Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Beetle is a car manufactured by the Volkswagen company. It was designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche. When it was introduced, it had gone through over a million miles of testing - more than any other car at the time.
The history of the car is the history of the Volkswagen company - the company was created to make that car. Other than some military vehicles during WWII, it was the only car the company made at first.
The car was made from 1949 to 2003, over 23 million of them. For many years, it held the record as the most-sold car ever. It took the record from the Model T Ford in 1971, and held it until 2000 when the Toyota Corolla took it away.[1]
The basic shape and design of the car did not change. It was also powered by an engine in the rear, had a small trunk up front, and was air-cooled (no radiator).
More recently, the company made the New Beetle, which looked similar, followed by the present-day Beetle from 2012. These are completely different cars however, since they have a water-cooled engine in the front, and are very similar underneath to the Volkswagen Golf.
There are many Volkswagen clubs around the world, the members restore or modify the original air-cooled Volkswagens.
Volkswagen Beetle Media
- Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1979-025-30A, Reichsautobahn mit zwei KdF-Wagen, Cabrio-Version (cropped).jpg
Two KdF cars on the Reichsautobahn, c. 1943. Since the KdF was never delivered to the public, it is likely that this was an advertisement photo.
- ATMS 52 - Volkswagen.jpg
Sand-coloured VW Type 82E — a Wehrmacht Beetle on the Kübelwagen's underpinnings.
- VW Berlin-Rom,Bj.1939vorn.jpg
The Porsche 64 (pictured in 1981) was largely derived from the Beetle.
- Autotentoonstelling RAI, Bestanddeelnr 902-7194 (cropped).jpg
The early post-war export model at the 1948 Amsterdam AutoRAI Autoshow
- VW Golf I front 20090416.jpg
The first-generation Golf served as the Beetle's replacement once Wolfsburg production ended.[2]
- Volkswagen Beetle (ca 1961) rear three quarters.JPG
Rear view of a 1961 Volkswagen Type 1
- Volkswagen Beetle .jpg
Volkswagen 1303 ("Super Beetle")
- Beetle (4935612536).jpg
Eindhoven,Aug 2010
- Autostadt ZH 21 (cropped).jpg
"Última Edición" (Final Edition) in Aquarius Blue (2003)
- Herbie car.jpg
An original Herbie used by Disney for the filming of Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo
References
- ↑ New York Times. "How to Spell Best-Seller". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2013-07-15. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
- ↑ Imseng 2016, p. 90.
