Memories and reflections from road trips to Wolfsburg in Germany
The notion of emotional vulnerability is something that frightens many people. The idea of being open and honest about your internal monologue can be seen as weakness, self-indulgence or madness. There are still stigmas in society with mental health, stereotypes that are out of step. Expressing my feelings is not something that I have ever been afraid of. Bottling up negativity consumes you from the inside. The disclosure of innermost thoughts is therapeutic and helps nurture inner peace.
My state of mind is almost always in a positive space. There are moments when you inevitably struggle with trials and tribulations, like curveballs that catch you off guard, but my mindset doesn’t deteriorate to the point of self-destruction. I have a healthy balance that keeps things in perspective. Part of the purpose of my car story was to recount milestone moments that have shaped my passion for cars throughout my life with personal self-reflection. I am comfortable enough to confide in you like I would with family or friends.
In that respect, there is something I would like to share with you. My family tree has German ancestry: I am part German. The connection is my grandmother from my father’s side who featured in part one of my car story. We nicknamed her Nonny, but her real name was Gisela. She had a brother living in Germany in the city of Wolfsburg. His name was Gustel. He passed away in December 2019. Until that sad end though, me and my family visited him several times every year.
This would typically happen during summer and Christmas periods. It's only now reminiscing that I realise how fortunate I really was. It was always so much fun for many reasons. The first of those was the road trip that started from the village called Barningham where we lived in Suffolk. The cars that would transport us to our destination changed through the years, though not as often as you would think. In earlier years, the Vauxhall Meriva would cover the 1010-mile return journey to and from Wolfsburg. In later years, the Vauxhall Zafira undertook the task.
"The ocean surface swelled gently as it reflected the stars and moon. You could feel the energy of the universe"
We would leave home during the evening and drive down to Harwich port. The commute was quite quick as most traffic had fizzled out for the day. Here we would catch the overnight Stena Line ferry across the North Sea to the Hook of Holland port in the Netherlands. The anticipation would build as we joined the queue to drive onto the ship. There’s a checkpoint where our documents are inspected. After our validation is confirmed, we drive up the ramp and board the ship on the parking deck. We gather together our belongings for the overnight voyage and head up the flights of stairs to find our cabin for the night.
I’ve always liked travelling. I get a buzz exploring places. It’s just the escapism from reality. There’s nothing quite like it. Once our personal items have been dropped off in the cabin, there’s some time before we depart to look at the duty-free shop. Even though the prices are discounted, they are still expensive. The bright lights dazzled the diverse selection of products stocked on shelves. Towards the back is where different brands of aftershave and perfume are positioned. It was a chance to try out some fragrances on display. The smells are quite intoxicating and enchanting, which, of course, is the intention from the outset.
We often picked a cabin with a window. Crossing the North Sea at night meant you could sleep as you were travelling. Sometimes though, when my parents and brothers were asleep, I would be awake, sitting in the window, staring at the ocean and night sky. What made it more transfixing was the moon which illuminated everything with a white glow. The ocean surface swelled gently as it reflected the stars and moon. You could feel the energy of the universe but not quite grasp it. It was a moment of harmony and focus, contemplation and appreciation.
Moments like that are often infrequent and fleeting in life. It’s something that I remember and treasure about the night crossing. We were awoken early by a melodic alarm that sounded through the ship tannoy. The night sky was turning lighter as we dragged ourselves out of bed. After a buffet breakfast, we would return to the cabin to brush teeth, collect our belongings and go down to the car deck to continue our onward journey. Outside Britain, the Netherlands and Germany are the two countries I have visited most often. Both intrigue me in different ways.
Disembarking the Stena Line ship, we get past passport control, and the road trip through Holland commences. You drive on the right side, which requires a flick of the switch in your brain when your default setting is to drive on the left. You have to remind yourself that everything is the opposite to what your used to. That’s straightforward for me to comprehend, but not everyone can so easily adapt. It’s early morning. Commuters travel by foot, bike and car towards their destinations. We are just passing through. Looking out of the window, everything is different, but the same.
Me and my two brothers occupied the back seats. The driving responsibilities would be shared between my parents until I was old enough to drive. It was 139 miles to the border between the Netherlands and Germany, which is where we would stop for a break. There are some differences compared to driving in Britain. The most notable is the smoother road surfaces which aren’t ridden with potholes. It makes for plain sailing as we progress towards the border, which has quite a perk that makes it particularly memorable.
