No more VW Beetles... - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Cynthetiq · 07-30-2003, 08:20 PM

Amazing run for a car.... 21 Million cars manufactured over 70 years, in almost the identical design to it's first one. It really was a people's car. I still would love to own one and cal it out.
_______________

Today, the last Volkswagen Beetle, number 21,529,464, rolled off the assembly line at the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico.

July 30, 2003
Volkswagen Says Goodbye to Classic Beetle
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 2:06 p.m. ET

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line Wednesday, 70 years after Adolf Hitler's government introduced Germans to a two-door passenger car that became an icon around the globe.

Competition from newer compacts and a Mexican government decision to phase out two-door taxis led Volkswagen to shut down its only remaining ``bug'' production line at its plant in Puebla, 65 miles southeast of Mexico City.

Workers painstakingly crafted the final car: a baby blue version marked No. 21,529,464 that will go to a museum in Wolfsburg, Germany, home of VW headquarters. Adorned with a Mexican flag made of flowers, the car was serenaded by a mariachi band playing ``El Rey,'' or ``The King.''

``You didn't just participate in the construction of a car, but in the creation of a legend,'' Reinhard Jung, president of the executive committee of Volkswagen Mexico, told workers and executives.

The ceremony at the factory was closed to outsiders but transmitted around the world on a satellite television feed.

The 300 employees working on the bug assembly line will be reassigned to other departments at the factory, which also produces Jettas and the modern version of the Beetle.

Volkswagen produced 3,000 ``last edition'' bugs to be sold at Mexican dealerships for $8,000 -- a few hundred dollars more than the normal price. The design stays faithful to the original model with a few minor changes, including whitewall tires and a CD player.

The end of production sparked a fierce, international battle among collectors who have been flying to Mexico and shipping the cars all over the world.

An Australian, Gary Collis, said he couldn't resist making the long journey for a car he calls ``the heart and soul of Volkswagen.''

Collis bought his new bug -- the 21st of his collection -- in Guadalajara and is driving the car back to Los Angeles, where he will have it shipped to Australia.

``Since they first announced the final edition ... I thought to myself: 'This is really the end,''' he said, adding that the venture is costing him $20,000.

In Germany, last edition bugs are selling for $14,900 each, while car companies in Britain have them on sale for $16,000. Volkswagen of Brazil plans to import 50 last edition bugs and sell them for $13,000.

``This is the end of a very long story, and a lot of Beetle people here are going to be very sad,'' said Ivan McCutcheon, editor of VolksWorld, a monthly magazine for VW lovers in London.

VW stopped production of the bug in the United States in 1977 after the car's design and air-cooled engine no longer met U.S. safety and emission standards. That has made it virtually impossible for U.S. enthusiasts to get their hands on final models.

Jerry Jess, a collector from Phoenix, tried and failed to get permission to bring a new bug over the border.

``There is a lot of demand for those last bugs here in America, and I'm sure some of those cars are going to get here illegally anyway,'' Jess said.

The bug collected a variety of nicknames around the world -- ``el huevito'' (the little egg) in Cuba, ``coccinelle'' (ladybird) in France. It's known by the madeup name ``vocho'' in Mexico City, where bugs still crowd the streets.

But a recent city regulation banned new two-door taxis, contributing to plummeting sales.

Guadalupe Loaeza bade farewell in a column Tuesday in the newspaper Reforma, fondly recounting the numerous vochos she's owned over the years.

``The vocho produced in Mexico was, without a doubt, a Mexican's best friend,'' she wrote.

Link

merkerguitars · 07-30-2003, 08:35 PM

*Sniff no more mexibeetles, yeah that is one long as production run

JStrider · 07-30-2003, 11:50 PM

thats pretty cool.... i wonder what it woulda cost to get a brand new old beatle....

Cynthetiq · 07-31-2003, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JStrider
thats pretty cool.... i wonder what it woulda cost to get a brand new old beatle....

well you'd have to try to sleep with Ringo, Paul, or George, and I don't know what they would charge for a tryst.

