Regrettably, there is a dark beginning to the Beetle that everyone--- including Volkswagen--- wishes could be different. The car that later became the VW Beetle was financed by Adolf Hitler. Long before he seized power in 1933, he envisioned an inexpensive car that the typical German family could own and enjoy. The car could be driven along the sweeping highways that Hitler wanted to build throughout Germany. Once in power, he assigned the task of designing the car to famed automaker Ferdinand Porsche who shared a similar vision for such a car. By 1938, designs were completed, a factory site selected, and Hitler announced the car's name: The KdF-Wagen ("Kraft durch Freude" or "Strength through joy"). The name never became widely used by the German public. It was more commonly called the "Volkswagen," or "people's car." As it turned out, no common German citizen ever owned a Volkswagen while the Nazis were in power. By the outbreak of war in 1939, only about 630 cars had been built; nearly all went to Hitler and his military officers.

▲ 1934 - Dr. Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) draws first sketches of a simple little car that even the most common of citizens could own and enjoy on the autobahns.

▲ 1935 - Adolf Hitler commissions Porsche to develop the KdFWagen, forerunner of what we know today as the Beetle

▲ 1936 - At Berlin Auto Show, Hitler announces that Porsche will design "the People's Car;" Porsche promises Hitler he will produce three prototypes by year's end.

▲ 1937 - First road test on prototypes

▲ 1938 - Thirty prototypes (called Series 30) completed

▲ 1939 - May 28: Ceremony commemorates laying of cornerstone of VW factory at Wolfsburg (would later become largest auto factory under one roof)
1940 - KdFWagen appears at Berlin Auto Show. Germany goes to war.

▲ 1942 - German army vehicles Kubelwagens built; German amphibious army vehicles Schwimmwagens built

▲ 1944 - Allied bombs destroy more than 2/3 of Wolfsburg factory

▲ 1945 - May: War ends. British forces take control of Wolfsburg area. Porsche interrogated by Allied Forces for his alleged connections to Nazis. Porsche is cleared, but then imprisoned in France with son Ferry for two years.

▲ 1946 - 1,785 cars constructed, mostly by hand; used as army light transport

▲ 1947 - Wolfsburg produces 19,000 cars; exported to Holland. Two hand-made convertibles constructed.

▲ 1948 - 20,000th Beetle produced. Beetle modified into convertible. Henry Ford considers buying VW, but then declines; 24 years later, Beetle would out-sell Ford Model T.

▲ 1949 - January 17: First Beetle bought in USA by Ben Pon. Max Hoffman becomes first importer.
1950 - 100,000th Beetle produced. 1,000 convertibles produced. Porsche celebrates 75th birthday; finally visits Wolfsburg plant; cries when he sees Beetles on Autobahn... his dream becomes reality.
1951 - January 10: Ferdinand Porsche dies.
1952 - First official gathering of Beetle owners. Canada imports its first Beetle.
1953 - 500,000th Beetle produced. VW plant opens in Sao Paulo, Brasil.
1955 - April: VW of America formed. 1,000,000th Beetle produced.

▲ 1957 - 2,000,000th Beetle produced

▲ 1959 - 3,000,000th Beetle produced

▲ 1960 - 4,000,000th Beetle produced
1961 - 5,000,000th Beetle produced

▲ 1962 - VW of America headquarters at Englewood Cliffs, NJ, dedicated. 6,000,000th Beetle produced.

▲ 1963 - 7,000,000th Beetle produced

▲ 1964 - 8,000,000th and 9,000,000th Beetles produced

▲ 1965 - 10,000,000th Beetles produced
1966 - 11,000,000th and 12,000,000th Beetles produced
1970 - Last year convertible Beetle in standard format is available (only convertible Beetles in Super Beetle format are available). Super Beetle produced.

▲ 1972 - February 12: 15,007,034th Beetle rolls off assembly line, breaks Ford Model T record for total production.

▲ 1974 - June: 11,916,519th Beetle produced at Wolfsburg rolls off assembly line, signaling the end of Beetle production at Wolfsburg plant.
1975 - Last year for Super Beetle production
1977 - Last year for standard Beetle in USA; only Super Beetle convertibles remain.
1978 - At Emden VW plant in Germany, last official German-built Beetle rolls off assembly line
1981 - 20,000,000th Beetle produced (in Puebla, Mexico)

▲ 1998 - Production model of New Beetle unveiled at Detroit International Auto Show
1999 - New Beetle turbo available to US dealerships

▲ 2003 - July 30: Last Beetle (21,529,464th!) rolls off assembly line (in Puebla, Mexico)