Volkswagen Super Beetle

Not currently on display

Model Specifications

• Manufactured: 1972
• Motor: 4 cylinder air-cooled
• Horsepower: 65
• Torque: 87 foot pounds at 2,800 RPM
• Displacement: 96.7 cubic inches
• Transmission: 4-speed manual

Description

The Volkswagen Beetle was originally developed in response to Adolf Hitler’s quest for a “people’s car” that was capable of transporting two adults and three children at a speed of 60 miles   per hour. The car was to be inexpensive, priced similarly to a motorcycle. Ferdinand Porsche received the commission for the Beetle’s design.

By 1972, the Volkswagen Beetle surpassed the record held by the Ford Model T as the most produced model in automotive history, and it also became the best-selling import in America.

The Super Beetle was first introduced in 1971, equipped with a     100 MPH speedometer. The flat windshield on this model was replaced by a curved windshield starting in 1973. Perhaps the most famous Super Beetle of all time has been Disney’s “Herbie, the   Love Bug.”

Donated by Emily W. Brown