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With its distinctive shape and air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the VW Beetle is the world’s longest-running and most-manufactured automobile based on a single design. This is the story of that extraordinary little car.
In the early 1930s, the German car industry consisted mostly of luxury vehicles and the average person could rarely afford anything more than a motorcycle. Seeking a potential new market, some car makers began independent “people’s car” projects. In 1933, with most such projects still only at the development stage, Adolf Hitler declared his intentions to launch a state-sponsored “Volkswagen” programme. He wanted a basic vehicle capable of carrying two adults and three children at 100 km/h, which would be available to citizens through a savings scheme at about the same price as a small motorcycle (equal to about eight months’ salary for the average worker).
Despite heavy lobbying in favour of one of the existing projects, Hitler chose to sponsor a new, state-owned factory. The engineer chosen for the task was Dr Ferdinand Porsche, who was already a famed engineer and the designer of the Mercedes 170H. Porsche shared Hitler’s vision to produce an “Auto für Jedermann” (car for everybody) and, in June 1934, he agreed to create the Volkswagen for Hitler.
Prototypes appeared from 1936 onwards, when the car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. The car body of the prototype, which was already recognisable as the Beetle known today, was one of the very first car body shapes to be designed with the aid of a wind tunnel, which had been in use in Germany since the 1920s.
The intention was that ordinary Europeans would be able to buy the car by means of a savings stamp scheme (”Five Marks a week you must save, if to drive your own car you crave”), which around 336,000 people eventually paid into.
However, the new factory had produced just a handful of cars by the time war started in 1939. While none was actually delivered to any holder of the completed savings stamp books, a Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on his 49th birthday.
In April 1945, the heavily bombed Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg was captured by the Americans and subsequently handed over to the British, who placed it under the control of Major Ivan Hirst. At first, the plan was to use it only for military vehicle maintenance. However, Hirst had one of the factory’s cars painted green and demonstrated it to British Army headquarters. Short of light transport, the British Army placed a vital order for 20,000 in September 1945.
he first few hundred cars went to the German Post Office and to personnel from the occupying forces, after which it was intended to dismantle the whole factory and ship it to Britain.
Some British servicemen took their VW Beetles back to the United Kingdom when they were demobilised and one of the very first is still owned by the son of the original owner of the UK’s first official Volkswagen importer, Colborne Garages of Ripley, Surrey.
By 1946, the German factory was producing 1,000 cars a month, a remarkable feat considering it was still in disrepair. However, it was still unclear what was to become of the factory, which was offered to representatives from the British, American and French motor industries – all of whom rejected it. Their comments about the unusual looking Volkswagen were universally negative: “The car is quite unattractive to the average motor-car buyer, is too ugly and too noisy”, “What we’re being offered here isn’t worth a damn”, “The vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car”, “To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise”.
Nevertheless, thanks to Major Hirst, Volkswagen survived the perilous times and became a very important element in the German economic recovery.
Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949. While only sold two units were sold in America that first year, production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years, the total reaching one million in 1955.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, due mostly to American exports, innovative advertising and a growing reputation for reliability and sturdiness, sales soared and production figures surpassed the levels of the previous record holder, the Ford Model T. In February 1972, the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold and Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most-produced, single make of car in history. By 1973, total production was over 16 million and, by June 1992, over 21 million had been produced.
Volkswagen was in serious trouble by 1973. The Type 3 and Type 4 models had sold in much smaller numbers than the earlier Beetle and sales had started to decline rapidly in European and North American markets. The company knew that Beetle production had to end one day, but the conundrum of replacing it had been a never-ending nightmare. VW’s ownership of Audi proved to be the key to the solution and Audi influences paved the way for a new generation of Volkswagens - the Passat, Scirocco, Polo and, of course, the Golf.
Beetle production continued in smaller numbers at other German factories until January 1978, when mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico, markets where low operating cost was more important.
