The ideaThe idea of "volkswagen" was born in the beginning of 30’s; basic characteristic were shown in Berlin in 1934. The car had to be big enough, economic, rough and good equipped. Besides that it had to drive round 100 km/h.

Prof. Ferdinant Porsche designed a car in form of a rain drop, with air-cooled four valve boxer, 985 ccm and 23.5 PS. It was called KdF ("Kraft durch Freude"). The project got the green light. Thirty prototypes were made, with 1131 ccm boxer and 25 PS. The speed was exactly 100 km/h.

In 1939 the serial production started: 10.000 cars, but it was soon stopped by war. Instead of beetles they built military vehicles.

The production was set on quickly after the war and in the beginning of 1948 first after-war beetles were made. 19.244 cars were made by the end of that year, and in 1955 the 1.000.000th beetle came from the factory.

In the mid 60’s the "American dream" started; over 5 mil. beetles were sold in the USA in the years 1966 till 1973. The production in Germany stopped in 1976, but they are still made in Brazil.

And some links:
volkswagen , new beetle , my designs of a new beetle

My beetle was made in 1959, it's an export model with high bumpers. It's now almost comepletely restored - I'm still working on it ...

more pictures available soon