The Volkswagen Beetle, icon and car
The Volkswagen Beetle represents many things to many people. To some it is an example of German efficiency, to others it is a childhood companion. For everyone who has driven or ridden in one it represents something different, reminding them of different things. But whatever memories this car stirs up in its admirers, the universal view of the VW Beetle is as a symbol of an era. What would the hippie cult image look like were it not for the Beetle and its cousin the Volkswagen Type 1 a.k.a. the VW Hippie bus (a major counter cultural icon, and the spiritual ancestor to "art cars")? What about surfer culture? From its appearance in the 1968 film "The Love Bug" (and the subsequent four sequels), and Woody Allen's film "Sleeper", to its appearance on The Beatles' iconic record "Abbey Road", the Beetle seems almost inseparable from American culture (especially during the 60s and 70s).
Because of its success, it has sometimes been called Hitler's revenge, because it conquered the world, and because of its very poor performance. This brings us to an interesting part in the Beetle's history. In 1933, Adolf Hitler (yes, the Adolf Hitler), ordered Ferdinand Porsche (who would also found Porsche motors) to develop a "Volks-Wagen", which in German means "People's Car". In accordance to its name (which heralded its career as an "everyman's car"), the VW Beetle was first sold on the market with a greatly reduced price. For its time, the "people's car" was new and very practical. It could seat two adults and three children, and reach a maximum speed of 100 km/h (62 mph). These features are light years from being practical by today's standards (the modern appeal of the Beetle being rather sentimental), but in its day it was a cheap, reliable, and spacious alternative to many other much larger and more expensive automobiles.
Perhaps another reason for the Beetle's widespread fan base is the fact that it was also a symbol of the rebellion of the young. Their rebellion was against their middle-aged, Buick/Cadillac-driving parents and teachers, who (from their point of view) were living comfortably off the war economy (Vietnam and other conflicts), and off the general social unrest that pervaded that era. From the point of view of the "under 30" age group, the VW Beetle was the "it" car. Simply put, it was a cheap method of rebelling against the comfort that the counterculture movement thought America had unfairly created for itself. Soon, the Beetle became synonymous with the phrase "make love, not war" and many of these "flower cars" were decorated with peace signs and pastel flowers. But the appeal of the VW was not limited to hippies and misfits. The sense of an everyman's car that it had drew in many customers that were simply looking for a cheap and relatively reliable method for transporting their family. In short, an inexpensive (if maybe not very luxurious) manner of achieving motoring freedom.
Now that we have seen what drew people to the Beetle during the days of its youth, the normal question that anyone is bound to ask is: "so what's go great about it now that we have better cars?" It is true that the automotive industry has evolved radically since the VW's hey-days, but this oft quirky car still manages to capture the affection of many people. Why? Its appeal might have something to do with the fact that many people grew up with it, and also with its standing as a cult icon in American culture. The Beetle's shortcomings were many, the front of the car would tend to wobble sideways in a strong headwind (because of the engine's placement in the trunk), its speed was less than spectacular (politely put), the contents of the trunk were always at risk due to their position under the hood, the gears would sometimes jam, and its motor would not "purr", choosing rather to emit a metallic bee sound which few people could take very seriously. Despite these many problems, many people around the world still admire its ergonomic build and the deftness with which it delivered a big car in a small package. The proof of this are the seemingly endless tributes that the Beetle has received, everything from being modified into a race car, a car-shaped hothouse, and a boat, to the simple fact that there are still many people who drive them even today. Many other car manufacturers have tried to perform the same feat with mixed results, yet no "folk's car" has yet appeared that could achieve the Beetle's ageless appeal. In 1998, the Volkswagen motor company issued the New Beetle in an effort to recreate the success of the original, yet the results were less than impressive. Even Mercedes' Smart Car, which also came out in 1998, has yet to reach the prestige and appeal that the little Beetle has achieved.
Its success was worldwide, its fans were (and are) many, and its sheer "cute appeal" has managed to eclipse most of its defects. The VW Beetle is a perfect example of an almost perfect car. Not the most technically advanced car, but a car that has not only "admitted" its faults, but embraced and surpassed them, its appeal is timeless. A car, an icon, an era.
Trivia:
Because of how diligently it was created and assembled, the Volkswagen Beetle could float on water, since there were virtually no gaps in the framework through which water could seep.
In the 1973 Woody Allen film "Sleeper" the protagonist (played by Woody Allen) is cryogenically preserved, to be awakened 200 years in the future. In one scene, he stumbles upon a Beetle in a cave, which starts instantly, despite its age. His reaction in the English version of the film was "They really built these things, didn't they?" In the German version however, the line was replaced with the marketing slogan that VW had been using: Tja...'Luft und luft und luft!' (Translated as: "Hah! It runs and runs and runs."). Ironically enough, the German slogan was meant to indicate that the cars were built to function for all eternity.
Since the Beetle's motor was air cooled and lightweight, it was very versatile, and it could even be used as an aircraft engine. This is interesting to note since some modern-day drivers desire to drive a "road jet". They might consider buying a Beetle; not a "road jet", but maybe a "road biplane"?
It is also an amusing anachronism when, while waiting at a stoplight, one sees a large modern man, talking on his small modern cell phone, while driving a very "un-modern" yellow Beetle.