Jalopnik: Beetle

How To Draw A Volkswagen Beetle With Just Two Ovals

Jason Torchinsky — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST

Today's the 40th anniversary of the 15,007,034th Volkswagen Beetle built — the number needed to surpass the former record holder for most produced car — the Model T. It made the Beetle officially the world's best-selling car. As a way to commemorate this event, and because I have a big, obvious soft spot for old Beetles, I made a little video showing you how anyone can draw a Beetle using just two ovals. More »

This was the first car in Antarctica

Raphael Orlove — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST

One hundred years ago yesterday — December 14th, 1911 — Roald Admundsen and his team of Norwegian explorers became the first humans to reach the South Pole, pulled by sled dogs. But it wasn't until 1963 that the first production car landed on Antarctic shores, a mostly-stock VW Beetle known as "the Red Terror." This is its story. More »

A touching story of a son reunited with his dad's long-lost Beetle

Bring a Trailer — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST

If the Internet is good for anything, aside from hate-filled comments and rage comics, it's good for bringing people together with cars they never though they'd see again. This feel-good story from the awesome Bring a Trailer may restore your faith in our ubiquitous "series of tubes." — Ed. More »

Volkswagen Beetle R Concept: I'm so super serious right now

Wes Siler — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 15:20:00 EST

Can "R" be to VW what "AMG" is to Mercedes and "M" used to be to BMW? VW seems serious about making it just that. So serious, in fact, that they've named this color "Serious Grey." But can a cuddly new, new Volkswagen Beetle R be taken seriously? More »

Volkswagen Beetle R is very shiny, but we can live with that

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:30:00 EDT

It's got more chrome than Elvis had themed bedrooms, but it's nothing a little dirt couldn't fix. Underneath, the Beetle R is something we'd no doubt consider taking home for a little of the old paddle shift, know wot I mean? More »

1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle is tougher, lusher, fancier and slower

Tom Joslin — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:00:00 EDT

It might not have been the panacea that VW needed to hypo it's sales charts, but the 1974 Super Beetle featured in this vintage Car and Track road test was undoubtedly an air-cooled Volkswagen. Even with a new suspension system and slight cosmetic changes, the 48 horsepower was, in the words of host Bud Lindemann, "noisy and not enough". More »

A tale of two Volkswagens

Tom Joslin — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 15:00:00 EDT

Josh Clason's most recent Depth of Speed episode profiles Craig Johnson and his well restored vintage Volkswagens. It seems especially appropriate to examine vintage Volkswagen culture today, exactly 8 years after the last classic Beetle rolled off the assembly line. More »

2012 Volkswagen Beetle: First Drive

Ray Wert — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:00:00 EDT

In a little over a decade Volkswagen saw its Beetle transform from Adolf Hitler's dream of the "people's car" to the foulest of all marketing slurs — a "chick car." Does the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle finally provide a more manly solution? We drove it today to find out. More »

Jeremy Clarkson on the "s******r" Volkswagen Beetle

Ray Wert — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 10:15:00 EDT

"Yes. I was interested in having a s**t Golf, but can it be even s*****r? Well, sir, how about this steaming pile of horse manure? Plus, and here's the clincher, sir, there's no vase." More Beetle love here. More »

Don't believe everything you hear about the 1985 Volkswagen Jetta

Tom Joslin — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EDT

In case you mistakenly heard the redesigned 1985 Jetta was able to jump fallen trees, transport elephants or fit several dozen suitcases in the trunk, Volkswagen wanted you to know none of it was true. Following the unconventional advertising mold that served the company so well, Volkswagen drove that point home by illustrating their car faced with all of the aforementioned scenarios in this amusing piece of vintage advertising. More »

Volkswagen was created 74 years ago today

Tom Joslin — Sat, 28 May 2011 12:30:00 EDT

Although the company might be best known today for their lovable Beetle, Volkswagen was created 74 years ago today in 1937 by the government of Germany—then under the control of Adolf Hitler of the National Socialist (Nazi) Party—as a new state-owned automobile company. After the Nazis were defeated, Volkswagen was rebuilt with assistance from the British Army. The company produced the first of the millions of Type 1 Beetles that would follow in December of 1945. More »

