Volkswagen 75th Anniversary: What Was The First VW Sold In The US?
This Superbowl Sunday,Volkswagen’s big, Beetle-focused advertising spotcelebrates the auto manufacturer’s 75th anniversary. It’s titled, “An American Love Story,” and reflects on the history of the German car company’s place in American culture, from the original Type 1 Beetle to the much more sleek designs ofthe new 2025 ID. Buzz. Set toNeil Diamond’s, “I Am, I Said,“the commercial starts in black-and-white as it depicts the first Beetle shipped to America, then it becomes a montage demonstrating the symbolism Volkswagen’s cars took on between the 1950s and 1970s. But what was the first VW sold in the United States?
The Volkswagen Type 1, aka Beetle, took America by storm
The history of the Volkswagen Beetle began as a dark one. The company was championed by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, who wanted a “people’s car” every German would drive. He even set up a leasing program for the first production of the Type 1. However, as war broke out, production shifted to military vehicles. After the Allied victory and the conclusion of the war, the car manufacturer landed in the hands of British Army officer Ivan Hirst, who thought the Type 1 had potential. Thus began the Volkswagen company as we know it. Operations eventually wound up under the control of German engineer Heinrich Nordhoff, and the Type 1 ramped up production, now known as the Beetle.
The first Beetles were given to occupying British officers in the early days of Volkswagen’s post-war transition, but it soon entered the U.S. market, where it competed primarily against Ford. At the time,Business Insidernotes, American cars tended toward the large and grand, with long, boat-like designs and chrome fins. The Volkswagen was well-built and could take on the long-haul rides uniquely common to the American continent.
