The People's Car: VW

Ferdinand Porsche

Many people can easily identify the Volkswagen Beetle, with its semicircular shape and cute-looking headlights. In fact, it passed the Ford Model T as the longest continually produced car in the world, having been made in its original format from 1938 to 2003. However, many people may not know the history behind the development of this icon.

This car was originally conceived by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche (yes, that Porsche) in 1932. In its first incarnation, it looked similar to the Beetle in that it was arranged in the same general layout with a semicircle body with a rear engine. However, these prototypes didn't cut it and were all eventually destroyed in an air raid during the war. In 1933, the year that Adolf Hitler took power in Germany, Hitler commissioned Porsche to make a "People's Car", literally a Volks wagen in German, for the general population. It was ordered to seat two adults and three children and go up to 100 km/hr (about 60 mph). It would be available on a savings plan with regular installments over about a year for the same price as a motorcycle at the time.

Porsche was only able to make a few cars for civilians before the war started. During the war, the Nazi elite could get them but for the most part the Germans used the Beetle as their version of the US Jeep, usually with the same chassis (underbody frame) but with a different body. Thankfully, Dr. Porsche survived the war and after the Allied disassembly of the German production facilites was over with he could proceed in making the car which would become the one we all know and love, as well as some of the most iconic German sports cars in history. Until next time take care, and thanks for reading.