Volkswagen Vw Beetle Bug Ghia Articles 1935-1967 Road Test Specs Buyer's Guide on 2040-parts.com

When Adolph Hitler decided to persuade the German people to fund the production of their own car in the 1930s he can hardly have imagined the worldwide success that car would enjoy two decades later. Similarly, Major Ivan Hirst can hardly have imagined what he was starting when he persuaded a demoralised workforce to start building the car as Germany struggled to pick itself up from the devastation it had suffered in the War which Hitler had started.

The Beetle responded to a worldwide need for cheap, robust and reliable transport.

The early versions were very basic, but the later models covered by this book had improvements in the key areas of performance, brakes and handling. Yet they never lost the simplicity which was essential to Ferdinand's original design. He was confident enough of the soundness of that design, and of the quality of what was coming off the Volkswagen production lines at Wolfsburg, to adapt the Beetle's mechanical elements for the first sports cars he manufactured in his own name.

The articles reproduced here tell the story the Beetle's development and its sales in the English-speaking countries during its first 20 or so years in production. I am in no doubt that this Gold Portfolio will prove enjoyable reading for anyone who likes, owns, or is merely interested in the early Beetles.

This is a book of contemporary road & comparison tests, new model intros, technical data, driving & road impressions, profile, rallying, history, long term tests plus advice on acquiring a good pre-owned car.

• Models covered: 1131cc, 1200, 1300, 1500 & convertible

• Hitler's "Volkswagen" from Motor (Dec. 1935)
• Hitler's "Strength-Through-Joy" Car from Motor (June 1938)
• German "People's Car" from Autocar (June 1938)
• The Volkswagen Revealed from Motor (Dec. 1938)
• KdF Volkswagen from Motor (Feb. 1939)
• Round the Ring in a Volkswagen from Light Car (July 1939)
• The Truth Behind the KdF from Motor (Mar. 1941)
• The Latest Volkswagen from Autocar (June 1940)
• An Englishman Developed the Volkswagen! from Autocar (July 1943)
• The 1947 Volkswagen Saloon Road Test from Motor (May 1947)
• Production is their Wealth from Autocar (Feb. 1950)
• We Discover the Volkswagen from Motor Sport (Nov. 1952)
• An Improved Volkswagen from Autocar (Nov. 1952)
• Volkswagen De-Luxe Saloon from Road & Track (Dec. 1952)
• The Volkswagen "Export" Saloon Road Test from Motor (Apr. 1953)
• Volkswagen is New and Unusual from Wheels (Jan. 1954)
• Volkswagen Weekend from Motor Sport (Jan. 1954)
• 1954 Volkswagen from Autocar (Mar. 1954)
• The Volkswagen De-luxe Saloon Road Test from Motor (Mar. 1954)
• The Volkswagen De-Luxe Saloon Owner Driver Report from Light Car (Mar. 1954)
• The Latest VW from Motor Sport (May 1954)
• Volkswagen Road Test from Wheels (Aug. 1954)
• A Twin-Carburetter Volkswagen from Autosport (Nov. 1955)
• This is your Volkswagen from Sports Cars Illustrated (Dec. 1955)
• The Volkswagen De-Luxe Saloon Road Test from Motor (Apr. 1956)
• 1956 Volkswagen Road Test from Wheels (Apr. 1956)
• 1956 Volkswagen Sedan Road Test from Road & Track (Oct. 1956)
• Volkswagen De-Luxe Saloon Round Australia from Autocar (Dec. 1957)
• Round Australia from Motor (Nov. 1958)
• A Supercharged VW from Motor Sport (Jan. 1959)
• Volkswagen and the Herald Comparison Test from Wheels (Dec. 1959)
• Volkswagen De-Luxe Road Test from Autocar (Oct. 1960)
• 1961 Volkswagen Road Test from Road & Track (Dec. 1960)
• VW Okrasa Road Test from Track and Traffic (July 1961)
• The "New-Engined" Volkswagen Saloon from Car South Africa (Jan. 1961)
• Volkswagen De-Luxe Road Test from Sporting Motorist (Feb. 1961)
• A Soft Top Volkswagen Road Test from Wheels (Aug. 1961)
• The New VW Road Impression from Track & Traffic (Nov. 1960)
• Volkswagen De-luxe Road Test from Autocar (Sept. 1962)
• Volkswagen 1200 Saloon Road Test from Car South Africa (April 1963)
• VW 1500 and VW 1200 Road Tests from Motor Trend (Aug. 1963)
• Volkswagen 1200 Road Test from Motor Trend (Aug. 1964)
• Volkswagen vs MG Sedan Comparison Test from Road Test (Mar. 1965)
• Volkswagen 1200 Road Test from Practical Motorist (Aug 1965)
• Volkswagen 1300 Road Test from Autocar (Jan. 1966)
• Volkswagen 1300 Road Test from Motor Trend (Feb. 1966)
• New Super Beetle 1500 from Autocar (Aug. 1966)
• The Volkswagen 1500 from Autosport (July 1967)
• Volkswagen 1600 and 1300 Road Test from Car Life (Sept. 1966)
• Volkswagen 1500 Road Test from Autocar (Nov. 1966)
• Volkswagen Beetle 1500 Road Test from Road & Track (Feb. 1967)
• Wolfsburg in Sheeps Clothing from Car & Car Conversions (June 1967)
• Going, Going, Gone 50,000 Mile Report from Motor (April 1970)
• VW 1300 Beetle from Car South Africa (July 1969)
• Volkswagen Beetle Buying Secondhand from Autocar (Mar. 1975)
• 1946 Volkswagen Driving Impression from Road & Track (Nov. 1987)
• Diamond Beetles from Thoroughbred & Classic Cars (May 1991)