The Volkswagen Beetle was originally designed in Germany in the 1930s as a cheap people’s car. After World War II, factories restarted production, and the chubby little Beetle started selling all over the world. Its air-cooled engine sat in the back, where the trunk usually is, and its rounded shape became instantly recognizable.
Most cars are redesigned every few years. The Beetle barely changed for decades. Mechanics loved it because they could fix one in a parking lot with simple tools. Families loved it because it was cheap, reliable, and fit through narrow streets. Hippies in the 1960s painted them in wild colors and turned them into a symbol of the era.
Production of the classic Beetle finally ended in Mexico in 2003 after over 21.5 million were built - more than any other single car design at the time. Volkswagen made a modern “New Beetle” later, but the original 1938 design is the one that became a cultural icon on every continent.
