Volkswagen Beetle: Icon and legend on four wheels. Volkswagen Beetle, or commonly known as “the beetle”, is one of the indispensable legendary car models when mentioning the history and development of the world auto industry. Starting in the summer of 1933, when Adolf Hitler invited engineer Ferdinand Porsche to the Kaiserhof Hotel in Berlin, the idea of ​​a small, durable and fuel-efficient car began to take shape. This was the car that Hitler wanted to reach the German masses, and it became known as the KdF-Wagen.

After many years of development and testing, in the late 1930s, Porsche completed the first design of the Beetle, iconic and characterized by its flat shape and soft curves. However, the name KdF-Wagen was not favored by Porsche, and the nickname “Beetle” first appeared in the New York Times the same year.

The popularity of the Beetle began when Hitler demanded the car’s price be under 1,000 marks, a reasonable price so that German families could own a car. After World War II, on July 17, 1946, the first Beetle was delivered to the Gottfried Schultz dealership in Essen, Germany, marking the first step in widespread distribution to the public.

The Beetle quickly became a global phenomenon in the 1950s, thanks to its compact, convenient design and price suitable for the post-war economic times. From a product coined by Hitler, the Beetle has become a symbol of popularity and popularity around the world, selling more than 450,000 units in 1958 alone.

The production of the Beetle in the 1960s saw the spread of the car in popular culture, especially among hippies in America, where it became a symbol of freedom and generosity.

Although the Beetle went through a decline in the 1970s when it was no longer relevant to modern travel needs, it continued to survive and thrive. After 1998, Volkswagen launched the New Beetle, a redesigned version that still retains the basic features of the old Beetle, bringing something new and trendy to the world auto market.

With more than 21.5 million units produced and sold globally as of 2003, the Volkswagen Beetle is not just a car model but a timeless symbol, closely linked to historical developments and developments. is the pride of the world auto industry.