Did You Even Know It Was Still Being Made?
Remember the Beetle? No, not the funky retro restyled VW Golf based rolling arch being sold by American Volkswagen dealers today, but the air-cooled, rear-mounted, horizontally opposed-engine variety that started off as Germanys “peoples car”, an automotive icon initially designed to get the European country back on the road to prosperity in 1938.
While it hasnt been sold in Canada for decades the once popular Beetle is still available elsewhere, but not for long. On Friday Europes largest automaker announced it would finally pull the plug on Beetle production this summer in its Puebla, Mexico plant after a 50 year run.
Altogether over 22 million Beetles were built over the models 70 years of global production.
In America Beetles are currently popular among collectors and import tuners alike, having formed a longstanding cult-like status.
After this summer only the New Beetle will remain in the global new car market, but the front-wheel drive model with its front-mounted, water-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine bares only a spiritual connection to the original.
Altogether over 22 million Beetles were built over the models 70 years of global production.
In America Beetles are currently popular among collectors and import tuners alike, having formed a longstanding cult-like status.
After this summer only the New Beetle will remain in the global new car market, but the front-wheel drive model with its front-mounted, water-cooled, inline four-cylinder engine bares only a spiritual connection to the original.