Today, we move from Japanese to German.
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Today, we move from Japanese to German. I often see this apparently well preserved Volkswagen Beetle around town where I live. It’s a more basic ‘flat windscreen’ 1200, rather than a fancier curved windscreen 1303/1303S Super Beetle. This car was registered in 1974/5. German production of the original Beetle ended a few years later but continued in Mexico until 2003.
I know I'm being ultra-pedantic, but this isn't a Beetle. It's a Volkswagen, a late model Type 1. Bug and Beetle were nicknames which have stuck, but never officially used except in adverts. The first Beetle. if you like, was the 1990s retro design based on the Golf platform.
This is a hill I will die on.
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I know I'm being ultra-pedantic, but this isn't a Beetle. It's a Volkswagen, a late model Type 1. Bug and Beetle were nicknames which have stuck, but never officially used except in adverts. The first Beetle. if you like, was the 1990s retro design based on the Golf platform.
This is a hill I will die on.
Prepare to die...
In 67/68 they used Beetle in sales brochures (official docs, not just adverts)
Then the Super Beetle (MacPherson struts and a curved windscreen) was introduced in 1971 and officially called that.
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Today, we move from Japanese to German. I often see this apparently well preserved Volkswagen Beetle around town where I live. It’s a more basic ‘flat windscreen’ 1200, rather than a fancier curved windscreen 1303/1303S Super Beetle. This car was registered in 1974/5. German production of the original Beetle ended a few years later but continued in Mexico until 2003.
@davidwilkins Someone is dailying a 1970's Beetle in 2026? 🤯
Looks to be fairly good in terms of rust, which is impressive for a 50+ year old vehicle. Though that front bumper and driver side light area seem to need a bit of love.
Amazing to see. My great-uncle had a Beetle that looked like that one (it was pastel yellow), and I remember riding in it a couple of times (it was VERY loud inside, and I vaguely remember the knobs, it was like 30+ years ago).
I think the car was sold after he died. Shame, really, I'd love to experience it again.
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Prepare to die...
In 67/68 they used Beetle in sales brochures (official docs, not just adverts)
Then the Super Beetle (MacPherson struts and a curved windscreen) was introduced in 1971 and officially called that.
Ok, not die, as you are technically correct about it starting as a nickname, but you'll get a nasty ingrown toenail...
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@davidwilkins Someone is dailying a 1970's Beetle in 2026? 🤯
Looks to be fairly good in terms of rust, which is impressive for a 50+ year old vehicle. Though that front bumper and driver side light area seem to need a bit of love.
Amazing to see. My great-uncle had a Beetle that looked like that one (it was pastel yellow), and I remember riding in it a couple of times (it was VERY loud inside, and I vaguely remember the knobs, it was like 30+ years ago).
I think the car was sold after he died. Shame, really, I'd love to experience it again.
@nanianmichaels I think the official name of the colour of the car I posted is Miami Blue.
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I know I'm being ultra-pedantic, but this isn't a Beetle. It's a Volkswagen, a late model Type 1. Bug and Beetle were nicknames which have stuck, but never officially used except in adverts. The first Beetle. if you like, was the 1990s retro design based on the Golf platform.
This is a hill I will die on.
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins
Volkswagen officially changed the name from Type-1 to Beetle in 1968. Wikipedia- my dad made the US VW ads ‘62-‘70 for DDB in NYC. Won a Cleo Award for one in ‘69.
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@snaptophobic @davidwilkins
Volkswagen officially changed the name from Type-1 to Beetle in 1968. Wikipedia- my dad made the US VW ads ‘62-‘70 for DDB in NYC. Won a Cleo Award for one in ‘69.
Thanks! Every day's a school day.
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@snaptophobic @davidwilkins
Volkswagen officially changed the name from Type-1 to Beetle in 1968. Wikipedia- my dad made the US VW ads ‘62-‘70 for DDB in NYC. Won a Cleo Award for one in ‘69.
@stevewfolds @snaptophobic Thanks - very interesting. I wasn’t expecting this one to be controversial! I think that Heather has a point in that Beetle was what the public called it rather than the name originating with VW. My guess is that it probably wasn’t called a Beetle in official documentation homologating the car in each country etc.. I think it the becomes a question of whether the use of Beetle in ads and brochures is ‘official’. I suppose it’s an official endorsement of sorts! (1/2)
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@stevewfolds @snaptophobic Thanks - very interesting. I wasn’t expecting this one to be controversial! I think that Heather has a point in that Beetle was what the public called it rather than the name originating with VW. My guess is that it probably wasn’t called a Beetle in official documentation homologating the car in each country etc.. I think it the becomes a question of whether the use of Beetle in ads and brochures is ‘official’. I suppose it’s an official endorsement of sorts! (1/2)
@stevewfolds @snaptophobic FWIW This car is on the UK MoT database as a ‘Volkswagen Beetle’ but I think in those days they would just have accepted what the owner or dealer wrote on the forms rather than confirming that the Beetle designation was somehow ‘official’. (2/2)
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@stevewfolds @snaptophobic Thanks - very interesting. I wasn’t expecting this one to be controversial! I think that Heather has a point in that Beetle was what the public called it rather than the name originating with VW. My guess is that it probably wasn’t called a Beetle in official documentation homologating the car in each country etc.. I think it the becomes a question of whether the use of Beetle in ads and brochures is ‘official’. I suppose it’s an official endorsement of sorts! (1/2)
I’ve a notion the very early Hitler period machines gained a nickname of Käfer, which is German for beetle. So the moniker has been around since the start.
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I’ve a notion the very early Hitler period machines gained a nickname of Käfer, which is German for beetle. So the moniker has been around since the start.
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins
Dr. Porsche copied the Czech Tata. -
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins
Volkswagen officially changed the name from Type-1 to Beetle in 1968. Wikipedia- my dad made the US VW ads ‘62-‘70 for DDB in NYC. Won a Cleo Award for one in ‘69.
@stevewfolds
I loved those ads!
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins -
@stevewfolds
I loved those ads!
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins@Eetschrijver @stevewfolds @snaptophobic Yes - being associated with those is a huge claim to fame!
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@Eetschrijver @stevewfolds @snaptophobic Yes - being associated with those is a huge claim to fame!
@davidwilkins
As a former copywriter, I'll have you know that I'm green with envy!
@stevewfolds @snaptophobic -
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins
Dr. Porsche copied the Czech Tata.@stevewfolds
TatRa, as we owners say.
@snaptophobic @davidwilkins -
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