The History of the Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle was first commissioned by Germany shortly before World War II. It was intended to help German citizens get around, much like the Model T did in America. However, when the war began, production was suspended. The Volkswagen Beetle arrived in the United States in 1950 and was so popular that by 1968, America had become Volkswagen’s largest foreign market. A large part of the car’s postwar appeal in America was its unique shape, which was designed by Porsche founder Ferdinand Porsche, as well as its bright color options. The Volkswagen Beetle remained popular when Americans began buying smaller, more compact vehicles. It also received a boost when Disney’s The Love Bug premiered. A sleeker, more modernized version of the car debuted in the 1990s and sold for the next few decades. Volkswagen discontinued the Beetle in 2019, but many older models remain on the road today.