An unexpected model from the VW Group was released in Everybody was familiar with the iconic Beetle, but it was time for VW to step up and create something different. Actually - All RSIs were painted in silver with orange seats inside, however, the st was blue and belonged to a former VW manager. The Volkswagen Beetle is a modern remake of the classic version.
Its lines are based on the original Beetle but, in comparison with the old model, it is way more spacious and equipped with more advanced features. The new Beetle comes with a front-mounted engine, in comparison with the old one which had the engine mounted in the rear side of the car.
And speaking of engines, the new Beetle c The factory needed machinery from abroad, particularly from America, and holding foreign currency would be a boon. A few cars had made their way to the States by this time, brought over by returning servicemen as the occupation wound down. Pon traveled to New York with a single VW and some spare parts, but anti-German sentiment remained strong, and the trip was a disaster. Pon was forced to sell the car and attendant parts in order to pay his hotel bill and travel back to Europe.
Nordhoff tried for himself later that same year, but he, too, was rebuffed. The first civilian cabriolet built by Karmann appears in A VW was officially exported to the U. Hoffman sold VWs, mostly to other dealers throughout the U. Many of the VWs are tacked onto orders for Porsches and Jaguars—as in, to expedite orders of sexy sports cars, dealers would agree to buy a VW or two from Hoffman.
Power swells from 24 horsepower to The split-rear-window design so coveted by VW collectors today was replaced for by a slightly larger, single oval rear window. For the first time, Volkswagen increased the Beetle engine's displacement from cc to cc.
Power rises from 30 horsepower to In , with production humming along, Volkswagen built its one-millionth Beetle in Wolfsburg. Only about had made their way to the U. The same year, Volkswagen of America was formed. A host of dealerships were established and held to strict parts-availability and presentation expectations.
As for the Beetle, it lost its old-school turn-signal semaphores in favor of more modern signal lamps. Once again, Volkswagen messed with the Beetle's rear window, enlarging the opening for A year earlier, the company had equipped the little car with tubeless tires for the first time.
The s and s saw the expansion of Volkswagen's clever, often self-deprecating advertising. In , the Beetle's transmission became fully synchronized, and an automatic choke and a pump-type windshield-washer system were fitted.
Output rises to 40 horsepower. The Bug's engine grew in size again for , to cc, prompting the addition of a slightly optimistic "" badge to the trunk. Output increased to 50 horsepower.
Volkswagen again juiced the Beetle's engine, increasing displacement to cc, netting another 3 horsepower and a badge update to " Throughout the s, Bruce Meyers had worked to perfect his idea of the Beetle-based dune buggy. California beach culture spawned a few "kit cars" that utilized the Beetle's floorpan, engine, and transmission, making it a snap to pick up a junked Bug and transform it into a wild beachcomber.
A few years of development resulted in Meyers' kit, the Manx, leading the pack. We placed one of his Manxes on the cover of our April issue. For such a low-tech car, the Beetle, at least for a time, offered a decidedly high-tech transmission. In , VW introduced the Automatic Stick Shift semi-automatic transmission option, essentially a regular Beetle four-speed manual with first gear removed, a torque converter added, and a vacuum-operated clutch that disengaged anytime the shifter is touched.
Simply move the lever to the desired gate, let go, and get back on the gas, and the system figured out the rest. The technology was shared with Porsche Sportomatic , but the brazen "Automatic" decklid badging was all VW's.
The car came with a hp 2. With sales having declined since , Volkswagen announced that the Beetle had reached the end of the line. So is it really the last ride for the beloved Bug? As Hinrich J. This is a BETA experience. You may opt-out by clicking here. Edit Story. Michael Solomon Individual Contributor. Follow me on Twitter. Michael Solomon.
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