Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially the Volkswagen Type 1, is a small family car produced by the German company Volkswagen from 1938 to 2003. A global cultural icon known for its bug-like design, the Beetle is widely regarded as one of the most influential cars of the 20th century. Its production period of 65 years is the longest for any single generation of automobile. With 21.5 million units produced over twenty locations worldwide, the Beetle is the best-selling car of a single platform in history and the second best-selling car nameplate of the 20th century.

The Beetle was conceived in the early 1930s, when the leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, decided there was a need for a people's car—an inexpensive, simple, mass-produced car—to serve Germany's new road network, the Reichsautobahn. Engineer Ferdinand Porsche and his design team began developing and designing the car in the early 1930s, but the fundamental design concept can be attributed to Béla Barényi in 1925, predating Porsche's claims by almost ten years. The result was the Volkswagen Type 1 and the introduction of the Volkswagen brand. Volkswagen initially slated production for the late 1930s, but the outbreak of World War II in 1939 delayed production until the war ended in 1945. The car was originally called the Volkswagen Type 1 and marketed simply as the Volkswagen; it was not until 1968 that it was officially named the "Beetle".

Volkswagen implemented designations for the Beetle in the 1960s, including 1200, 1300, 1500, 1600, 1302, and 1303. The company introduced a series of large luxury models throughout the 1960s and 1970s—comprising the Type 3, Type 4 and K70—to supplement the Beetle, but none of these models achieved the level of success that the Beetle did. In 1972, the Beetle surpassed the Ford Model T to become the best-selling car of all time, a record it held for 25 years. Rapidly changing consumer preferences toward front-wheel drive compact hatchbacks in Europe prompted Volkswagen's gradual shift away from rear-wheel drive, starting with the Golf in 1974. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Japanese automakers began to dominate markets around the world, which contributed to the Beetle's declining popularity.

The Beetle remains one of the best-selling cars of all time, and is the first to have over 20million units produced. Over its lifespan, its design remained consistent, yet Volkswagen implemented over 78,000 updates. These modifications were mostly subtle, involving minor alterations to its exterior, interior, colours, and lighting. Some more noteworthy changes included the introduction of new engines, models and systems, such as improved technology or comfort. The Beetle maintains a substantial cultural influence, and is regarded as one of the most iconic vehicles in automotive history. Its success largely influenced the way automobiles are designed and marketed, and propelled Volkswagen's introduction of a Golf-based series of vehicles.