A walkway spans across the autobahn enabling you to walk from one side to the other. It’s made more distinctive by the green scaffolding it’s constructed on. Not only does this have obvious conveniences for people, but it allows you to experience various types of vehicles travelling at speed underneath. Witnessing the sight and sound really grabs your attention as you come to terms with force and energy of oncoming traffic, it’s almost transfixing. After stretching our legs, we head back to the Meriva/Zafira for the second part of our road trip to Wolfsburg in Germany.
There’s a change of outlook in Germany. You know you are entering car country. The derestricted sections of autobahn indicate that. When I was old enough to drive, I had my turn behind the wheel of the Zafira in one of those sections. We had a Design model which had a 1.9-litre CDTI engine under the bonnet. It produced 150bhp so there was bandwidth enough to open up the taps. Pulling into the fast lane, I pushed my foot flat on the throttle, and kept it there. It had a claimed top speed of 120mph. I managed to reach 110mph with family members and luggage on board before it started to feel unstable. It felt like I was driving a garden shed.
"Most Germans could not afford a car – only one in fifty had one at that time"
Wolfsburg is of course much more than just a city in the Lower Saxony state. It’s the headquarters for the Volkswagen Group. The factory is one of the largest manufacturing plants in the world, though the company had a dark and difficult beginning. It was founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi party, at a time when cars were the privilege for the few. Most Germans could not afford a car – only one in fifty had one at that time. This predicament paved the way for the people’s car project, which would result in one of the most iconic cars of all time.
The Beetle was launched after the second world war in 1945. Designed by Ferdinand Porsche, it sold 21.5 million first-generation examples, making it the most popular car manufactured from a single platform. It also became the blueprint for perhaps my most favourite car, the Porsche 911. As we drive through Wolfsburg, the Volkswagen factory dominates the landscape. The classic industrial architecture style makes it an enthralling spectacle of mystery from the outside.
We have almost reached the destination. Our time of arrival would usually be between 12:00pm and 14:00pm. Gustel lived in an apartment on Seilerstraße 13. Turning onto the road, we would drive a few hundred metres until another turning. Here we would park the Meriva/Zafira around the back of the building in a designated space. We would gather our belongings and head on up to Gustel’s apartment on the fourth floor. I remember everything as if it were yesterday. Walking up the flights of stairs, the sound of the door buzzer, the noise of tap water splashing on the bathroom sink.
There’re some things you should know about Gustel: he was an employee at Volkswagen for thirty years. He started out working on the assembly line, and went on to become the line inspector that managed the production of cars and people assembling them. He also spoke good English, so he had interesting stories to share. It was inevitable that whenever we visited him in Wolfsburg that the prospect of touring the factory would be discussed. There was more to it than that though.
An attraction was opened adjacent to the factory in 2000. It was called Autostadt, which translates as automobile city. It comprises a museum and pavilions of the Volkswagen Group brands. There are many interactive features that engage people, including two sixty metre glass silos. These are connected to the factory by a 700-metre tunnel and stores new Volkswagens. Visitors can experience being taken up in them. Set in surroundings of water and vegetation, the contemporary architecture juxtaposes the traditional design of the original factory. It’s a great day out.
You could view the Volkswagen factory from Gustel’s apartment. There was a skylight in the bathroom above the toilet. I used to stand on the closed seat and look out at night. That was the best time of day, as the big VW badges would illuminate in the darkness. I used to enjoy going to the Autostadt, especially during the festive season when they host an annual Christmas market. The amount of effort and attention to detail Volkswagen puts into it is quite amazing. You could go ice skating on the frozen water, slide down an 18.5 metre snow slide and get festive food and drink.
The factory tour itself had something almost mythical about it. The closest thing that I can compare it to is that it’s like the Charlie and the chocolate factory novel by Roald Dahl. I guess Callum and the car factory works! It’s something quite special to witness. The road trips to Germany have had a profound impact on me. It has shaped my perspectives about life. It’s only natural to contrast Germany with Britain. I have been in the unique position where I have experienced both countries closely over time.
Each country can be summarised by contrasting the state of each car industry. In Germany, there’s a selection of carmakers that produce exceptional products who are transitioning towards an electric, digital, autonomous and e-fuel future. In Britain, there are some premium carmakers. As for mass market manufacturers, there’s a slow puncture leading to its inevitable decline... Brexit. Britain has so much potential. I only wish the country would fulfil it.
Photos: Callum, Matt, Nigel Alexander
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