Description
This catalogue brings together the full family of air-cooled Volkswagens built between 1938 and 2003 – not just the Beetle, but every saloon, cabriolet, commercial, military vehicle, coachbuilt special, export model and overseas-built variant. Rather than retelling the familiar history of Volkswagen, it catalogues every air-cooled model produced around the world, including many that even dedicated enthusiasts may never have encountered. To provide context, the story begins with Ferdinand Porsche’s design consultancy and the experimental projects of the early 1930s, before Volkswagen production began in 1938 with the KdF-Wagen. From these beginnings grew a remarkable family that included the Beetle, Kübelwagen, Schwimmwagen, Transporter, Karmann Ghia, and the Type 3 and Type 4 ranges that broadened Volkswagen’s appeal through the 1960s and ’70s. The story extends far beyond Wolfsburg. Air-cooled Volkswagens were built not only in Germany but also in Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Australia and elsewhere, often evolving to meet local requirements and remaining in production long after European manufacture had ceased. Beyond the factory range are coachbuilt specials from firms such as Akkermans and APAL, Westfalia camper conversions, specialist commercial vehicles, dune buggies, Porsche replicas and many other derivatives. The catalogue also includes prototypes that never reached production, including the EA48, EA97 and EA128, together with the VW-Porsche collaborations. Whether you have owned a Beetle, a Transporter or a Karmann Ghia, or simply have a fondness for air-cooled Volkswagens, this book reveals the remarkable breadth of the air-cooled Volkswagen family, from familiar favourites to obscure models and forgotten overseas variants.