If you bothered to read the article:

Volkswagen produced 3,000 ``last edition'' bugs to be sold at Mexican dealerships for $8,000 -- a few hundred dollars more than the normal price. The design stays faithful to the original model with a few minor changes, including whitewall tires and a CD player.

miked10270 · 07-31-2003, 08:34 AM

21 mil - what a run.

Then again, anyone want to bet against production starting up again, maybe in Brazil or Africa somewhere?

Mike.

32v4c · 07-31-2003, 01:23 PM

Went on a cruise this summer and stopped in Cozumel. It was awesome -- these tweaked out bugs EVERYWHERE! It was like an island of baby porsches.

FreshCoast · 07-31-2003, 07:29 PM

A sad day indeed *tear*

Booty Man · 08-01-2003, 09:58 AM

The new beetle was horrible..............I never considered the new one a "true" beetle coz of the front mounted engine. oh well.

chavos · 08-01-2003, 10:42 AM

wishing my dad hadn't sold his away...

A very classy car, with a lot of soul to it....i'll raise a glass and shed a tear.

debaser · 08-01-2003, 01:26 PM

Cheers to the greatest car ever.

/salutes

cetacean · 08-02-2003, 08:28 AM

I will miss them.

reconmike · 08-02-2003, 10:20 AM

Goodbye funny looking little Hitler car,

shed a tear? not here

I did shed one for the F-Body though.

acpower · 08-04-2003, 02:10 AM

rip beetles.. weird name but cool car

Katyblu · 08-04-2003, 08:02 AM

What a sad day.... my boyfriend is very upset... he had 2 old school beetles... now just one...

World's King · 08-05-2003, 10:58 AM

Oh well.

We still have the Mini Cooper.

Scorps · 08-05-2003, 11:06 AM

I should go buy one

tj2001cobra · 08-05-2003, 12:44 PM

apparently I dont get it. I think they are kind of goofy looking. I dont ever think I would own one. Maybe it is because I was born in the seventies and not the 50's or 60's. I dont think I could fit in one even if I had one. They look so tiny!

07-30-2003, 08:20 PM	#1 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	No more VW Beetles... Amazing run for a car.... 21 Million cars manufactured over 70 years, in almost the identical design to it's first one. It really was a people's car. I still would love to own one and cal it out. _______________ Today, the last Volkswagen Beetle, number 21,529,464, rolled off the assembly line at the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico. July 30, 2003 Volkswagen Says Goodbye to Classic Beetle By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Filed at 2:06 p.m. ET MEXICO CITY (AP) -- The last Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line Wednesday, 70 years after Adolf Hitler's government introduced Germans to a two-door passenger car that became an icon around the globe. Competition from newer compacts and a Mexican government decision to phase out two-door taxis led Volkswagen to shut down its only remaining ``bug'' production line at its plant in Puebla, 65 miles southeast of Mexico City. Workers painstakingly crafted the final car: a baby blue version marked No. 21,529,464 that will go to a museum in Wolfsburg, Germany, home of VW headquarters. Adorned with a Mexican flag made of flowers, the car was serenaded by a mariachi band playing ``El Rey,'' or ``The King.'' ``You didn't just participate in the construction of a car, but in the creation of a legend,'' Reinhard Jung, president of the executive committee of Volkswagen Mexico, told workers and executives. The ceremony at the factory was closed to outsiders but transmitted around the world on a satellite television feed. The 300 employees working on the bug assembly line will be reassigned to other departments at the factory, which also produces Jettas and the modern version of the Beetle. Volkswagen produced 3,000 ``last edition'' bugs to be sold at Mexican dealerships for $8,000 -- a few hundred dollars more than the normal price. The design stays faithful to the original model with a few minor changes, including whitewall tires and a CD player. The end of production sparked a fierce, international battle among collectors who have been flying to Mexico and shipping the cars all over the world. An Australian, Gary Collis, said he couldn't resist making the long journey for a car he calls ``the heart and soul of Volkswagen.'' Collis bought his new bug -- the 21st of his collection -- in Guadalajara and is driving the car back to Los Angeles, where he will have it shipped to Australia. ``Since they first announced the final edition ... I thought to myself: 'This is really the end,''' he said, adding that the venture is costing him $20,000. In Germany, last edition bugs are selling for $14,900 each, while car companies in Britain have them on sale for $16,000. Volkswagen of Brazil plans to import 50 last edition bugs and sell them for $13,000. ``This is the end of a very long story, and a lot of Beetle people here are going to be very sad,'' said Ivan McCutcheon, editor of VolksWorld, a monthly magazine for VW lovers in London. VW stopped production of the bug in the United States in 1977 after the car's design and air-cooled engine no longer met U.S. safety and emission standards. That has made it virtually impossible for U.S. enthusiasts to get their hands on final models. Jerry Jess, a collector from Phoenix, tried and failed to get permission to bring a new bug over the border. ``There is a lot of demand for those last bugs here in America, and I'm sure some of those cars are going to get here illegally anyway,'' Jess said. The bug collected a variety of nicknames around the world -- ``el huevito'' (the little egg) in Cuba, ``coccinelle'' (ladybird) in France. It's known by the madeup name ``vocho'' in Mexico City, where bugs still crowd the streets. But a recent city regulation banned new two-door taxis, contributing to plummeting sales. Guadalupe Loaeza bade farewell in a column Tuesday in the newspaper Reforma, fondly recounting the numerous vochos she's owned over the years. ``The vocho produced in Mexico was, without a doubt, a Mexican's best friend,'' she wrote. Link __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

