Every 4th car sold in Europe is from the Volkswagen Group. The brand might've started its life as the dream of a dictator, but it later became a symbol of peace around the world - especially with the hippie vans.

The Volkswagen Beetle is the pop culture icon that has shared the screen with Kevin Bacon, Optimus Prime, and Lindsay Lohan. At one point, it was the best selling car of all time.

The first models of the Beetle only had 24 horsepower and made weird sounds when you pressed the horn. No dealership in the US wanted to touch the car. But in 1950 Volkswagen managed to get a few dealerships to take on the Beetle and against all expectations, it started to sell.

The Beetle was a rugged machine, even on unpaved roads. By 1955, 1 million cars were sold. And when it broke, the repair was relatively inexpensive. Here is the evolution of the Volkswagen Beetle.

15 1938 The First Volkswagen Beetle

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The first prototypes of the Beetle appeared from 1935 onwards. However, by 1938, only a handful of cars was produced by the factory. These were Jeep-like military vehicles with 25 horsepower air-cooled engines. Their flat-four configuration performed well under extreme weather conditions, and the innovative suspension design offered superior performance.

14 1945 Mass Beetle Production

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The war is over and the Volkswagen factory is in ruins. This is what would later become Wolfsburg, the factory that would start mass-producing the Beetle. Americans handed over control of the factory to the British. The first post-war Beetles weren't vastly different from the pre-war vehicles. They had a better front beam and a new 1131cc engine.

13 1946 Volkswagen Type 1

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The British Army ordered 20,000 vehicles in Army Khaki under the name Volkswagen Type 1. The aim was to produce 1,000 cars every month. However, the region didn't have materials and resources to manufacture this many vehicles. Besides, the factory had to feed the workforce who often received one meal a day.

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12 1949 The First Beetle In The US

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The new 1949 Beetle was produced for foreign markets. It featured chromed hubcaps, headlamps and door handles. There was a new steering wheel as well as a removable radio blanking plate. The vehicle was different from any American car. It had the engine where the trunk should be and didn't have a radiator. But it was reliable.

11 1951 Beetle Split Window

carandclassic.co.uk

The new 1951 version had a split rear window with a pillar down the center and a Wolfsburg crest on the hood. Other improvements included better interior ventilation, telescopic shocks and chrome molding on the windshield. The factory produced 93 709 Beetles and almost 1/3 of them was exported to 29 countries.

10 1959 "Think Small" Campaign

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The US carmakers advertised smaller cars and Volkswagen had to do something about it. They came up with the "Think Small" campaign that would become one of the most famous ads in the world. It focused on the form of the car, which was much smaller than most of the vehicles of that time.

9 1968 The Love Bug

fastlanecars.com

The Love Bug is a fictional anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, a movie character that is featured in Disney's "Herbie" franchise. This kick-started a Beetle fever. The car featured a 1500 engine with 10 horizontal vents, updated reverse lights and bumpers, padded dashboard, lockable glove compartment and more. Some models had an automatic gearbox.

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8 1972 The Best Selling Car Of All Time

autocar.co.uk

In 1972, the Beetle overtook the Ford Model T as the bestselling car in the world. The 1302S featured a remodeled body with a curved windscreen, updated VW badge, and larger rear lights. Horn grilles had been discontinued. The car had upgraded interior with a padded dashboard with dials, better ventilation, and new seat designs.

7 1974 The Last Beetle From Wolfsburg

sebeetles.com

The last Beetle model made by the Wolfsburg factory was the S761 Jeans. It was based on the standard 1200cc Beetle and was only available in Tunis Yellow. It featured 4.5x15 Lemmerz GT sport wheels, rear window heating, and a Wolfsburg radio. The vehicle was introduced as "Käfer der Käufer" at Frankfurt Motor Show.

6 1977 Convertibles Only

championmotorsinternational.com

By the end of 1976, the Beetle's fame started to wane. This was the last year when sedans were sold in the US. However, the convertible Beetle wasn't done yet. It featured the 1600cc 4-cylinder engine and a 4-speed manual transmission. Drivers could enjoy an upgraded sound system and an accented dash.

5 1994 The New Sensation

caranddriver.com

In 1992 Volkswagen started to work on a Beetle with a better propulsion system. By 1993 the full-size model was finished and then made its appearance at the 1994 Detroit Show. Then it appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show and 20,000 buyers placed orders. 3 years later these cars started rolling off the production line.

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4 1998 0-60 In 7.3 seconds

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The craze for the Beetle was picking up steam, and many US buyers were going nuts. In 1998, the new Beetle was a sensation. 2 engine options were available: a 115-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 1.9-liter TDI diesel. The New Beetle could go from 0 to 60 in 7.3 seconds.

3 2003 The Last Beetle Type 1

netcarshow.com

By 2003 more than 21.5 million of the cars had hit the world's roads. The last 3,000 Beetles Type 1 were special, dubbed the "Ultima Edition". They looked like the good old Beetle but with fancier characteristics. They had chrome mirrors and trim, whitewall tires and body-colored rims. They ended the model's 70-year run.

2 2018 The Final Edition Beetle Series

media.vw.com

In 2018, Volkswagen announced they would end the production of the Beetle in 2019. They celebrated its rich heritage with two models: Final Edition and Final Edition SEL. All models got a 2.0-liter TSI engine that produced 174 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. They were paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

1 2019 The Last Beetle Left The Assembly Plant

digitaltrends.com

In July 2019 the factory in Mexico produced the last Beetle. As Volkswagen of America President and CEO Scott Keogh said, "It's impossible to imagine where Volkswagen would be without the Beetle." The very last Beetle that rolled off the assembly line is displayed at the Volkswagen museum in Puebla, Mexico.

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