Images are generic in nature and might not accurately depict the chosen car.
In This Article...
History of the 1968-1979 Volkswagen Beetle
The first significant modifications to the VW Beetle were made as a result of U.S. government restrictions, not at the request of VW engineers. The lovely ivory steering wheel was swapped out for a dull black four-spoke model, and the charming painted dash was replaced with a black padded one “made for safety. Around this period, as well, other nice touches like the contrasting seat piping disappeared. A strange option available at the time on both the Karmann-Ghia and Beetle was a clutchless semi-automatic transmission known as a “Stickshift in auto. Thankfully, the renowned VW quality persisted until the very end, by which time the United States only offered the cabriolet. Up until recently, production was still taking place in Mexico and Brazil. Volkswagens with air cooling are quite simple to operate on and maintain, and parts are reasonably priced and simple to acquire. Any Beetle is a fantastic first collecting vehicle.
Volkswagen Beetle Info
- 94.5″ is the wheel base.
- 1493cc/53hp, 4 cyl, 1 bbl
- 12-85cc/4-cyl, 50-hp, 1-bbl
- Weight at curb: 1742 lbs.
- Size: 158.7 inches.
- Vehicle Types
- Added Information
- 2 door sedan
- 4 cylinder, 1192cc, 34 horsepower, 1bbl
- Body Forms
- Two-door Sunroof Sedan
- two-door convertible
Model description
Volkswagen bragged that it had made 132 improvements to the Beetle since 1961, despite only making minor upgrades for the 1966 model year. With 302,423 sales, the United States surpassed 300,000 units for the first time; 5699 of those were cabriolets. The 1966 Beetle Deluxe Sedan cost $1585, the Sunroof Sedan $1675, and the Cabriolet returned to its previous price of $2075.
The 1285 cc “1300 engine made 40 horsepower and was a de-stroked 1500cc motor from the Type 3. With a top speed of 76 mph and a 0-60 mph time of 23 seconds, performance remained sluggish. The 1300 model was distinguished by its ventilated wheels and flattened hubcaps “1.3 on the trunk lid.
The torsion bars now had ten leaves, and the front suspension had ball joints. The back seat was now flat and the front seats were latching to keep them from swinging forward. Levers were replaced with a chrome horn ring, and the headlight dip switch was relocated to the steering column.
What was the price of a VW bug in 1969?
From the start of manufacture in 1938 until the final Vocho left the Puebla assembly line in 2003, the original Type 1 air-cooled Volkswagen Beetle maintained its design. In 1949, VW started selling automobiles in North America. Ten years later, the company’s sales figures really took off, and they stayed high throughout the 1960s.
Although the Beetle’s design was clearly outdated by 1969, American automobile buyers continued to purchase them for the same reasons their ancestors purchased the antiquated Model T Ford in 1924: it served its purpose, was dependably reliable, and was incredibly affordable. This vehicle’s MSRP was a pitiful $1,799 (about $13,070 in 2020 dollars), while a similarly equipped AMC Rambler cost $1,998 in that year.
The air-cooled Beetle was doomed in the United States during the following decade due to crash safety and emission control regulations, not to mention cheap Japanese subcompacts, but 1969 ended up being another fantastic sales year for VW here.
How come they stopped producing beetles?
As far as we know, VW has never given a formal response. However, based on our study, we have been able to put together a few major explanations for the decision to halt manufacture of what is undoubtedly the most iconic car in history:
- Platform-sharing The A4 and A5 platforms from Volkswagen served as the foundation for the New Beetle generations. Online rumors indicate that one of the reasons VW canceled the Beetle was due to the technical difficulties associated with switching to the Volkswagen Group MQB Platform. This assertion, coupled with the Beetle’s low sales record, was cited as another justification for the decision.
- Sales performance & buyer preference
- The Beetle’s poor sales performance was the primary factor in VW ceasing production. Volkswagen attributed the termination of production of the original Beetle in 2003 to diminishing demand. When the final model left the Mexican assembly line, it was still essentially an old automobile, despite modifications and revisions over the years. Following the decline of the original Beetle in Western nations, the markets where it was successful also “The outmoded Beetle had been sufficiently modernized to the point where it was no longer practical. In the late 1990s, The New Beetle was introduced in an effort to “Profit on the fondness for the original vehicle. The New Beetle and its successor, the New New Beetle, never sold in particularly large quantities, despite some early success (due to the market preferring the blend of retro appeal and new amenities). By 2018, Volkswagen’s total sales were made up of around 4% of the A5 Beetle. It was a specialized product that was just not making enough money to support its continued manufacturing. Consumer preferences had evolved away from affordable hatchbacks and toward SUV/crossover vehicles. As a result of the model’s low sales results, it was discontinued.
- Electrification
- The idea that Volkswagen discontinued the Beetle so they could concentrate more on impending electric vehicles is another frequently advanced argument. This is a legitimate argument, but not nearly as compelling as the one based on sales performance, since there is no question that VW, along with the majority of other manufacturers, has moved its focus to electrification.
What does the German word “Volkswagen” mean?
In 1937, Volkswagen was established in Germany. Given the occasion and setting, it should come as no surprise that the German governmentmore especially, Adolf Hitlerdesigned the vehicle with the intention of fostering a sense of nationalism among its citizens. The German government, who controlled it, chose the name “Volkswagenwerk,” which means “the people’s automobile firm.” The German Labor Front ran it from Wolfsburg, Germany. On select Volkswagen vehicles, the Wolfsburg Edition trim can be found. It is typically positioned in the center and comes with extra amenities not present in the base trim. For instance, the Wolfsburg trim of the 2018 Golf comes after the S trim and offers extras like keyless entry with push-button start, V-Tex leatherette seats, blind spot monitoring, and more.