Emerson Fittipaldi's double-engined Volkswagen Beetle

Leo Nishihata, Jalopnik Brazil — Sun, 08 May 2011 16:00:00 EDT

While famous auto racer Emerson Fittipaldi is well known for his accomplishments on the race track, his role in building a wild Volkswagen for a Brazilian endurance race is an interesting albeit lesser known tale. Jalopnik Brazil editor Leo Nishihata explains. — Ed. More »

Why old Volkswagens make good rental cars

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:30:00 EDT

This compilation of Volkswagens being used and abused is likely some sort of old series of tests used in an promo video for late 90s/early 2000s Volkswagen products. It worked! I want to rent an older Volkswagen Transporter T4 and launch it off a hill, all the while the radio plays a jaunty tune. (Hat tip to Jo!) More »

2012 Volkswagen Beetle caught in the wild

Ray Wert — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:00:00 EDT

No, silly, the question is why wouldn't the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle be driving around the streets of Laredo, Texas. More »

Rear-engined Volkswagens have more fun

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EDT

With all the hype around the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle it's worth remembering that, despite the more "masculine look" and "Herbie-like handling" it'll never actually handle like Herbie so long as it is front-engine and front-wheel-drive. More »

Build your own 2012 Volkswagen Beetle online

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EDT

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle debuted earlier today, but Ze Germans, with their typical Teutonic efficiency, have already set their configurator live on their German site. Can you top Toffeebraun Metallic mit Zoll 'Circle' wheels? Didn't think so. More »

How the 2012 Beetle will handle "like Herbie"

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 10:15:00 EDT

Handling "like Herbie" is a direct quote from VW marketing boss Luca De Meo. He's referring to the clean-sheet 2012 Beetle's new electronic front differential, which, according to Volkswagen, should allow for more nimble handling. More »

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:01:00 EDT

After more than a decade of production, the New Beetle's grown mighty stale and, more importantly — effeminate. The all-new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle ditches the flowers for more power, bringing design and engineering back into this century with a masculine look decidedly planted in the last one. More »

Dead Bugs

Tom Joslin — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 12:30:00 EDT

A few of the over 21 million air-cooled Volkswagen Bugs built rust together while waiting for an unknown fate. It isn't hard to spot a Karmann Ghia and a Squareback sticking out like sore thumbs in the collection of rounded rooflines. More »

If you happen to see a good looking Volkswagen after breaking out of jail, don’t panic

Tom Joslin — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:00:00 EDT

Volkswagen was a company well known for unorthodox advertising practices by the mid 1960s. It should come as no surprise that when it came time to expand their model range for 1966 with the Fastback and Squareback, the commercials were rather typically anything but typical. More »

The Deadly Volkswagens Of Emeryville

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST

"Man there sure is sumptin' goin on with the water supply in Emeryville. Now just lookey at this here darn VW just sittin' thar." It's like Michael Bay meets Yves Tanguy. (More from artist Joe MacCarthy on his blog) More »

The Violation of Vancouver's Volkswagen Sculpture

Tom Joslin — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST

An open air sculpture installation in Vancouver, Canada full of three-foot long Volkswagen Beetle sculptures was vandalized last week. One of the sculptures has even been stolen for the second time this year. More »

Volkswagen Says Floating Beetle in Spanish

Tom Joslin — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 12:00:00 EST

The Volkswagen Beetle has been the test subject of for some bizarre experiments in its lifetime. Volkswagen decided they should highlight some of the more successful results in this ad including footage of a floating amphibious Beetle. More »

For $12,500, Get on the Bugus

graverobber — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:00:00 EST

Tastes great, less filling, peace without compromise, there's plenty of have-it-all maxims. And for today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe, you can add the Bugus to that list. More »

For $5,000, Get an Intercooled New Beetle Turbo. Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That.

graverobber — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EDT

Today's Nice Price or Crack Pipe VW New Beetle Turbo may look like your standard flower vase-wearing Chardonnay-sipper, but with its overbite intercooler, it only drinks high-test. More »

New Volkswagen U.S. Chief Says New Beetle To Be U.S. Focused

Justin Hyde — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:20:00 EDT

New VW Beetle will be designed for Americans, since only Americans buy it. More »

Project Car Hell, Junkyard Fixer-Upper Edition: Fiat Spider, VW Beetle, or Shelby Charger?