In the early 1930s, the German car industry consisted mostly of luxury vehicles and the average person could rarely afford anything more than a motorcycle. Seeking a potential new market, some car makers began independent “people’s car” projects. In 1933, with most such projects still only at the development stage, Adolf Hitler declared his intentions to launch a state-sponsored “Volkswagen” programme. He wanted a basic vehicle capable of carrying two adults and three children at 100 km/h, which would be available to citizens through a savings scheme at about the same price as a small motorcycle (equal to about eight months’ salary for the average worker).
Despite heavy lobbying in favour of one of the existing projects, Hitler chose to sponsor a new, state-owned factory. The engineer chosen for the task was Dr Ferdinand Porsche, who was already a famed engineer and the designer of the Mercedes 170H. Porsche shared Hitler’s vision to produce an “Auto für Jedermann” (car for everybody) and, in June 1934, he agreed to create the Volkswagen for Hitler.
Prototypes appeared from 1936 onwards, when the car already had its distinctive round shape and air-cooled, flat-four, rear-mounted engine. The car body of the prototype, which was already recognisable as the Beetle known today, was one of the very first car body shapes to be designed with the aid of a wind tunnel, which had been in use in Germany since the 1920s.
The intention was that ordinary Europeans would be able to buy the car by means of a savings stamp scheme (”Five Marks a week you must save, if to drive your own car you crave”), which around 336,000 people eventually paid into.
However, the new factory had produced just a handful of cars by the time war started in 1939. While none was actually delivered to any holder of the completed savings stamp books, a Type 1 Cabriolet was presented to Hitler on his 49th birthday.
In April 1945, the heavily bombed Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg was captured by the Americans and subsequently handed over to the British, who placed it under the control of Major Ivan Hirst. At first, the plan was to use it only for military vehicle maintenance. However, Hirst had one of the factory’s cars painted green and demonstrated it to British Army headquarters. Short of light transport, the British Army placed a vital order for 20,000 in September 1945.
he first few hundred cars went to the German Post Office and to personnel from the occupying forces, after which it was intended to dismantle the whole factory and ship it to Britain.
Some British servicemen took their VW Beetles back to the United Kingdom when they were demobilised and one of the very first is still owned by the son of the original owner of the UK’s first official Volkswagen importer, Colborne Garages of Ripley, Surrey.
By 1946, the German factory was producing 1,000 cars a month, a remarkable feat considering it was still in disrepair. However, it was still unclear what was to become of the factory, which was offered to representatives from the British, American and French motor industries – all of whom rejected it. Their comments about the unusual looking Volkswagen were universally negative: “The car is quite unattractive to the average motor-car buyer, is too ugly and too noisy”, “What we’re being offered here isn’t worth a damn”, “The vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirement of a motor-car”, “To build the car commercially would be a completely uneconomic enterprise”.
Nevertheless, thanks to Major Hirst, Volkswagen survived the perilous times and became a very important element in the German economic recovery.
Volkswagens were first exhibited and sold in the United States in 1949. While only sold two units were sold in America that first year, production of the Type 1 Volkswagen Beetle increased dramatically over the years, the total reaching one million in 1955.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, due mostly to American exports, innovative advertising and a growing reputation for reliability and sturdiness, sales soared and production figures surpassed the levels of the previous record holder, the Ford Model T. In February 1972, the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold and Volkswagen could now claim the world production record for the most-produced, single make of car in history. By 1973, total production was over 16 million and, by June 1992, over 21 million had been produced.
Volkswagen was in serious trouble by 1973. The Type 3 and Type 4 models had sold in much smaller numbers than the earlier Beetle and sales had started to decline rapidly in European and North American markets. The company knew that Beetle production had to end one day, but the conundrum of replacing it had been a never-ending nightmare. VW’s ownership of Audi proved to be the key to the solution and Audi influences paved the way for a new generation of Volkswagens - the Passat, Scirocco, Polo and, of course, the Golf.
