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The VW Beetle is unique, of that there is no doubt. However, whilst the term unique can be attached to many other automobiles that have been produced over the years, the VW Beetle's uniqueness surpasses them all. The reason for this is that the Beetle's uniqueness spreads beyond simple automobile comparison through to politics, culture and conflict, as the following discussion will reveal.

The VW Beetle was the brainchild of Adolf Hitler, one of the most despised men in history. Yet, in this one concept, Hitler showed a compassion and connection with the citizens of his country that was to prove difficult to equate with the atrocities that he later inflicted upon them and others.

Hitler's criterion, discussed with the car's designer Ferdinand Porsche, who was later to found the now famous Porsche brand, was that his concept car should fulfil the following objectives.

1. That its top speed should be 62mph (100 kms)
2. That its gas consumption should not be less than 42mpg
3. That it must cater for a family of two adults and three children
4. That it should not cost more that DM 1,000 ($195 dollars in today's currency).

By some innovative feat Porsche managed to deliver to Hitler's request. Every aspect of the design was simple and intended to reduce maintenance costs, giving the owner a cheap mode of independent transportation at prices that they could afford.

During the Second World War, the basic VW beetle chassis and engine was used as a form of military transport for the German army, with progress on the car itself remaining in a dormant state.

Save for the efforts of one man, the allied bombing of Germany could have ended the story of the VW Beetle from the moment the war ceased. The VW factory had been almost been destroyed beyond recognition and much of the production processes lay in tatters, a position from which it was seemingly impossible to recover. However, Major Ivan Hirst, tasked with control of the factory, could see the potential. He persuaded his British masters to order 20,000 of the Beetles and within months the factory was producing around 1,000 cars a month.

In the sixties, the Beetle became synonymous with the hippy era it was nothing to see these strange automobiles driving round the streets painted bright and garish colours and with strange patterns adorning its bodywork. It even became a star of the silver screen, in the guise of Herbie the rally car.

Within eight years or Major Hirst's British order the VW Beetle had achieved over one million sales and eighteen years later in 1972 it surpassed sales of the Ford Model T to take the crown as the biggest selling production car in history, with just over 15.7 million sales. Three decades later this figure had increased to 21 million despite the fading popularity of the Beetle.

From the late 1970's production of the VW Beetle switched to Brazil and Mexico, where it continued to achieve sales until production finally ceased in 2003. In Europe, where the VW production had finished much earlier, a new model of the Beetle made a comeback in the late 1990's. Although based upon a similar design to the original Beetle, the new model included all the safety requirements needed for new cars and a performance and price tag that ranked it alongside most family saloons. Thus apart from shape the new Beetle is simply another average automobile to be enjoyed because of its originality of design. However, no matter how they try, it seems highly unlikely that the current Volkswagen Beetle will be a patch on its forerunner, despite its pedigree.

Learn more about this author, Paul Lines.
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