Photo: eBay
Volkswagen introduced the first affordable ”people’s car” in 1938 and the iconic Beetle is one of the most successful models the company has ever produced.
Apparently, the car still retains its affordability even 50 years after it first saw the light of day, if an eBay ad for a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle is anything to go by.
It's a Beetle that has driven 76,000 miles (little over 122,000 kilometers) since the day it drove through the factory gate to date. It has a 1,600 cc engine and a four-speed manual gearbox. According to the ad, the car is in perfect condition. It runs, brakes, and shifts perfectly, the ad claims. The current owner has owned it since 1990, but the vehicle underwent a few modifications and lost the original seats along the way.
Indeed, if you browse through the photo gallery, the car looks pretty good, considering its age. There are no signs of excessive wear and tear, and no obvious dents, scratches, or rust, which is an indication that those who have owned it over the years have treated it as a collector's car.
With the start of production in 1938, after becoming a European success, in 1949, for the first time, two Beetle models left the continent to be shown at the German Industrial Exhibition in New York. It was the definitive consecration of a car destined to become a cult object. The Beetle, as the New York Times noted, had conquered the U.S.
In 1955, the one-millionth Beetle rolled off the production line. To properly celebrate the moment, the model was presented in golden paint, with white rubber framing the windows and red velvet and brocade on the interior. It looked every inch a true jewel of refinement and elegance.
After almost thirty successful years, Wolfsburg was no longer the Beetle City. The last car left the assembly line at the original plant to move to Brussels in Belgium and other production facilities abroad. The model continued to be built in other markets outside Germany until 2003.
This particular Beetle was selling on eBay for $2,025 a few minutes before the time of press, but within minutes, the price went straight to $3,383, indicating that there is interest in the offer.
No wonder, because the Beetle's story is a story of success even now, more than eighty years after its birth. It was Ferdinand Porsche who, in February 1938, completed the prototypes of the car that was to revolutionize the concept of mobility. Innovations in design and mechanics broke new ground in the car industry at the time, making the tiny Beetle the first truly affordable car.
Over time, the Beetle became a collector's item. One of the most expensive examples ever sold at auction was a 1963 unit that appeared in the movie "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" and was driven by Dean Jones. Herbie was first auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson's Beach Auction in 2015. It sold then for $126,700. Three years later, it sold again for $128,700, making it the most valuable Volkswagen in the world at the time.
It's a Beetle that has driven 76,000 miles (little over 122,000 kilometers) since the day it drove through the factory gate to date. It has a 1,600 cc engine and a four-speed manual gearbox. According to the ad, the car is in perfect condition. It runs, brakes, and shifts perfectly, the ad claims. The current owner has owned it since 1990, but the vehicle underwent a few modifications and lost the original seats along the way.
Indeed, if you browse through the photo gallery, the car looks pretty good, considering its age. There are no signs of excessive wear and tear, and no obvious dents, scratches, or rust, which is an indication that those who have owned it over the years have treated it as a collector's car.
With the start of production in 1938, after becoming a European success, in 1949, for the first time, two Beetle models left the continent to be shown at the German Industrial Exhibition in New York. It was the definitive consecration of a car destined to become a cult object. The Beetle, as the New York Times noted, had conquered the U.S.
In 1955, the one-millionth Beetle rolled off the production line. To properly celebrate the moment, the model was presented in golden paint, with white rubber framing the windows and red velvet and brocade on the interior. It looked every inch a true jewel of refinement and elegance.
After almost thirty successful years, Wolfsburg was no longer the Beetle City. The last car left the assembly line at the original plant to move to Brussels in Belgium and other production facilities abroad. The model continued to be built in other markets outside Germany until 2003.
This particular Beetle was selling on eBay for $2,025 a few minutes before the time of press, but within minutes, the price went straight to $3,383, indicating that there is interest in the offer.
No wonder, because the Beetle's story is a story of success even now, more than eighty years after its birth. It was Ferdinand Porsche who, in February 1938, completed the prototypes of the car that was to revolutionize the concept of mobility. Innovations in design and mechanics broke new ground in the car industry at the time, making the tiny Beetle the first truly affordable car.
Over time, the Beetle became a collector's item. One of the most expensive examples ever sold at auction was a 1963 unit that appeared in the movie "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo" and was driven by Dean Jones. Herbie was first auctioned off at the Barrett-Jackson's Beach Auction in 2015. It sold then for $126,700. Three years later, it sold again for $128,700, making it the most valuable Volkswagen in the world at the time.
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