A Car for the People, A Legacy for the Ages
With vehicles like Audi, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz and Porsche coming out of their production lines, it’s no surprise that German automobile engineering has a reputation for superiority. This year, Volkswagen will stop the production of the beloved Beetle, 88 years after its initial conceptualisation.
What’s in the Name?
Perhaps the only thing questionable about the Volkswagen Beetle is that it was commissioned by Adolf Hitler himself. Ferdinand Porsche (yep, he did go on to design Porsche) was the man assigned to the task – the requirements were to make a four-seater family vehicle for the working class, able to conquer long, open roads and reach speeds of 100km/h. So began the birth of the VW Beetle – directly translated Volkswagen means people’s wagon or people’s car.
From People’s Car to Battle Buggy ?
With the onset of World War II and the initial Volkswagen Beetle exceeding design and engineering expectations, Hitler jumped on the opportunity to use the now-established Volkswagen factory to metamorphose the People’s Car into three military models; the Kommandeurswagen (commander’s car), Kubelwagen (bucket car), and Schwimmwagen (amphibious car). The altered replications of Porsche’s preliminary design were something he had little say over.
Volkswagen in South Africa
The Eastern Cape has boasted a Volkswagen factory since the early 1950’s and the history of Volkswagen in South Africa has seen the manufacture of millions of cars over the course of 68 years. Volkswagen Group South Africa manufactured over 133 000 vehicles in 2018, of which, approximately 83 000 were exported to markets around the world. The invention of the People’s Car continues to do its part to keep our economy going.
An Ode to the Beetle
Manufacturing of the beloved ‘Bug’ has come to a halt, but caring for already owned and loved Beetles is still one of our priorities at Drew’s Auto Spares. If you are the proud owner of any feat of German Engineering, we have quality parts that match Volkswagen’s meticulous design and honour the rich history of the cherished Beetle. For Audi and VW Parts, contact our German automobile enthusiasts, or visit our website.