Murilee Martin — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EDT

Welcome to Project Car Hell, where you choose your eternity by selecting the project that's the coolest... and the most hellish! I walked into an East Bay self-service junkyard a few weeks back, and look what they had for sale! More »

One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other

Sam Smith — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:30:00 EDT

When is your house not a house? When it's a Volkswagen Bus. ("Ja," said Tom, "but can you drive your house to get ein plate of schnitzel? I don't think so.") [via fuckyeahcarburetors] More »

Even Volkswagen Made a Bicentennial Edition!

Murilee Martin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 16:40:00 EDT

Even the Germans got into the act when celebrating the American Bicentennial, with this Spirit Of '76 dash-plaque-equipped 1976 Beetle convertible. Bonus points if you can name three more Bicentennial Edition cars! More »

One Of These Days, Alice — Bang, Zoom! Straight To The Body Shop!

Sam Smith — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EDT

A 1960s Volkswagen ad extolling the Beetle's easily repaired bodywork. Sexism + People's Car = Ha ha ha OW! HEY! Honey! Stop with the hitting — it was just a joke! You're a great driver! Really! [via Fox News] More »

Why Didn't Wolfsburg Do This?

Murilee Martin — Sun, 30 May 2010 18:30:00 EDT

The Shorty Transporter Judgemobile looked good, but a shop in Huajuapan, Mexico, has surpassed that achievement. More »

VW Beetle Vies For World Limbo Champion Title

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:00 EDT

How low can a VW Beetle go? Check out this contraption dubbed The Woodruff Special, it's been dropped so low the fan shroud's higher than the roof line — where the fuel filler's relocated. Ridiculous driving clip below. More »

Electric Beetle Spanks Tesla Roadster In Drag Race

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 11 May 2010 10:30:00 EDT

This video of a hyper-modified VW Beetle with two electric motors and 1200 ft-lb of torque racing to an 11.24 second quarter-mile victory over a Tesla Roadster has everything — except engine noise. More »

Woman Hits 400,000 Miles In New Beetle, Hell Freezes Over

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 03 May 2010 13:00:00 EDT

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Alice Mannion's 1998 Volkswagen Beetle just turned over an astonishing 400,000 miles. Impossible! Everyone knows VWs fall apart after 100,000 miles. Right? More »

Pinto-Engined Baja Bug Couldn't Hide In The Desert Forever

Murilee Martin — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:00:00 EDT

If you were into hot-rodded Beetles during the Late Malaise Era, as I most certainly was, you probably remember the small-print ads for the "Pinto Beans" adapter kit from the back pages of your favorite VW magazines. More »

Meet The BeetleBus, Stand In Awe Of Its Excellence

Sam Smith — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:00:00 EDT

We recently returned from a trip to Mexico. This Volkswagen Beetle was sitting by the road on part of the old Carrera Panamericana route. Think the nose looks weird? Wait 'til you check out the car's back half. Arriba fahrvergnügen! More »

Racer Boy does Beetleball

Rob Krider — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 13:00:00 EDT

Add one part Volkswagen Beetle to three parts route instructions, top it off with the open road, hope that Johnny Law is in the donut shop, and you have the makings of the Beetleball Endurance Rally Series! More »

Furry VW Beetle Easter Bunny Will Haunt Your Dreams

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EDT

By far the creepiest car on display at this year's New York Auto Show is this VW Beetle Easter Bunny. Sweet dreams. More »

Hybrids We Approve Of

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 14:00:00 EDT

It's rare we endorse anything hybrid related, but this t-shirt highlights mashups we can get behind. The shirt's only available for a couple more hours — so buy it now. (Hat tip to everyone who tipped us!) [TeeFury] More »

1961 Volkswagen Beetle

Murilee Martin — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:00:00 EDT

Welcome to Down On The Street, where we admire old vehicles found parked on the streets of the Island That Rust Forgot: Alameda, California. It's time we got caught up on the DOTS Beetle Backlog. More »