The Volkswagen factory was in ruins after World War II, and it appeared that the Volkswagen brand might vanish. However, as a result of the Allies’ efforts to revive the German auto sector, Volkswagen started to thrive and is now one of the most popular vehicle brands in the world. Due to the Nazi connection, it took some time for it to catch on in the United States, but it quickly gained popularity.
How quickly can a VW Beetle travel?
The Volkswagen Beetle is beloved for its distinctively curved appearance and cultural significance, but most people are probably unaware of its excellent performance, especially when equipped with the powerful R-Line variant. In light of this, you might wonder what the Volkswagen Beetle’s top speed is. To learn the solution, continue reading.
Volkswagen Beetle LSRFastest Beetle Ever
The VW Beetle LSR (Land Speed Record) has surpassed its own highest speed record of 205 mph in Utah’s renowned Bonneville Salt Flats. Preston Lerner, a contributing editor for Automobile magazine, operated the vehicle during the USFRA 2016 World of Speed competition.
Which VW Beetle year is the best?
The VW Beetle’s durability and resale value are highest for the model year 2005. Volkswagen made a special effort to create a Beetle with excellent durability and stability after the 2004 model gained notoriety for its transmission faults and window regulator concerns.
Additionally, they made sure that it required very little upkeep. If it ever malfunctions, parts are easily accessible.
And you never gave anything up to get this toughness. For the 2005 model year, there were four trim levels, and each one offered a comfortable and responsive ride. Four individuals may sit comfortably inside, and it had a great appearance.
According to Ward’s Automotive, VW continued to grow, producing 739,443 cars and exporting 159,995 of them to the United States, or 32.1% of all imports. Despite the Chevrolet Corvair, Ford Falcon, and Chrysler Valiant produced by domestic automakers as a retaliatory measure, American consumers bought 117,868 VW Beetle Sedans and 5841 Cabriolets in 1960.
The 1960 Deluxe Sedan now costs $1565, the Sunroof Sedan $1665, and the Cabriolet $2055, all modest price increases. The compression ratio of the 1192 cc engine was increased from 6.6:1 to 7:1 to give it a 36 horsepower upgrade.
The passenger seat now featured a footrest, the seat backs were curved, the headliner was made of plastic instead of mouse fur, the right hand armrest had an open grasp, and new push-button door handles were installed in place of the pull-type ones. The oil drain plug was moved to the sump, the dipstick was made simpler to read, and a better carburetor was installed mechanically. Turn signals were electrically relocated to the front fenders’ tops and incorporated into the rear taillights. Both a front sway bar and a steering damper were installed. The switch for the washer and wipers was combined.
When was the last VW bug manufactured?
The final Volkswagen Beetle produced since World War II rolls off the assembly line at Volkswagen’s plant in Puebla, Mexico, on July 30, 2003. The baby-blue car, one of 3,000 produced in total, was delivered to a museum in Wolfsburg, Germany, home of Volkswagen.
The vehicle made in Puebla on that particular day was the last so-called “The traditional VW Beetle should not be confused with the newly remodeled Beetle that Volkswagen unveiled in 1998. (The new Beetle is based on the VW Golf and resembles the vintage model.) The famous Austrian automotive engineer Dr. Ferdinand Porsche first responded to German leader Adolf Hitler’s desire for a compact, reasonably priced passenger automobile to meet the country’s transportation needs in the middle of the 1930s, giving rise to the iconic Beetle. Hitler dubbed the finished product the KdF (Kraft-durch-Freude)-Wagen (or “Strength-Through-Joy automobile”) after a Nazi-led initiative purportedly intended to aid Germany’s working class; it would subsequently be known by Porsche’s chosen name: Volkswagen, or “people’s car.”
The first Kdf-Wagen that was ready for production made its appearance at the Berlin Motor Show in 1939, and the worldwide press quickly called it the “Beetle due to its recognizable rounded form. Although it was primarily used to produce combat vehicles during World War II, the factory in Kdf-stat (later called Wolfsburg) continued to produce Beetles. Production was put on hold in August 1944 when Allied bombing was a concern, and it didn’t start up again until after the war, under British authority. Although VW sales in the United States started out less quickly than in other countries, by 1960 the Beetle had become the most popular import in the country as a result of a famous advertising campaign by the agency Doyle Dane Bernbach. The renowned Model T from Ford Motor Company, which produced 15 million cars between 1908 and 1927, was eclipsed by the Beetle in 1972. It was heavily featured in the popular 1969 film “The Love Bug” (which featured a Beetle by the name of Herbie) and on the cover of the Beatles album “Abbey Road,” making it a global cultural icon.
However, the Beetle’s rear-mounted, air-cooled engine was outlawed in America in 1977 due to its failure to adhere to safety and emission regulations. By the late 1970s, fewer people were purchasing the vehicle globally, and by 1988, the iconic Beetle was only available in Mexico. Volkswagen decided to stop making the iconic bug in 2003 due to rising competition from other producers of affordable compact vehicles and a Mexican decision to phase out two-door taxis. Incidentally, the original 600 automobiles produced by the Nazis before World War II were excluded from the final count of 21,529,464.