Bugging Out: Classic VWs Reworked

Beetle%20Fact%20%231%3A%20The%20Volkswagen%20Group%20and%20its%20parent%20company%20Volkswagen%20Aktiengesellschaft%20%28Volkswagen%20AG%29%20own%20Audi%2C%20Bently%20Motors%2C%20Bugatti%20Automobiles%2C%20Automobili%20Lamborhini%2C%20Porsche%20%2849.9%25%29%2C%20Ducati%20and%20is%20the%20largest%20shareholder%20of%20Suzuki%20Motor%20Corporation.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%232%3A%20The%20first%20VW%20Beetle%20cost%20990%20marks%20in%201937%2C%20plus%20250%20marks%20for%20insurance%20and%20delivery.%20At%20this%20time%20period%20in%20Germany%2C%20this%20was%20the%20equivalent%20to%20about%2035%20weeks%20worth%20of%20wages.%20In%20today%26%238217%3Bs%20terms%2C%20that%20would%20be%20the%20equivalent%20of%20about%20%2431%2C000%20for%20the%20average%20American.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%233%3A%20Americans%20paid%20%241%2C545%20for%20a%201958%20VW%20Beetle.%20The%202013%20VW%20Beetle%20starts%20at%20%2419%2C795%20and%20can%20easily%20reach%20beyond%20%2430%2C000%20with%20a%20turbo%20engine%2C%20sunroof%20and%20GPS%20navigation.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%234%3A%20Unveiled%20at%20the%201994%20North%20American%20Auto%20Show%20in%20Detroit%2C%20The%20Concept%201%20redesigned%20Beetle%20tantalized%20auto%20enthusiasts%2C%20yet%20the%20car%20wouldn%26%238217%3Bt%20be%20available%20for%20sale%20until%201998.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%235%3A%20In%201972%2C%20the%2015%2C007%2C034th%20Type%201%20Beetle%20was%20made%2C%20surpassing%20the%20Ford%20Model%20T%20as%20the%20most%20produced%20single%20model%20in%20history.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%236%3A%20In%201968%2C%20Herbie%20the%20Love%20Bug%2C%20the%20VW%20Beetle%20race%20car%20with%20a%20mind%20of%20its%20own%2C%20was%20released%20by%20Walt%20Disney%20Pictures%2C%20grossing%20%2451%20million%20in%20the%20US%2C%20touching%20off%20a%20series%20of%20films%20featuring%20car%20%2353%20including%20the%202005%20Herbie%20Fully%20Loaded%20staring%20Lindsey%20Lohan.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%237%3A%20When%20the%20VW%20Beetle%20came%20to%20America%20in%201949%2C%20only%20two%20cars%20sold.%20A%20record%20569%2C292%20VW%20Beetles%20sold%20in%201968.%20%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%238%3A%20Ferdinand%20Porsche%20was%2053-years-old%20when%20Adolf%20Hilter%20took%20interest%20in%20his%20Beetle-like%2C%20little%20car%2C%20which%20previously%20received%20only%20closed%20doors%20from%20German%20car%20manufacturers.%20Hilter%2C%20who%20never%20learned%20to%20drive%2C%20added%20small%20design%20and%20performance%20changes%2C%20which%20became%20the%20first%20prototype%20Beetle%20in%20the%20early%201930s.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%2310%3A%20The%2021%2C529%2C464th%20and%20last%20old-style%2C%20rear-engine%20VW%20Beetle%20was%20made%20in%20Mexico%20on%20July%2030%2C%202003%20and%20then%20sent%20to%20the%20VW%20Museum%20in%20Wolfsburg%2C%20Germany.%20%28The%20photos%20in%20this%20gallery%20were%20taken%20by%20Heather%20Ruch%20at%20VWs%20On%20The%20Green%2C%20an%20annual%20event%20held%20each%20spring%20for%20Volkswagen%20enthusiasts%20in%20Golden%2C%20CO.%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%2311%3A%20Students%20of%20the%20Bournemouth%20College%20of%20Technology%20claim%20to%20hold%20the%20title%20of%20most%20people%20stuffed%20into%20a%20Beetle%20with%20103%20in%20a%201952%20VW.%20However%2C%20Guinness%20awarded%20a%20World%20Record%20to%20Asbury%20University%20for%20cramming%2020%20people%20into%20a%201964%20Beetle%20on%20December%209%2C%202010.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%2312%3A%20Puma%2C%20a%20Brazilian%20speciality%20car%20manufacturer%2C%20produced%20cars%20from%201966%20to%20about%201995.%20In%201967%2C%20Volkswagen%20bought%20the%20company%2C%20modifying%20the%20body%20design%20to%20accommodate%20a%20Karmann%20Ghia%20engine.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%2313%3A%20VW%20introduced%20the%20Karmann%20Ghia%2C%20%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Ca%20Beetle%20in%20a%20cocktail%20dress%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D%20in%201956%20in%20an%20effort%20to%20revamp%20its%20image%20of%20producing%20only%20%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9Cugly%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%9D%20cars.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%2314%3A%20In%20the%201950s%2C%20a%20Westfalia%20company%20began%20taking%20orders%20for%20custom%20conversions%20to%20the%20VW%20Van%2C%20making%20the%20van%20into%20a%20%26%238220%3Bhome.%26%238221%3B%20Wildly%20popular%2C%20in%20the%201960s%20the%20company%20teamed%20with%20Volkswagen%20to%20brand%20it%20the%20VW%20Westfalia.%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29

Beetle%20Fact%20%2315%3A%20Volkswagen%20means%20%26%238220%3Bpeople%26%238217%3Bs%20car%26%238221%3B%20in%20German.%20Today%2C%20its%20tagline%20is%20Das%20Auto%2C%20meaning%20%26%238220%3BThe%20Car.%26%238221%3B%20%28photo%20credit%3A%20Heather%20Ruch%29