I find the observations about VW mesmerizing, I am not sure all reasons why. Part of it central to the spirit of the article — logistics, technology, economics, marketing, the recent diesel fiasco, globalization. I toured mainland China 8 years ago and was surprised at how often I saw a VW but don’t know how that compares to now. Part of my interest has to do with longer term history of VW, the 20th century for China, the last two millennium for both civilizations including their innovations, failures, ambitions, successes, intellectualism and atrocities both committed and received. There is, to me, some kind archetype symbol to think of a photo of a VW vehicle at a VW fast charge at some village 120 kilometers north of Beijing (not tourist photo op) with Great Wall in background.