‘SIX DEGREES’ OF THE VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPARENT FACTORY

A still-popular parlor game is the “Six Degrees of Separation.”

This game revolves around the idea that everyone and everything is six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person in the world.

This results in a chain of "a friend of a friend" statements made to connect any two people in six steps, no more and no less.

We at www.autolocopinas.com decided to have fun with Dresden-based Volkswagen Transparent Factory.

And we bet you’d be surprised with the results which included ties to a prominent comics character, a US president, a martial arts film legend, and a rival mass market automaker.

The VW Transparent Factory has ties to the Marvel character Thor.

1. The VW Transparent Factory is known for currently building just one VW nameplate: the Phaeton full size saloon.

2. The Phaeton uses Bosch electronic fuel injection and electronic control units (ECUs), common in most cars nowadays but was revolutionary during the time of...

3. The Brabham Formula 1 team which first used Bosch ECUs during the 1985 F1 season. The team had on its drivers’ roster at one point...

4. Niki Lauda, who raced for Brabham in 1979-1981. It was Lauda’s 1976 Driver’s Championship rivalry with James Hunt that was used as the main plot for the movie “Rush” whose cast included…

5. Chris Hemsworth, who portrayed Hunt. The actor also portrayed the role of…

6. Thor, the thunder god, Marvel superhero and Avengers member.

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The VW Transparent Factory has ties to former US president John F. Kennedy.

1. The VW Transparent Factory was visited at one point by Monaco’s Prince Albert, whose mother is...

2. Actress Grace Kelly, who suffered a stroke and had a fatal accident in 1982 while driving towards Monaco in a...

3. Rover P6 compact car - whose overall design was inspired by...

4. The Citroen DS which was known for its groundbreaking hydraulic suspension system that was much sought after in the 1950s and was, in fact, the personal auto preference of...

5. Former French prime minister Charles de Gaulle, a known avid supporter of...

6. Former US president John F. Kennedy.

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The VW Transparent Factory has ties to Bruce Lee.

1. The VW Transparent Factory opened in December 2001. Three months before...

2. The September 11, 2001 attacks occurred, and in the wake of that incident...

3. Media company Clear Channel Communications issued on September 24, 2001 a controversial memorandum urging US radio stations to ban certain songs, as the media outlet felt that it was prudent to do such a move in the wake of the terrorist attacks. One example of these songs was....

4. Edwin Starr’s “War,” known lately as part of the soundtrack to the movie...

5. “Rush Hour,” starring Jackie Chan who started his career as a stuntman in the “Enter The Dragon” movie starring...

6. Bruce Lee

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The VW Transparent Factory has ties to Toyota.

1. Before solely building Phaeton units, the factory also churned out units of the...

2. Bentley Continental Flying Spur, which shared certain parts with the Phaeton, including the engine rarity known as a...

3. W12 configuration. Actually two VR6 engine blocks joined together, this compact design allows for the installation of...

4. All wheel drive – a drive train system that allows you to get through turns faster than front wheel drive or rear wheel drive setups. AWD is also a hallmark of vehicles made by...

5. Japanese automaker Subaru, which counts as a principal owner...

6. Toyota, which owns 16.5% of Fuji Heavy Industries, the conglomerate behind Subaru.

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