Volkswagen to Stop Making Original Beetle

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | June 6, 2003 | The Associated Press

[Willie Green]

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.

BERLIN (AP) -- Volkswagen said Friday it will stop making the original rear-engine Beetle later this year, bringing the curtain down on the nearly 70-year history of the classic "bug."

Production of the last old Beetles at the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico, will "end this summer," spokesman Fred Baerbock said, adding that an exact date was not set.

He said there had been sinking demand for the original model, manufactured only in Puebla since 1978.

The first version of what would become known as the Beetle was developed in 1934 under the guidance of Adolf Hitler, who wanted to build a "people's car" - or in German, a Volkswagen. It first entered mass production after World War II.

Over the decades, the VW became a favorite of both thrifty postwar Germans and 1960s American hippies before competition from Japanese compacts elbowed it aside.

Volkswagen sold more than 21 million of the cars over the decades, but says it produced less than 30,000 at Puebla last year.

Puebla will continue to produce the New Beetle sedan, a modernized successor to the cult car. The New Beetle hit the market in 1998 and has a chassis based on the VW Go

[Willie Green]

Market opportunity to reintroduce the Ford Pinto and Chevy Vega.

[agitator]

......and AMC Pacer

[dhuffman@awod.com]

Hmmm...I don't know of a VW 'Go' and my NB's chassis seems as identical as possible to a Jetta. Perhaps the author of this piece ought to stop by tdiclub.com and learn some of the technology behind the 50 mpg NB TDI. I own, drive and maintain as much as possible a Y2K NB TDI and a 2K3 Jetta Wagon TDI.

[KellyAdmirer]

They had a picture in the local paper of Hitler addressing a crowd with a shiny new Beetle sitting right in front of him. Now THAT gave me the creeps!

[Willie Green]

......and AMC Pacer

or Gremlin.

[duckman]

No loss. It's always been an ugly looking POS.

[TheGeezer]

The Mexican bug has been a quality nightmare for VW.

Good riddance.

[AdvisorB]

Hitler must be spinning in his grave like a flywheel.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think he shares a room with Mohammad.

[Im Your Huckleberry]

Wow, ma-a-a-a-n, like, I'm, like, deeply, deeply, saddened, m-a-a-a-a-n...bummer.

[ErnBatavia]

Hitler must be spinning in his grave like a flywheel.

But to counterspin, BMW now makes the extremely popular Mini Cooper (I'm assuming BMW is still German!)

[where's_the_Outrage?]

Makes this a real classic:

[T. P. Pole]

They had a picture in the local paper of Hitler addressing a crowd with a shiny new Beetle sitting right in front of him. Now THAT gave me the creeps!

Do you mean this one?

Or this one?

Or this?

[sushiman]

" Market opportunity to reintroduce the Ford Pinto and Chevy Vega."

My sister's Vega started rusting out the day she drove it off the dealer's lot . What a piece of crapola . Now wonder the Japs kicked ass in the 70's . The 70's had to be the lowest point in American history to date .

[KellyAdmirer]

It was from the event at the top one, but a different picture, with Hitler at the podium and without the guys inspecting the cars, and closer up, but the same angle. VW in the picture looks just as though it rolled out of the factory last year. ;)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

How do you have sex in a VW?

I only refrain from answering for reasons of delicacy, but I assure you it can be done.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Talk to the experts:

http://cartalk.cars.com/About/Worst-Cars/

[Drew68]

bringing the curtain down on the nearly 70-year history of the classic "bug."

The fact that the vehicle has been produced for as long as it had is nothing short than testimony to the brilliance of the great Dr. Porsche.

People may scoff at bugs but Porsche invented a vehicle that was ahead of it's time in many ways. The torsion-bar rear suspension is still used in cars today.