VW BEETLE

The Volkswagen Beetle was arguably the bestselling family car of all time – Toyota may claim that title for its Corolla, but that nameplate has been applied to 13 generations since 1966 and the car itself has changed beyond all recognition. In contrast, despite undergoing a continuous programme of development itself, the first and last Beetles quite clearly share the same DNA.

Developed in the 1930s, production of what became the Beetle actually began in 1938 as the KdF-Wagen (KdF stands for Kraft durch Freude, which translates as Strength through Joy), but the second world war saw manufacturing put on hold in favour of military vehicles. After the war had ended, the Beetle was initially offered to existing car manufacturers from the Allied countries, including Ford and Rootes, none of whom thought it had a future and all of whom rejected it. However, former British army officer Major Ivan Hirst of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers had been tasked with getting the factory back on its feet, and it is thanks to his vision that production of the rear-engined Beetle was slowly and painfully restarted amid the destruction of a town that was renamed Wolfsburg. It then continued until 2003, with worldwide production exceeding 21 million cars.

Officially known as the Type 1, there have been numerous upgrades and improvements over the years, including switching from all-round rod-operated drum brakes to a hydraulic system with discs up front, changing from 6v to 12v electrics and incorporating MacPherson strut front suspension. Engine sizes have increased too, but basically the same air-cooled flat-four engine has remained, mated to a four-speed transaxle gearbox or occasionally a semi-automatic.

With such an extensive production run and large range of models, this buying guide is concentrating on the more affordable and practical examples, which largely means those manufactured from