1970 Volkswagen Beetle

The big news in 1970 for the Volkswagen Beetle was a larger engine, which grew to 1585cc. Horsepower also rose, from 53 to 57 BHP. The engine lid received air-intake slots that had previously been seen on the convertible version. A four-speed manual gearbox was standard and hydraulic drum brakes could be found at all four corners. The turn signals in the front grew larger and were combined with the side marker lights. In the back, reflectors were placed on the bumper and tail lamp housings.

Inside, the head restraints became smaller and the glove box received a lock. The remote-control knobs for the warm air outlets were removed. Another new feature was a buzzer, which went off when the door was opened if the key was in the ignition.

Though the engine had grown, the Beetle was still known as a '1500.'

By Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019