Beetle production continued in smaller numbers at other German factories until January 1978, when mainstream production shifted to Brazil and Mexico, markets where low operating cost was more important.
The End of An EraBy 2003 over 21 million Type 1s had been produced but annual production had fallen to 30,000 from a peak of 1.3 million in 1971 and VW announced the end of production in June 2003, blaming decreasing demand.
To celebrate the end of its incredible era, Volkswagen marketed a final special series of 3,000 Beetles labelled “Última Edición” (Final Edition) in a choice of Aquarius Blue or Harvest Moon Beige. Each car included the 1.6 engine, whitewall tyres, chrome bumpers, trim, hub caps and exterior mirrors, a Wolfsburg emblem above the front trunk’s handle, chrome glove box badge, a CD player with four speakers, body coloured wheels, tinted glass, a rear parcel shelf and VW Última Edición plaque. At 84,000 pesos, the model cost approximately $1,300 more than the typical model. The final original Type 1 VW Beetle (# 21,529,464) |
 rolled off the production line at Puebla, Mexico, on 30 July 2003 - 65 years after its original launch. This last Beetle, nicknamed “El Rey” (The King) was delivered to VW's museum in Wolfsburg, Germany.
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The New Beetle
Inspired by consumers who had fond memories of the “Bugs” from popular culture, Volkswagen started a “retro-futuristic” design craze when they introduced the “New Beetle” in 1998. (Although the Type 1 was most commonly known as the Beetle, oddly enough, this was the actually the first time the manufacturers themselves had ever officially used the label!)
While the exterior design was deliberately reminiscent of the old Type 1, the similarity ends more or less there as the engine is in the front and the boot in the rear. Unlike the Type 1, the New Beetle has front-wheel drive.This modern version has never enjoyed the popularity of the Type 1. This is probably due largely to the more complicated design, which is prone to several mechanical and electronic defects. The automatic transmission, for example, has been known to fail after only a fairly short period. Other problems include failing window mechanisms, poor access to maintenance areas and an over-complicated computer control system.
A second generation New Beetle is expected to debut sometime this year. This will be based on the VW Jetta platform and will be built alongside the Jetta at Volkswagen’s plant in Puebla, Mexico. The new model will be less “cute” and more sporty, while still retaining the familiar shape of one of the world’s favourite cars - the original Volkswagen Type 1.
While the exterior design was deliberately reminiscent of the old Type 1, the similarity ends more or less there as the engine is in the front and the boot in the rear. Unlike the Type 1, the New Beetle has front-wheel drive.This modern version has never enjoyed the popularity of the Type 1. This is probably due largely to the more complicated design, which is prone to several mechanical and electronic defects. The automatic transmission, for example, has been known to fail after only a fairly short period. Other problems include failing window mechanisms, poor access to maintenance areas and an over-complicated computer control system.
A second generation New Beetle is expected to debut sometime this year. This will be based on the VW Jetta platform and will be built alongside the Jetta at Volkswagen’s plant in Puebla, Mexico. The new model will be less “cute” and more sporty, while still retaining the familiar shape of one of the world’s favourite cars - the original Volkswagen Type 1.
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Beetle Facts
The Beetle is arguably the world's best-selling car design. Technically, more Toyota Corollas have been sold but there have been 10 total redesigns of the Corolla, each amounting to a new design.In a 1999 international poll for the world’s most influential car of the twentieth century the Beetle came fourth after the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS.
Known as “VW-heads”, “Dubnuts” or “Dubbers”, many enthusiastic Volkswagen owners travel the world to attend large Beetle rallies. Many feature a car show called a “Show ‘n’ Shine”, racing, parts swapping, burnout contests and a range of other events.
Although many fans prefer to keep their VW as true as possible to the original, both inside and out, there are probably more examples of customised Beetles on the planet than any other car. Here are some of the most extreme...
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