All Volkswagen Beetle
from 1938 to 1990
Volkswagen Beetle road car |
1938 : Generation 1
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In 1931, Ferdinand Porsche developed the Porsche Type 12, or "Auto für Jedermann" (car for everybody) for Zündapp.
Porsche already preferred the flat-four engine, and selected a swing axle rear suspension (invented by Edmund Rumpler), while Zündapp insisted on a water-cooled five-cylinder radial engine.
In 1932, three prototypes were running.
All of those cars were lost during World War II, the last in a bombing raid in Stuttgart in 1945.
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1953 : Generation 2
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During the 1950s, the car was modified progressively: the obvious visual changes mostly concerned the rear windows.
In March 1953, the small oval two-piece rear window was replaced by a slightly larger single-piece window.
More dramatically, in August 1957 a much larger full width rear window replaced the oval one.
1964 saw the introduction of a widened cover for the light over the rear licence plate.
Towards the end of 1964, the height of the side windows and windscreen grew slightly, giving the cabin a l ...
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1957 : Generation 3
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During the 1950s, the car was modified progressively: the obvious visual changes mostly concerned the rear windows.
In March 1953, the small oval two-piece rear window was replaced by a slightly larger single-piece window.
More dramatically, in August 1957 a much larger full width rear window replaced the oval one.
1964 saw the introduction of a widened cover for the light over the rear licence plate.
Towards the end of 1964, the height of the side windows and windscreen grew slightly, giving the cabin a l ...
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1967 : Generation 4
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In 1971, alongside continued production of the "standard" Beetle, a Type 1 variant which featured MacPherson strut front suspension and a redesigned front end.
Officially known (and marketed in Europe) as the VW 1302 from 1971 to 1972, and VW 1303 from 1973 onwards, but commonly called Super Beetle, the new stretched nose design replaced the dual parallel torsion bar beams which had compromised trunk space and relocated the spare tire from a near vertical to a low horizontal position.
The redesign resulted ...
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