operates under Volkswagen Group of America, headquartered in Reston, Virginia. It sells various models like Atlas and Jetta through over 600 U.S. dealers. The company also runs an assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
The global Volkswagen Group ranks among the largest passenger car producers worldwide and leads as Europe's biggest automaker.
Johnson's story adds another chapter to Volkswagen of America's 75th anniversary celebrations, highlighting customer loyalty and brand connection.
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