Since 1988, Discovery Channel has been airing a week-long series of feature television programs dedicated to sharks, usually running in July or August.

This year’s edition of the Shark Week, which airs on the Discovery Channel network August 12-16, will have an automotive flavor in the sense that Volkswagen of America is sponsoring the series.

The German automaker will do a bit more than simply advertise its name and products as the company commissioned the creation of a one-of-a-kind “Volkswagen Beetle Shark Observation Cage”, said to put viewers in the driver’s seat “as it cruises along the ocean floor”.

“Shark Week has a loyal and enthusiastic following of fans, and we’re thrilled to partner with Discovery Channel on this 25th anniversary special,” commented Justin Osborne, general manager, marketing communications, Volkswagen of America.

He continued: “We wanted the integration to be authentic and fit naturally with the Volkswagen brand, imprinting our signature style on Shark Week. The Beetle shark cage plays on the silhouettes of two of the most iconic images, the shark fin and the Volkswagen Beetle.”

Volkswagen will show viewers how the submersible Beetle-shaped shark cage came to be in a series of three, one-minute segments during Shark Week programming.

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