10 Fascinating Facts About the Volkswagen Beetle

Although Volkswagen has officially declared, for the second time, that it will stop production of the Beetle, the admiration for this quirky little car continues. Here are 10 essential facts about the iconic German vehicle, once hailed as one of the top four cars of the 20th century.

1. THE RUMOR THAT THE BEETLE WAS A PRODUCT OF HITLER'S INFLUENCE IS (PARTIALLY) ACCURATE.

It's long been suggested that Adolf Hitler was the mastermind behind the Beetle, and in some ways, that's correct. The dictator aimed to make cars affordable for German families, so he enlisted Ferdinand Porsche (yes, the Porsche) to create “the people's car.” However, the concept of the Beetle existed long before Hitler's request; the design was heavily inspired by Porsche's V series. The claim that Hitler personally designed the car is likely a myth. Although he is credited with suggesting that the car should resemble a beetle, because 'You only have to observe nature to learn how best to achieve streamlining,' it's more probable he was echoing something he had read in an automotive magazine. One thing is certain, though: Hitler did lay the foundation for the Porsche factory in Wolfsburg, Germany.

2. AMERICANS WERE NOT IMPRESSED.

Skeptical of anything coming from Germany post-WWII, Americans initially rejected the Beetle when it debuted in the U.S. in 1949, with only two sold in the first year. However, sales picked up quickly, and by the 1960s, hundreds of thousands of Bugs were flying off the lot annually, peaking at 570,000 in 1970.

3. VW DIDN’T CALL IT THE “BEETLE” OR THE “BUG” AT FIRST.

The car’s famous nickname came from the public. Initially called the Volkswagen Type 1, its rounded shape and curvaceous design led to its eventual insect-inspired name. Volkswagen must have realized it had a hit on its hands, as they began referring to the car as the VW Beetle in the late 1960s.

4. THE CAR HAS EQUALLY CUTE NICKNAMES IN OTHER COUNTRIES.

The UK and the U.S. aren’t the only countries to give the Volkswagen Type 1 a new name. In France, it's called Coccinelle, meaning ladybug. In Italy and Brazil, it's Maggiolino and Fusca, both meaning 'beetle.' In Mexico, it's known as Vocho, while in Bolivia, it's called Peta (turtle). In Indonesia, it goes by the name Kodok (frog).

5. “THINK SMALL” WAS NAMED THE BEST ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN OF THE CENTURY.

In 1999, Advertising Age recognized the Beetle's iconic ad campaign as the top advertising effort of the past century, surpassing brands like Coca-Cola, Marlboro, Nike, and McDonald's. The campaign’s quirky concept and copy—which, according to Advertising Age, 'gave advertising permission to surprise, to defy, and to engage the consumer without overwhelming him'—revolutionized the advertising world.

The 'Think Small' slogan and the witty, self-deprecating copy were written by Julian Koenig, who is also credited with coining Earth Day and creating Timex’s famous 'It takes a licking and keeps on ticking' tagline. He’s also partially responsible for daughter Sarah Koenig, known for her work on NPR’s This American Life and the groundbreaking podcast Serial.

6. BEETLES HAVE LEFT THEIR MARK ON POP CULTURE.

Thanks to their unique look, VW Bugs have become linked with everything from the Beatles to Transformers. Here are a few notable examples:

• The Beetle with the license plate 'LMW 28IF' featured on The Beatles' Abbey Road album cover was auctioned for $23,000 in 1986. It’s now part of the collection at Volkswagen's AutoMuseum in Wolfsburg, Germany.
• The Fremont Troll sculpture in Seattle, a massive figure under the Aurora Bridge, grips a real VW Beetle. An earlier photo reveals the car was originally red, and it once contained a time capsule of Elvis memorabilia, which was stolen.
• The Herbie the Love Bug series was a major hit for Disney in the 1960s and 70s. One of the original Herbie cars fetched $126,500 at auction in 2015.
• In the original Transformers cartoon, Bumblebee transformed from a VW Bug, though the character was later updated to a Camaro in the live-action films.

7. THE CAR’S ICONIC BUD VASE IS GONE.

The 'blumenvasen,' a small vase that could be clipped to the dashboard, speaker grille, or windshield, was originally made of porcelain. This tribute to the flower power movement became so emblematic of the Beetle that it was included in the 1998 redesign. Unfortunately, it was removed in 2011 during a makeover aimed at making the car appear more masculine, according to marketing execs.

8. VW HAS CELEBRATED SPECIAL MILESTONES WITH UNIQUE BEETLES.

When the millionth VW Beetle was produced in 1955, the company celebrated by plating the car in gold and adding diamante details. They also crafted a Bug with a wicker body in partnership with expert basket-maker Thomas Heinrich.

9. BRITISH CARMAKERS REJECTED THE CHANCE TO PRODUCE THE BEETLE.

After WWII, the VW factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, was meant to be handed over to the British. However, no British car manufacturer wanted to take on the task, claiming that 'the vehicle does not meet the fundamental technical requirements of a motor car,' 'it is quite unattractive to the average buyer,' and 'building the car commercially would be an entirely unprofitable venture.' Whoops.

10. THE FINAL BEETLE IS ON DISPLAY IN A MUSEUM.

Beetle #21,529,464—the one honored by the mariachi band—is now housed at Volkswagen's AutoMuseum.