What is fahrvergnügen?

Fahrvergnügen is a German word that roughly translates to "driving pleasure" or "the joy of driving." It gained significant popularity in the United States in the 1990s as part of a marketing campaign by Volkswagen.

The term itself emphasizes the experience of driving as something enjoyable and engaging, rather than merely a means of transportation. It highlights the qualities of a vehicle that contribute to this enjoyment, such as handling, performance, and responsiveness. While Volkswagen heavily promoted the term, the general concept of driving pleasure applies to any vehicle and driver who appreciate the act of driving.

The campaign, despite its initial success, also faced some criticism and humorous backlash due to the difficulty many Americans had in pronouncing the word and the subsequent association with some Volkswagen model quality issues during that period. However, the term remains a recognizable example of using a foreign word to evoke a specific feeling or association with a brand. The use of marketing slogans like "Fahrvergnügen" can leave a lasting impression. It ultimately became part of the cultural lexicon associated with the 90s.