| The Volkswagen Beetle, or the Type 1 as it was | | | | are possible. |
| officially known until 1967, is an economy class car. It | | | | While the engine platform is over 40 years old, the |
| was originally designed by Ferdinand Porsche for Adolf | | | | Beetle's engine is flexible enough to handle the mixing |
| Hitler's commission for what the latter called the | | | | and matching of more souped up or tweaked parts, |
| People's Car," (Volk-Wagen in German). The idea was | | | | going beyond the original limitations of the stock Beetle, |
| to have a car available at an affordable price for | | | | making the car no stranger to motorsport events and |
| every German household. The official production | | | | street racing competitions. A particular Beetle sub-style |
| started in 1938 and ended in 2003. | | | | known as the Baja Bug is also found in off-road |
| The original design was equipped with an air-cooled | | | | competitions. |
| 4-cylinder horizontally opposed cylinder or "flat four" | | | | Other customizers opt to stick to the vintage Beetle |
| located at the rear as opposed to the front like most | | | | look. Since the Volkswagen produced different |
| vehicles. Another trademark is the design of the body, | | | | incarnations of the Beetle, parts vary from year to |
| which probably gave the vehicle its namesake. | | | | year. The market for classic stock VW Beetle Parts |
| Throughout the years, some upgrades to the model | | | | ranges back to the very first model produced in the |
| have been produced, but the architecture remains | | | | 1960's, allowing collectors to restore and maintain their |
| mostly in line with the original Type 1 signature design. | | | | vintage Beetles on good running condition. |
| Due to the inherent versatility of its engine platform and | | | | In 1998, Volkswagen released the New Beetle, a retro |
| customization opportunities, the Beetle is one of the | | | | themed car based on the company's Golf platform, but |
| longest and most produced design among automobiles. | | | | borrowing the design of the its big brother so to speak. |
| As far as modification goes, | | | | Unlike the original, the New Beetle had a front-mounted |
| VW Beetle Parts, be it OEM or after market parts, are | | | | engine as opposed to the Beetle's traditional |
| heavily sought after by many Beetle enthusiasts. | | | | rear-mounted one. It remains to be seen if the New |
| Certain set styles were already popular amongst the | | | | Beetle will have the same characteristics as the |
| car's cult following, such as the Cal Looker, Resto Cal, | | | | original. |
| and Rat Rod, but other combinations and variations | | | | |