VW Beetle Cabriolet :: FactFile

The VW Beetle was designed by Dr. Porsche in the 1930s, but went on sale in 1945. Although German assembly ended in 1980, up-dated Beetles are still built in Mexico. Total production is now at least 22 million. All Beetle Cabriolets were assembled by Karmann, in North Germany.

All Beetles had rear-mounted, flat-four, air-cooled engines, and took shape around the same steel platform chassis. The vast majority were two-door saloons. The Cabriolet went on sale in 1949, originally with a 1.1-litre engine. Beetles were regularly up-rated, modified, and improved. At the end, every single part had been changed.

The big change came in 1970, when the 1302/1302S 'Super Beetle' was given MacPherson strut front suspension.

Early Beetles had only 25bhp and could reach 63mph. By the 1970s the 1302S had a 50bhp/1.6-litre version of the engine, and reached 80mph. Because they were3 high-geared, and well-built, all Beetles, whatever their engine size, could be cruised at their maximum speed. As the makers often boasted - they did not boil, they did not freeze, and they did not blow up.

The first UK-market Beetle saloons cost £650 in 1953, while the last UK-market saloons cost £1,644 in 1975. Cabriolet sales began in 1955 at £1,006, and ended in 1978 at £4,294. No fewer than 331,847 Beetle Cabriolets were built.