Cars

The VW Beetle is one of the worlds classic cars. It’s been around for about 70 years, and in that time has established itself as an icon amongst automobiles. And it’s still possible to find a good used VW Beetle, and personally I’d prefer a good used Beetle that’s 40 years old to a new one.

Yes the Beetle was so popular that Volkswagen reestablished production of the Beetle, and you can still buy a new Beetle today, albeit a modern version of the old classic.

Production of the Volkswagen Beetle began around 1938. The idea for the Beetle originally came from Adolf Hitler who wanted a “peoples car” produced for the masses to drive, and also to help with the post WW1 unemployment problem. So in the early 1930s Hitler started a project to build a car for every German to drive, and Volkswagen went into production. “Volkswagen” is actually the German word for “peoples car”.

The original Volkswagen Beetle was designed by Ferdinand Porshe who later became famous for the wonderful “Porshe” range of cars which are still produced today. Porsche designed a rear engined car with an air cooled flat four cylinder engine, according to some basic specifications from Hitler. Hitler expected the car to be inexpensive, so everyone could afford it, do at least 42 mpg and be able to carry 2 adults and 3 children.

Over the rest of the century the Volkswagen Beetle established itself as a classic car. Hundreds of thousands were built. The car offered reliable, cheap, simple motoring and lasted forever. It was well known to be bombproof, and there were even German promotional films shot showing the Beetle deliberately driving off the top of a steep sand dune, rolling over to the bottom and then driving off again, just to show how tough it was.

And even now it’s quite possible to buy a great used Volkswagen Beetle in good condition.

The market for good used Beetles is just as strong as ever. They are a classic car, and there are countless Volkswagen Beetle owners who have restored their Beetle to classic condition. There are car clubs based purely around VW Beetles, and the frame and the chassis is even the basis of a lot of other hand built vehicles.

For instance there are many dune buggies that are built entirely on a VW Beetle chassis.

So if you’re a car enthusiast and you’re looking for a classic car to restore, or even just one to drive around in one of the best cars ever produced, consider buying a used VW Beetle. There’s a very strong market for Beetles out there, but there is plenty of supply, and it’s quite possible to grab yourself a great used VW Beetle, restore it and be the proud owner of a classic car. I’d have a great used Beetle over a new one any day, it will turn heads much better than a new one and will hold it’s value better.

So become the owner of a second hand Volkswagen Beetle, you won’t regret it.

By: Peter Clark

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