On the 19th of January 1978 the last Volkswagen Beetle was produced in Germany. Production was to continue in South America.
Labelled the ‘people’s car’ by Adolf Hitler the Beetle was to be an affordable family vehicle.
Production of the first vehicles started in 1938. Between 1938 and 2003, 21,529,464 were manufactured.
The design was claimed by Ferdinand Porsche but this was successfully challenged by Béla Barényi who had come up with the concept years earlier in 1925.
Hitler was given the very first convertible Beetle built in 1938.
Like many car designs which became classics there were different models and conversions. By the 1960s it was extremely popular but sales gradually declined as fashion tastes changed and newer more efficiently designed cars were produced.
The iconic shape of the Beetle has insured it is fondly remembered by many.
