Saw one of these today, its immaculate condition is what drew me to it. It was in white, and was rhd. It carried a 53 plate making it 12 months old at most. So what you might say, but this was a genuine original one not the retrostyled Golf. What's going on ?
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This one might have been a Mexican import - I think they made them over there to the original spec up until a short while back.
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Made up to 2003 according to money.cnn.com/2003/07/30/pf/autos/bc.autos.vw.beet.../
Was possible to import here for many years so I suspect you've seen one of the last ever!
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I could understand why flares caught on. Tank tops were never my cup of tea, but some of my best friends wore them and it didn't even occur to me to laugh. I've tapped my foot to the odd Bay City Rollers track, and once thought The Workers Revolutionary Party had a point.
But Beetles, aaaaaaarrrrrrgh!!! for God's sake who on earth could be so deranged that they turned an ugly antique with the performance of a tractor into a "classic?"
And people Still buy them? I feel the need to leave this planet.
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who on earth could be so deranged that they turned an ugly antique with the performance of a tractor into a "classic?"
Well, I rather like tractors ... but I think the big issue here is the "ugly". The reason they became a cult was that enough people find them seriously cute, and don't mind the impracticalities.
It's a bit like the Beetle's sister, the Porch 911. Hideously ugly, utterly impractical, but attracts a hardcore of devoted followers who don't mind paying huge bills.
And people Still buy them? I feel the need to leave this planet.
Then ye be wanting the A1 on a friday evening, sir
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SWMBO passed her test in a 1960 example......278 ADM ( I think) 6 volt electrics air powered (from the spare) W-washer, this one struck a cord with her today. What struck me was the purity of the design compared to the current Beetle.....give me a Defender any day of the week.
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The Beetles sister, the Porshe 911?
I don't think so No Wheels, I don't think so!
As for seriously cute, I suppose Vlad the Impailers mother thought he was cute, but I think it is taking liberties with the English language to imply the Beetle is.
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The Beetles sister, the Porshe 911?
>>I don't think so No Wheels, I don't think so!
I thought that they were both the children of one Ferdinand Porch, the designer of weird cars with the engine in the boot?
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F Porsche was the mother of the Beetle, but Hitler, who comissioned was the father. Very much a b****** offspring, and it shows. I think the 911 would disown it.
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BMC was given the chance to adopt the child in 1945 but tuned down on the basis that it would never sell. No change there then.
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I think the 911 would disown it
just as well that most things would disown the 911
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But Beetles, aaaaaaarrrrrrgh!!!
Well I have to agree, a truly dreadful car. No redeeming features whatsoever that I can see.
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No Wheels, that's two of us who can't spell Porsche...
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The worst of it is that a British soldier was responsible for getting the Beetle production lines running again after WW2!
"Nothing less than 8 cylinders will do"
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obviously not many "herbie" fans out there!!!
with a car as (carp) humble as the Beetle, i think you are supposed to "love?" it for it`s uselessness.After all...in my book it was more fun value than a 2cv, at least you could use your imagination.
p.s
am i right in thinking that the very first one`s built were made out of corrugated tin sheets?
billy.
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NoWheels?
the 911? UGLY??
Oh come on - it's quite possibly one of the nicest car designs ever.
UGLY?!?!?!?
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Adam
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the 911? UGLY?? Oh come on - it's quite possibly one of the nicest car designs ever.
If you like that sort of thing :)
But its interesting how the half-sisters, who share visible design genes, attract such different responses.
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Don't go changing the subject.
Just because we agree on something...
--
Adam
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the beetle is one of those icons of history love it loathe it,
most people have a story the missus had one for a while, nevefr let her down. so did my sister. but on the other hand was a pain to drive in awful weather.
its like the mk1 golf gti or the capri or ford transit everybody regognises them.
personally i wouldnt have one id rather save the money and get something german for 3 grandish and put the rest behind a bar but if people didnt buy these we wouldnt have any motoring heritage would we?
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To the point above, the first 2CVs were made with some corrugated steel panels, the bonnet was particularly noticeable!
The Beetle is loved and hated all over the world, but it's important in many respects which is why it is deserving of "classic" status:
1. It's the most popular car made - 21.5 million is some going! Toyota say the Corolla is more popular but if you put the newest and oldest Beetle next to each other they look the same. Do the same with the Toyota and they're completely different. Beetle production was 65 years....
2. For those not in the first flush of youth or with access to some road test books, when it was launched it was very advanced. Reliability, longevity, quality, service (and even up to the early 60s its performance) was well ahead of anything else around for the price.
3. While America went into built in obsolescence, new styling for every model year and bigger cars, the VW carved itself a significant part of the market doing exactly the opposite. Do some research on the manufacturers that failed in America during the 50s, never to return.
4. Even it's advertising was radical, when every other car advert was painted, with beautiful background and the people inside seeming to have lots of space, VW advertising used uncomplicated photographs and the text talked factually about the car.
4. It's still popular today because people love it, even now you can get just about any part for any Beetle, standard or customised.
Obviously today the figures in a road test wouldn't compare to any modern car, but as any seasoned driver will agree, there's more to a car than raw data which is why some people choose to drive classics.
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Buy the new one ... nicest Golf IV made !
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No Wheels, that's two of us who can't spell Porsche...
Thank you Tom. But can you pronounce it? ;-)
The Beetle and the 911 are indeed closely related. The great Ferdinand designed both, and in their early incarnations they shared much - an air-cooled engine in the correct position (!) at the rear, driving the rear wheels.
But I won't be swapping mine. There is a line dividing beauty from ugliness; the 911 is on one side, the Beetle on the other. And NoWheels and I will have to disagree as to which way round they fall.
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The last of the beetles had quite nice multipoint fuel injected engines and pretty much all the toys you'd expect from a modern miderange car.. oh, and brakes that worked! They were a loooong way from the originals, but still suffered badly from the effects of hanging a lump of engine over the back wheels. All in all though, a far more civilised car than you'd imagine.
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