HISTORY OF THE BEETLE

Hitlers original design sketch

The history of the Beetle really goes back to pre 2nd world war Germany when Ferdinand Porsche had a vision of a mass produced vehicle that was affordable to the average German, an idea that was shared with the young Adolf Hitler who himself could not drive, but was a car fanatic. Hitler was apparently influenced by the achievements of Henry Ford and his production lines - reading Ford's biography while in prison during 1923. Porsche had previously worked on some other small cars that used many elements later to be included in the Beetle. The Type 32 prototype NSU of 1934 was an air-cooled rear engined four cylinder horizontally opposed powered car that used torsion bar suspension and featured beetle-like styling.

Hitler became chancellor in February 1933 and declared at the Berlin auto show his intentions to get Germany motoring. Read about Big Business and the Third Reich Then a year later at the 1934 show he stated that his government would support the development of a 'peoples car'. Impressed by Porsche's design capabilities, Hitler delivered him the design brief of a car that could carry two adults and three children at a speed of 60mph with at least 33 mpg. The price was to be 1000 Reichmarks, not much more than a motorcycle at the time. Ferdinand Porsche was not convinced that a car could be made so cheaply, but considered the project a challenge, and took it on. The project car was named the Type 60, and due to time constraints Porsche based many components on the earlier NSU. The engine was an air-cooled flat-four also based on the NSU design.

Early Prototype

By late 1935 the first prototypes were on the autobahns, the V1 saloon and a convertible V2, these cars had aluminium bodies mounted over traditional wooden frameworks. In 1936 steel bodies mounted over all-steel floorpans were used, powered by a 984cc, 22bhp engine that could reach a top speed of around 65 mph. Another 30 prototypes were then made by Daimler-Benz who were not keen to make such a cheap car as they thought it would damage their high-class reputation. The development program was then transferred to the Nazi German Labour Front who would use German workers contributions to pay for a new factory. The Daimler-Benz built cars were tested at an SS barracks near Stuttgart and driven in shifts by 200 soldiers, until any minor problems were corrected. During this time Dr. Porsche visited the US to view some of the production methods used there, and recruited some German immigrant engineers who had worked in these factories.

In 1937, the coachbuilders Reutter, based in Stuttgart, were asked to make 30 vehicles which would eventually be shipped to various festivals and fairs to entice the German public to buy. There were Saloons, sunroofs and convertible models. Hitler also introduced a savings scheme where the public could collect stamps that would eventually pay for the car.

Hitler at KDF-Stadt

On the 26 May 1938, Hitler ceremoniously laid the cornerstone of the new factory, a huge event witnessed by an estimated 70,000 people and 150 reporters, all controlled by the Nazi propaganda machine. It was here that Hitler declared that the model would be known as the 'KdF-Wagen' or 'Strength through joy' wagen and the surrounding town that was built to support the factory would be known as the 'KdF-Stadt', production was to start in September 1939 - this turned out to be the same month that World War Two was declared, and none of the thousands who had collected their stamps ever received their beetle.

Porsche in Schwimmwagen

As the War gathered pace, the KdF-Wagen was put on hold and production changed to military vehicles. The 'Kubelwagen' used the tried and tested and very successful chassis and air-cooled engine developed for the peoples car. In 1942 the Kubelwagen was joined by the Schwimmwagen - a four wheel drive vehicle capable of driving on land and in water. By 1943 over 12,000 prisoners of war were working at the factory, which was by now mostly repairing aircraft.

For most of the war, the KdF plant had managed to escape heavy bombing, the new town was not on many allied maps. Near the end of the war the factory was used to manufacture the V1 'buzz bomb'. This bomb was an unmanned rocket that had the ability to reach Britain from Germany, and the factory became a main target for the allied bombing raids. An estimated 2000 V1 bombs hit London before several daylight bombing raids by the US left the factory in ruins.

The second world war eventually came to an end and Hitler committed suicide in 1945, the task was then to rebuild Germany. The Country was devided into quarters, and as the KdF factory was located in the British section it fell under control of the British, and Major Ivan Hirst was brought in to assess the possibility of starting up production of the Beetle as transport for the occupying forces. The KdF-stadt was renamed Wolfsburg - taking its name from a nearby castle and the KdF plant was known as the 'Wolfsburg Motor Works'.

Much of the machinery had survived the bombing having been stored in the basement. Cars were put together with old-stock and whatever could be found, many using parts from the Kubelwagen until 1946 when the factory was producing about 1000 cars a month. Two of the most significant 'special' cars developed while under the control of the British where the 'Radclyffe Roadster' and a four seater convertible, both custom built by Rudolph Ringel. The Radclyffe was a two seater roadster that was the transport of Colonel Charles Radclyffe over the summer months of 1946. The four seater convertible was Ivan Hirst's personal transport.

In 1948, after the appointment of Heinz Nordhoff as the VW factory General Director, it was decided that the Volkswagen range needed to be expanded, and the go-ahead was given to two factories to produce prototype convertible versions of the Beetle. Karmann were asked to build a four seater, and Hebmüller were asked to make a two seater roadster. The design of the roadster was not unlike the 'Radclyffe Roadster', with similar hood and side windows, the rear engine cover however was a hand formed panel and not a converted front bonnet as was the Radclyffe version.

Strength problems were soon apparent and were solved with sill strengtheners, cross braces, extra panels, and a flattened off windscreen top, but whereas Karmann relocated the semaphores to the rear quarter, the Hebmüller's remained in the front quarter. The prototypes were thoroughly tested and given final approval by Volkswagen, and the Karosseries were given an order for 2000 cars, with the official designation of the Hebmuller as Type 14A, and the Karmann the Type 15A.

By the end of 1949, 358 two seater convertibles had been made - comparable to the 364 four seater convertibles made by Karmann. However, the Hebmüller factory was to hit a major setback on Saturday, 23rd July 1949. Fire broke out in the paint shop, and quickly spread throughout the factory. The damage was extensive but with the help of the employees, the factory was again in production only four weeks later.

The fire had put a tremendous strain on the finances of the karosserie and production of the Hebmüller convertible slowed, with 319 cars made in 1950 (Karmann made 2679). The coachbuilder finally went out of business in 1952 and production of the Type 14A was transferred to the Karmann Factory to use up the remaining Hebmüller parts, the last car built in February 1953.

Volkswagen claims 696 Hebmüllers were sold, although Hebmüller claim that a figure closer to 750 cars were built. There are surviving cars with body numbers over 700, with the highest known being 710, but an exact figure of how many cars were built will probably never be known.

The Wolfsburg factory continued to build saloons until it was eventually discontinued in 1978, the biggest change being in 1971 with the introduction of the 'Super Beetle'. These beetles came equipped with the IRS previously only available on US models, and an all new MacPherson strut front suspension to replace Porsches preferred torsion bars. This new front suspension allowed a repositioning of the fuel tank and spare tire thus giving an increased luggage capacity. The 1302S super beetle had a slightly redesigned 1600cc engine that developed 50bhp. These changes were accompanied with a revised external body and a new floorpan.

On the 17th February, 1972, the beetle finally overtook Fords model 'T' as the most popular car ever made, later disputed by Ford who found new production figures, the beetle went on to make sure there was absolutely no doubt. The last beetle to be made in Germany left the production line in January 1978, bringing the end of an era. This was not the end of the beetle though, production continued in Puebla, Mexico in a factory that was built in 1954. The 20,000,000th beetle rolled off the Mexican production line in May 1981 and with demand in Europe for the beetle still high, Volkswagen of Germany was importing beetles from Mexico up to 1985.

 

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