The VW Beetle Story

The KdF car, a German acronym for Strength Through Joy, was conceived by Adolf Hitler's Third Reich as a true German 'people's car'. There is precious little in the legacy of 1930s Nazi Germany that is positive, but after the Second World war - and with a little help from the British - the Volks Wagen really did help put the average man on the road in a car, designed by the great Ferdinand Porsche, that was reliable and well-built. First it set benchmarks for customer satisfaction across Europe, and sales soared. Then it arrived in North America and the slope-backed, rear-engined economy car became a cult hit. By the time the very last original Beetle was built in 2003, over 21m had been built, making it by a long chalk the best-selling single car model of all time. Although its concept is dated by modern standards, the Beetle magic is undimmed, which is why Volkswagen introduced an all-new, modern Beetle in 1998. It has carved out a niche as a distinctive and eye-catching car in a world of automotive clones.

Author: Giles Chapman
Publisher: History Press
Published: 09/01/2012
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 7.30h x 5.10w x 0.50d
ISBN13: 9780752484600
ISBN10: 0752484605
BISAC Categories:
- Transportation | Automotive | Antique & Classic
- Transportation | Automotive | History
- Transportation | Automotive | Pictorial

About the Author
Giles Chapman is an award-winning writer and commentator on the industry, history, and culture of cars. He's the former editor of Classic & Sports Car, the world's bestselling classic car magazine, and is the author of more than 15 books including Car Emblems, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Extraordinary Automobiles, and Top Gear: My Dad Had One Of Those.