PEOPLE’S CHOICE

The humble Volkswagen – for that was its original name, with Beetle not adopted officially until the Golf-based New Beetle emerged in 1998 – has had a devoted following for far longer than it has been recognised as a classic. Despite that though, it remains affordable – in fact in a similar vein to the similar-looking but entirely different Morris Minor, with a huge gulf between the mainstream examples and the extreme values of a few sought-after variations.

It can get confusing for the unwary though, since the Beetle was subjected to more or less continuous improvement throughout its long lifespan and each variety has its devotees.

First to arrive was what the enthusiasts call the ‘split window’ car on account of its divided rear screen. These first appeared in the UK as a trickle of imports (usually the less spartan Export model) in the late 1940s, usually coming over with returning service personnel who had served in the postwar Allied administration. Given the car’s genesis in the prewar era, it was a brave owner who dared use something so obviously Germanic as daily transport in the UK but the cars quickly built up a following among those who admired them for their engineering.

Those early cars were powered by an 1131cc engine producing 30bhp which meant leisurely acceleration and a modest top speed