There are varying degrees to which a car can be famous. Cars like the Chevrolet Chevelle are classic: they are still appreciated by collectors and general car enthusiasts even though they aren’t widely known. The Aston Martin DB5 is an iconic car: it’s been prominently featured in many pieces of media over the years and is easily recognized by the general public. But there are certain cars that are best described as foundational: these are vehicles that the majority of the people in the entire world know about because they have been around for decades and enjoy extreme popularity. Almost no other car fits the foundational bill better than the Volkswagen Beetle.

The Beetle is so well known at this point that many people may not ever stop to consider why this plucky little car is so successful. It’s taken for granted a bit whenever it’s spotted parked outside of houses, zipping around the city streets, or being used by a character in a movie or on TV. We believe that the Beetle is important nonetheless, and that its importance is a product of three key factors: the car’s history, its symbology, and its accessibility.

The Beetle’s almost 100-year history began in a somewhat dark place. It was originally the brainchild of one Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, the renowned German-Austrian engineer who founded the car company of the same name, and the infamous Adolf Hitler. Hitler demanded the production of a single car that would be used by every civilian in the Nazi regime, and his wish came true with the start of Beetle production in 1938. 

Despite a shaky start, the Beetle's history headed in a much brighter direction after the war. European and American soldiers who occupied Germany after the end of WWII used commandeered Beetles to get around towns and cities, The generally positive reception of the car prompted the start of widespread manufacturing in 1945, and by 1950 the cars were already being exported to the U.S. for consumer sale.

The Beetle could only go up from there. It quickly became a sensation around Europe and in North America due to its unique design and its reclamation story. Production skyrocketed in the 60s, and by 1972 the Beetle became the most produced car model of all time with 15,007,034 total builds. 

This decades-long Beetle tradition only saw a few tweaks under the hood with time. The original 4-cylinder 25 hp engine was designed to operate on the poor-quality consumer fuel offered to the public in Germany. As the subsequent years saw the engine grow in power from 35 to 45 and finally 50 horsepower, the engine design remained so basic and accessible that any owner could conduct engine repairs with just a few small tweaks.

The famous shape of the vehicle also remained mostly the same as the original 30s models. Notable improvements and features include the sunroof in 1950, new dual exhaust system and brakes in 1955, turn signals and improved brake lights from 1960-61, and series of body enlargements and bumper replacements in 1967, 1970, 1972, and 1976. 

The next few years would see an unfortunate decline for the model since most people who wanted one already had one, and the original Type I Beetle would cease production everywhere but Mexico and Brazil in 1977. But in 1998 the “New Beetle” hit the market, and the remodeled retro-modern body renewed the craze for these little cars. New Beetle production ended in 2019, but Beetles are still a common sight in the majority of countries worldwide.

While this history is obviously important, it doesn’t exactly explain why the Beetle became such a sensation in the first place. We believe that part of the success is due to the car’s symbology; the name Volkswagen literally means “people’s car,” and it was christened so because of its original purpose of transporting German commoners. But the early adopters and exporters of the brand realized that the name could more generally apply to all people. It began bringing people from all around Europe and the United States together in their duty to undo what the Nazis had done.

That was already a good start, but the Volkswagen philosophy became even more realized with the advent of exports. Many of the industrial suppliers for WWII, especially the U.S., had used the majority of their raw materials and didn’t have much to pull from for commercial productions. The Volkswagen was a huge boon to automotive sales because it could easily fill the gap in production while these companies got back on their feet. Over the following decades, buying a Beetle was a way to reclaim the image of the people’s car and praise international support systems at the same time.

When the car finally became commercially successful, pop culture also latched onto the car as a touchstone. Both the peak of success in the 60s and the success of the relaunch in the early 2000s featured incredibly popular movies about Herbie, a VW Beetle that raced and won on grand circuit stages as the ultimate underdog. Nowadays, Beetles are represented in any number of movies, TV shows, advertisements, clothing lines, pieces of furniture, and kids’ toys.

The Beetle’s ability to fill these gaps in the life of the consumer speaks to the final component of its success: accessibility. Part of what made the Beetle popular was its considerably low price in regard to domestic competitors. While it wasn’t the absolute best car to drive, it got the job done, and done well. Almost anyone can own a Beetle, and that’s why so many people do. Even when the model was relaunched in the late 1990s it was a budget option when compared to other Volkswagens and other popular sedans. Its automatic transmission and comfortable interior made it perfect for casual consumers who still wanted some echoes of luxury, and its famously simple engine allowed owners to make their own repairs at home, a possibility unheard of for almost any other car.

There is so much that can be said about the Volkswagen Beetle and what it means to people around the world. Millions of precious memories have been made on trips taken in the family Beetle or within the Beetles themselves. A history this long and a reputation this wide means that there could have been any number of missteps or mistakes on the part of the manufacturer that would have spelled the end of the model or the end of its widespread reputation. But the fact that this bug-shaped car is still around almost a century later should tell you that it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

References:

Volkswagen Beetle - Wikipedia

Volkswagen Beetle Models by Year - Old and Classic VW Bugs (caranddriver.com)

A history of the Volkswagen Beetle (vw.com)

VW Beetle through the years | Volkswagen Newsroom (volkswagen-newsroom.com)