DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

Launched in 1961 at the 40th Annual IAA (International Motor Show) in Frankfurt, the VW Type 3 model had initially been proposed as a replacement for the Beetle. However, it wasn’t long before VW decided to run the Type 3 alongside the Beetle, billing it as a more luxurious and spacious air-cooled alternative.

The Beetle had been in production for almost 15 years, and the press had been questioning the need for a replacement to the ageing model. Critics complained about the