The VW Beetle, which began its life as Adolf Hitler's low cost "people's car", needs little introduction; its rounded exterior and the distinctive sound of its air-cooled engine is familiar anywhere in the world.

The last of the German built cars rolled of the production line in Wolfsburg in Lower Saxony back in 1978, but the old Beetle was given an extended lease of life when production was moved to Mexico, where the last of the old style models was produced as recently as July 2003. This was car number 21,529,464, some 65 years after it was first made, and an unequaled 58 years after the year VW recognized as the first year of non-Nazi funded production.

This astonishing sales figure is unlikely to ever be beaten. The Beetle overtook the old record of 15 million Model "T" Fords in the early 1970's.

The original rear-engined, air-cooled car was the brainchild of Ferdinand Porsche, but very few were actually produced before 1939. Production started up again in 1945 after the end of WW2 with an extremely basic 1100cc model with absolutely no extras, a non-synchromesh gearbox, cable brakes, and very little bright work. In the USA the Beetle was responsible for starting a small car revolution as countless millions of Americans bought one as a second car that was practical, well engineered and very economical to run.

The engine was a basic flat-four push rod design, and in the 1950's the size was increased from 1131cc to 1200cc, and the range was expanded to include a very attractive Karmann Ghia sports model and a cabriolet version with a rather strange pram like hood.

A problem with the car was that it was fairly dated looking and without much punch from the small engine. This was addressed in the mid-1960's when updated 1300 and 1500 models were introduced, with an all synchromesh gearbox, and the option of disc brakes and a semi-automatic box.

The reliance of VW on basically the one model of car had a serious detrimental effect on sales by the end of the 196o's, as more modern competitors began to make indents into their sales, and as buyers tired of the noisy and slow Beetle.

Even the 1500 version introduced in 1961 was really nothing more than a dressed up version of the original car, and even the much larger four door 411 model with fuel injection didn't really attract many new buyers, as under the new look exterior it was still pure Beetle.

VW eventually turned the tide of sliding sales when they introduced the water cooled, front engine model Golf in 1974. This car was the benchmark for front wheel drive hatchbacks in the 70's and 80's, although VW continued to produce Beetles 1977.

Today the older Beetle has achieved cult status, and the very old split windscreen models from the early 1950's are in high demand, and command high prices. There are still plenty of 1960's and 1970's models on the road, and these can now be bought relatively cheaply.

Learn more about this author, Ken Johnstone.
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