Airfix 55207 VW Beetle Starter Set

Volkswagen Beetle (other names: VW Type 1 or VW Beetle) is a German passenger car with the so-called class of city cars, which was first presented to the general public in 1938. Its production started in the same year and lasted until 2003. The Beetle was therefore produced for 65 years! In total, more than 21.5 million of its copies were created.

The history of VW Beetle dates back to the 1930s, when the Nazi regime in Germany decided to create a "people's car" as cheap and easy to produce as possible. After talks with numerous German automotive companies, it was decided to create a separate company to carry out this task called Volkswagen (German people's or people's car), and Ferdinand Porsche became the main designer of the new vehicle. However, the quick outbreak of the World War broke the plans of large-scale production for civilian needs, which started only after 1945. Together with vehicles such as the Citroen 2CV or Fiat 500, the Beetle laid the foundations for a new segment of the automotive market in Europe, i.e. the city car class. Throughout its production, Volkswagen Beetle was powered by an engine located at the rear of the vehicle. The engine itself was an air-cooled boxer unit. Interestingly, for 65 years of production, only two main body versions appeared: a 2-door fastback and a 2-door convertible. Undoubtedly, the Beetle has earned the well-deserved status of a legendary car and an icon of the 20th century automotive industry.