THE PEOPLE'S CAR PROJECT —
After China opened its market to the world, Volkswagen lost its privilege as the only foreign car brand option in the country. Competitors surged, and market share slipped. VW had to turn its model inside out—we decided to stop building cars for people and start building cars with them. The People’s Car Project is a long-term co-creation program where VW designers worked side by side with 1 billion fans to upgrade current models and imagine future ones.
Open calls across web, mobile, and social, streamlined submission tools, regional challenges, public voting, and design sprints converted standout ideas into concept films, prototypes, and showroom demos. Editorial spotlights elevated makers, influencers, and creators carried out the story. The result was a national conversation and a visible pipeline from sketch to concept that reframed the brand from advertiser to platform for imagination.
