Categories: This Day

July 30, 2003 – The last Original VW Beetle is Built

On this day in 2003 the last production Type 1 VW Beetle rolled off the assembly line. The need for this kind of car, and its functional objectives, was formulated by the leader of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, who wanted a cheap, simple car to be mass-produced for his country’s new road network. Hitler contracted Ferdinand Porsche in 1934 to design and build it. Porsche and his team took until 1938 to finalize the design. The result was one of the first rear-engined cars since the Brass Era. With 21,529,464 produced the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured car of a single platform ever made. Learn more about the VW Type 1 Beetle here

.

Brian Corey

Recent Posts

September 16, 1908 – The birth of General Motors

Buick Motor Car company owner William C. Durant leveraged an engine supply deal with McLaughlin…

2 days ago

September 15, 1981 – The John Bull becomes oldest operating locomotive [video]

On September 15, 1981, history was made as the John Bull locomotive completed a historic…

3 days ago

September 14, 2021 – Toyota GR 86 named pace car for NASA (it’s not what you think)

On September 14, 2021, Toyota announced that the all-new 2022 GR 86 would take on…

4 days ago

September 13, 1899 – First pedestrian killed by a car in the USA

On this day in 1899, as Henry Bliss exited a streetcar at West 74th Street…

5 days ago

September 12, 1988 – Legendary auto designer Bill Mitchell passes away

In the world of automotive design, few names resonate as powerfully as that of Bill…

6 days ago

September 11, 1987 – BMW Z1 introduced

The first of the BMW Z car coupes debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show on…

7 days ago