Virginia Museum Of TransportationModel 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
