VW BEETLE "Marienkäfer", 1:64

ABOUT THE VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

The Volkswagen Beetle officially the Volkswagen Type 1, informally in German der Käfer, in parts of the English-speaking world the Bug, and known by many other nicknames in other languages is a two-door, rear-engine economy car, intended for five occupants that was manufactured and marketed by German automaker Volkswagen (VW) from 1938 until 2003. At the behest of the German government, the highly gifted automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche developed the German "people‘s car" at his design office in Stuttgart from 1934 onwards. With an air-cooled 4-cylinder boxer engine and streamlined body, its design was revolutionary for those times. Later famous globally as the "Beetle", it became the most successful vehicle in automotive history with more than 22 million units produced.

The need for a people's car, its concept and its functional objectives were 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 .

The original 25 hp Beetle was designed for a top speed around 100 km/h which would be a viable cruising speed on the Reichsautobahn system.
The Beetle marked a significant trend led by Volkswagen, and then by Fiat and Renault, whereby the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout increased from 2.6 percent of continental Western Europe's car production in 1946 to 26.6 percent in 1956.
Over time front-wheel drive and frequently hatchback-bodied cars would come to dominate the European small-car market. In 1974, Volkswagen's own front-wheel drive Golf hatchback succeeded the Beetle.