This year marks a special anniversary for the “fans” of the Volkswagen Beetle, an iconic car from the Wolfsburg company with a history of over ten years. In fact, 1994 marked the return of the historic car to dealerships Käfer (cockroach, the German nickname), although no longer manufactured in Europe.
Volkswagen Beetle, THE NEW LIFE OF THE “VOCHO”
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It was a return that thrilled the “aficionados“of the Volkswagen 1302 and 1303, for us Italians only”Beetle” or “Beetle” depending on the accessories supplied and the type of bodywork. The 1303 it also differed from the more “classical” 1302 for greater attention to safety features on the dashboard, windscreen and passenger compartment, as well as different spring suspensions and slightly updated rear lights. The production of the Beetle in the old continent ceased starting from the summer of 1975, due to the restrictions caused by the oil crisis and the introduction onto the market of another car destined to write pages of history for the Wolfsburg company, namely the Golf. In January of 1980 European production of the 1303 Cabrioletbut the history of Käfer was far from finished: it was still produced in South Africa, Brazil and especially Mexico, in the factories of Guadalajara and Puebla. The very low prices and honest performance still guaranteed large sales margins, and while the Golf in turn began to set foot in other non-European countries, theVocho” acquired enormous popularity in Mexico, becoming in particular the favorite car of local taxi drivers with the unmistakable white-green livery.
RETURN TO EUROPE…AND ITALY
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Also driven by the requests of many Beetle fans, Volkswagen decided to introduce the models built in Puebla, distributed by the Mexican subsidiary, onto the German market. Sales remained at good levels and for several years the Wolfsburg company continued the European marketing of “Vocho”, without however considering Italy where, thanks to the enormous success of the film series by Herbie, the Beetle was a car loved by adults and children alike. For some time, Italians were forced to go to Germany to purchase an example of the Beetle.”Aztec”, then in 1994 things changed. In fact, a distributor from Alto Adige managed to finalize an agreement to import brand new examples of the “Vocho” both in sedan and cabriolet versions. The technical characteristics did not differ much from those of the “classic” Beetle with the traditional torsion bars, spring suspension, collapsible column and flat windscreen which had been “cornerstones” of the car for decades. The engine was liquid-cooled in-line cylinders, which had long since replaced the air-driven boxer engines.
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The Beetle’s LAST act of glory
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From 1994 and for a couple of years the classic Beetle returned to the Italian “new” market and collected encouraging sales data given the “parallel” import source. The charm of Käfer after all it had remained unchanged and the Mexican examples were able to win over their buyers thanks to good mechanical and bodywork resistance. In 1997, parallel to the release of the New Beetle, the Beetle in a modern key, the importation of theVochos” began to drastically reduce until it ran out of steam on the threshold of 2000. Three years later, on 30 July 2003, the last “Sedan” left the production lines in Puebla, greeted by the melancholy song “Las Golondrinas” sung by a Mariachi group and by some moving advertisements broadcast on Mexican television. Memorable was the one in which a Beetle, to the sound of a poignant song, passed by greeted by two wings of moved crowd.