07-30-2003, 08:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	*Sniff no more mexibeetles, yeah that is one long as production run __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

07-30-2003, 11:50 PM	#3 (permalink)
JStrider Poo-tee-weet? Location: The Woodlands, TX	thats pretty cool.... i wonder what it woulda cost to get a brand new old beatle.... __________________ -=JStrider=- ~Clatto Verata Nicto

08-01-2003, 01:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
debaser Sir, I have a plan... Location: 38S NC20943324	Cheers to the greatest car ever. /salutes __________________ Fortunato became immured to the sound of the trowel after a while.

08-02-2003, 10:20 AM	#12 (permalink)
reconmike Thank You Jesus Location: Twilight Zone	Goodbye funny looking little Hitler car, shed a tear? not here I did shed one for the F-Body though. __________________ Where is Darwin when ya need him?

07-31-2003, 08:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
miked10270 Banned Location: Scotland	21 mil - what a run. Then again, anyone want to bet against production starting up again, maybe in Brazil or Africa somewhere? Mike.

07-31-2003, 01:23 PM	#6 (permalink)
32v4c Upright	Went on a cruise this summer and stopped in Cozumel. It was awesome -- these tweaked out bugs EVERYWHERE! It was like an island of baby porsches.

07-31-2003, 07:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
FreshCoast Upright Location: Chicago	A sad day indeed tear

08-01-2003, 09:58 AM	#8 (permalink)
Booty Man Junkie	The new beetle was horrible..............I never considered the new one a "true" beetle coz of the front mounted engine. oh well.

08-01-2003, 10:42 AM	#9 (permalink)
chavos Banned Location: St. Paul, MN	wishing my dad hadn't sold his away... A very classy car, with a lot of soul to it....i'll raise a glass and shed a tear.

08-02-2003, 08:28 AM	#11 (permalink)
cetacean Insane Location: New York, NY	I will miss them.

08-04-2003, 02:10 AM	#13 (permalink)
acpower Crazy	rip beetles.. weird name but cool car

08-04-2003, 08:02 AM	#14 (permalink)
Katyblu Crazy Location: Here and there and everywhere	What a sad day.... my boyfriend is very upset... he had 2 old school beetles... now just one...

08-05-2003, 10:58 AM	#15 (permalink)
World's King Here Location: Denver City Denver	Oh well. We still have the Mini Cooper. __________________ heavy is the head that wears the crown

08-05-2003, 11:06 AM	#16 (permalink)
Scorps Lost!! Location: Kingston, Ontario	I should go buy one __________________ A.K.A. PainTrain

08-05-2003, 12:44 PM	#17 (permalink)
tj2001cobra Insane Location: Austin, Texas .. Y'all	apparently I dont get it. I think they are kind of goofy looking. I dont ever think I would own one. Maybe it is because I was born in the seventies and not the 50's or 60's. I dont think I could fit in one even if I had one. They look so tiny!