1957 Volkswagen Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle had a number of influencers and contributors including engineer Josef Ganz, who is often credited with the origination of the concept. At the time, he was already a contributor to the development of the cars of Daimler Benz and BMW, and his 1934 Standard Superior had a similar shape and appearance to the 'Bug.' Ganz was not favored in Germany and the project was assigned to Ferdinand Porsche, who subsequently furthered the design. Many of the design cues were from Tatra, an acknowledgment they received after the conclusion of a successful suit at the end of the war.

The purpose of this new car was to be simple, affordable, and capable of being mass-produced to allow people the opportunity to explore the country's rapidly developing transportation infrastructure. Originally called the Kraft durch Freude-Wagen ('Strength Through Joy Car'), a total of 210 civilian versions of the car were produced prior to the onset of World War II in Europe in September 1939. Production of the KdF-Wagen was at first to be moved to Great Britain, however, British marques were not interested in producing the cars. In late 1945, British Army officer Ivan Hirst persuaded the British military to order 20,000 KdF-Wagens. The factory reverted to the name 'Volkswagen' or 'People's Car,' and the KdF-Wagen was renamed as the 'Type 1,' commonly known as the 'Beetle.' Heinz Nordhoff, a former manager at Opel, was later appointed CEO of Volkswagen

Consumer model developments ramped up in the late forties with a model being introduced to the United States in 1949.

Wilhelm Karmann acquired a Volkswagen Beetle sedan in 1948 and converted it into a four-seater convertible. A convertible version soon followed which used a transverse beam below the rear reinforced sills with welded U-channel rails, and double-walled side cowl panels to add additional strength to the chassis. Production began in 1949 by Karmann in Osnabruck.

The split window versions were produced until mid-1953, and the oval window from 1953 to 1957. The engine displacement grew from 1100cc to 1200cc in 1954, with power going from 30 to 36 hp.

Volkswagen produced over 365,000 examples of the Beetle worldwide between September 1956 and July 1957. Improvements during this time included a redesigned steering wheel that allowed for an unobstructed view of the instrument panel. The fuel tank was enlarged and the export models received dual chrome exhaust pipes.

The 1957 Volkswagen Beetle received tubeless tires for the first time. The horizontally opposed, overhead-valve four-cylinder air-cooled engine had a light-alloy block and finned cylinders. It displaced 72.7 cubic inches and produced 36 SAE horsepower. They had a four-speed manual transmission, worm and nut steering, and hydraulic drums at all four corners. Another new addition to the Beetle was the adjustable striker on each door. The front heater outlets were moved toward the rear which was done to improve heat distribution.

The Volkswagen Beetle was available as a 2-door sedan, a 2-door sedan with a sunroof, or a convertible sedan. Pricing ranged from $1500 - $2000.

by Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2012