Volkswagen announced at the GTI meet at Wörthersee the start of cooperation planned for two years with German hip hop stars “Die Fantastischen Vier” (Fanta4). Europe’s largest car maker and the most successful German hip hop band will be joining forces until 2010; among other things, appearances by Die Fantastischen Vier are planned for Volkswagen events.

Volkswagen and Die Fantastischen Vier were already cooperating at the Berlin Film Festival in February. They fired up the audience at the “Volkswagen People’s Night” with a live performance.

The Volkswagen Sound Foundation has also been profiting lately from the four musicians’ years of experience. They mentor young artists and up-and-coming bands when they take their first steps in show business with Volkswagen.

Founded in 1989 in Stuttgart, the group has been constantly successful with their rap singing in German. Their music made German hip hop socially acceptable. Their breakthrough came in 1992 with the single Die da.

Volkswagen has been established in the international music scene for decades: in the past, Volkswagen has worked successfully together with world stars including the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Genesis and Bon Jovi. And this connection has endured: last year Seal accompanied the successful introduction of the Tiguan.