Few cars have achieved the iconic status of Volkswagen's classic and much-loved Beetle - yet its origins are intertwined with the dark days of Nazism. This book looks at those origins, at the marque's initial post-war rescue by the British and the effect of early VW Director General Heinz Nordhoff's forward-looking desire to perfect one model rather than spread the company's talent over a range of designs, at the impact of radical-minded advertising campaigns and at the Beetle's never-to-be-beaten production record for a single model of nearly 22 million cars. Bringing the reader right up to the present day, marque expert Richard A. Copping recounts the Beetle's story in a lively and authoritative manner guaranteed to delight devotee and casual browser alike.

Introduction / A Car for the Masses: 1933-45 / A British Volkswagen: 1945-8 / The 'King of Wolfsburg': 1948-68 / Poor Management and New Beetles: 1968-78 / The Lasting Legacy: 1978-2003 and Beyond / Further Reading / Places to Visit / Index