One Last Look At Volkswagen's Beetle Before It Drives Off Into The Sunset

The Beetle’s dome shape dates back to the Nazi era, but it became iconic in the 1960s.

The car has fallen out of favor in recent years. Meanwhile, VW is emphasizing SUVs and an upcoming line of electric cars under the brand name I.D.

The company’s U.S. CEO, Hinrich J. Woebcken, admits the end of the road for the Beetle is bittersweet.

Woebcken said in a statement: “The loss of the Beetle after three generations, over nearly seven decades, will evoke a host of emotions from the Beetle’s many devoted fans.” 

Woebcken didn’t shut the door on the Beetle making another comeback and noted that the all-electric I.D. Buzz, set to be released in 2022, is a modern interpretation of the company’s legendary van.

The car was first imagined in 1933. Adolf Hitler commissioned famed automotive engineer Ferdinand Porsche to design a “people’s car” ― or “volks wagen" ― that could hold two adults, two kids and their luggage and reach a top speed of 62 mph, according to VWHeritage.com.

The Beetle was introduced to the U.S. in 1949, but didn’t really become mainstream until the early 1960s.

An innovative series of ads for the Beetle turned aspects of the vehicle that consumers perceived to be weaknesses ― like its small, weird shape ― into strengths (ease of repair, economical gas mileage), according to Medium.com contributor Mark Hamilton.

The Beetle became a hot car with hippies in the late 1960s and 70s, but sales declined in the U.S. by 1979, according to CBS News.

The last of the original bugs was produced in Puebla, Mexico, in 2003.

A revamped version in 2012 attempted to appeal to men with a flatter roof and less bulbous shape.

Still, a vintage bug from the 1950s can sell for as much $65,000 while models with a split window on the back can go for $75,000, according to CBS Sunday Morning.