1966 Volkswagen Beetle Sedan

Description

With a production life spanning more than half the life of the automobile itself, the Volkswagen Beetle is an iconic piece of industrial design. Born out of Adolf Hitler's desire to provide cheap transport for the masses and designed by Dr Ferdinand Porsche, the Beetle only seriously entered production after the war ended in 1945 and went on to sell well in excess of 20 million units. The Beetle remained true to the original design brief, but a myriad of small changes were made to answer calls for more performance and improved driveability, including larger engines and the switch to all-synchromesh gearboxes. By the mid-1960s it was clear the Beetle needed another injection of power and the 1300 model was introduced for 1965 by lengthening the stroke from 64mm to 69mm to give an overall capacity of 1284cc. As a 1966 model, the Beetle on offer here also benefits from a host of improvements made over the long production history of the model, including the all-synchromesh gearbox, larger glass area for improved visibility, better ventilation and heating and many other changes. Volkswagen enthusiasts often note these cars are the best compromise between the classic styling and purity of the original design and the later, more usable cars. Today, any Beetle manufactured before 1970 is considered a superior product to the later, less well built, models.