This one is dedicated to Jorge. The VW Beetle had a lifespan of 80 years (1938 to 2019). This car has an interesting story. Just like how it was commissioned and to whom this commission was given to. History is complex and nobody gets out of it without sin.
Original Conception (Pre-Launch)
The Beetle’s origins trace back to the early 1930’s in Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler commissioned, non-other than Ferdinand Porsche, to design a “people’s car” (Volkswagen in German). A car that would be affordable for the average German citizen. The initial concept was developed in 1934, with the goal of creating an inexpensive, reliable car for mass production.
Hitler’s requirements were that the car could fit two adults and three children. It seems like Hitler was a family man after all. Fuel efficiency, 60 MPH as a top speed and a price of around $400.
Prototype and Early Development
The first prototypes were developed between 1936 and 1938. These early models incorporated key design elements that would become characteristic of the Beetle: Round and aerodynamic shape, rear mounted air-cooled engine, torsion bar suspension.
The official launch of the Volkswagen Beetle (originally called the Volkswagen Type 1) was complicated by World War II. While initial production began in 1938, widespread civilian production was halted during the war. During this period, the factory primarily produced military vehicles. From what I have gathered, only 630 Beetles were produced by the end of the war.
Challenges
Some of the challenges that the Beetle encountered, the obvious one, the war. The VW Wolfsburg factory was taken by the government to produce military vehicles. During the war, the factory was heavily damaged influencing production post-war. There was initial skepticism about the viability to produce the car after the war. Meaning, uneconomic, unattractive. The last one was the association with the Nazi party. Not good marketing.
When production was expanded to Mexico in the 1960’s other issues arose. Maintaining consistency between factories proved to be a challenge. This might not be a quality issue but since the Mexico produced Beetles used a mix of parts, Brazil and Mexico. These were considered of lower quality by enthusiasts.
Finally, as mentioned in our GTI post (HERE). When the 70’s were reached, the technology of the Beetle was getting old. After the birth of Japanese car makers and American compact cars. Front Wheel Drive became popular and more fuel efficient. Emissions requirements were hard to achieve for the air-cooled engine. And the layout became rather inefficient. From 1970 to 1976, the sales declined by almost 50%.
Post-War Rebirth (1945-1950)
After World War II, the Beetle experienced a remarkable resurrection. A British Army officer, named Ivan Hirst, played a crucial role in reviving the factory. He arrived at the factory in 1945 and was able to recognize the potential of transforming the factory back to civilian manufacturing. He realized that despite the destruction, the factory was still operational. He also discovered a Pre-War Prototype, which also sparked this idea.
Hirst was able to get an order from the British Government to produce 20,000 cars at the plant to help with the occupation. By the end of 1945, 55 had been produced. The factory was working again. Hirst worked on creating a sustainable model for the brand. Created repair and sales centers. A network for the brand. Arranged for the first exports in 1947 to be sent to the Netherlands. He also explored the possibility of making new models, like convertibles.
In 1948 the management of Volkswagen was transitioned back to German hands. And by the time Hirst left, in 1949, the handover was made. He left Volkswagen with 8,700 employees and a production of 4,000 vehicles per month.
Global Expansion (1950s-1960s)
The Beetle became a symbol of Germany Post-War recovery. The first Beetle arrived to the US in 1949. Propelling sales in the 50’s and 60’s. By 1955 VW was exporting to 18 countries and accounted 50% of German car sales. The same year, the one millionth Beetle was manufactured. On the same year VW of America was created and with it, a network of dealreships.
Manufacturing expanded to Mexico. The initial move to Mexico was done through Contract Manufacturers. In this case Chrysler. Which made 250 units that year. The next year a 6-month contract with Studebaker- Packard was signed. This second deal saw kits being shipped from Germany to Mexico for assembly. The first assembly facility was created also in 1962 but by ’64, Volkswagen of Mexico was born. A second plant in Puebla was born in 1965 rolling its first Beetle in ’67.
By 1968 the Beetle was the World’s best-selling car. And in 1969, annual production exceeded one million units. Insane. By 1972, over 15 million Beetles had been manufactured, surpassing the Model T’s record.
Modern Legacy
The last Beetle rolled out of production in 2003. Volkswagen introduced a “New Beetle” in 1997, which it was not horrible. At first glance I really didn’t love it. Driving it was something else. With a manual gear box, it was probably a blast. This model continued until 2019, when it was discontinued, marking the end of the remarkable Beetle.
It was a precursor of other cars, like the Porsche 911, the Chevy Corvair, The Mini Cooper and the Fiat 500 just to mention a few. Either by layout or by chasing a “People’s car”. The Beetle marked a trend.
Thank you for stopping by,
DL
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