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Date:         Sat, 26 May 2001 11:42:40 -0500
Reply-To:     Chris Stann <ChrisS@INFORMS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Stann <ChrisS@INFORMS.COM>
Subject:      Re: What is Fahrvergnugen?
Comments: To: Rachel Cogent <cogent@GNTECH.NET>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

It's a German compound word that means something like 'driving zest' or 'driving pleasure'.

Anyway, 'fahren' means to drive, hence the 'fahr', and 'vergnugen' means pleasure or zest. There's a commonly used German phrase 'Viel Vergnugen' that loosely translated means 'Have a Good Time.' Fahrvergnugen is nothing new, except to some non-German speaking folk.

As a side note, the little driver in the vanagon.com logo came from the 'fahrvergnugen' symbol in the VW ad campaign from the late 80s, early 90s.

Chris.

----- Original Message ----- From: Rachel Cogent <cogent@GNTECH.NET> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2001 9:11 AM Subject: What is Fahrvergnugen?

> I have a sticker on my rear window it says FAHVERGNUGEN, so I wondered what > it means. > > > June 1992 > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Dear Tom and Ray: > > > What is Fahrvergnugen? No one we know has any idea, including one who speaks > German. We're beginning to think it's a made-up word and doesn't mean > anything. Debbie > > Ray: Farhvergnugen is the slogan Volkswagen started using in its > advertisements a couple of years ago. When we first saw it, we thought it > was German for "precipitous decline in U.S. sales." > > Tom: But after checking with three prominent gastroenterologists and the > doorman over at the German Consolate, we've determined that it actually > translates to "the pleasure of driving." > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Credit: > http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Archive/1992/June/07.html >


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