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The longest running and most-produced automobile of a single design on the planet was, and remains to this day, the original Volkswagen Beetle.

A record even Henry Ford and his Model T would be jealous of. The Volkswagen Beetle, co-developed by Ferdinand Porsche and Zündapp back in 1931, has become a timeless classic and an industry icon.

In the simplest and most basic terms, the original Beetle was an economy car, but throughout the late 1950s and the 1960s it was one of the best little econo-boxes you could buy. In its heyday, it had superior performance figures (for its segment), an engine that turned over immediately (without a choke) and tolerable handling characteristics. Best of all for the Baby Boomer generation, it offered an alternative to keeping up with the Joneses, but it did it with a sense of style and flair. The Volkswagen Beetle offered owners economy, simplicity, reliability and distinctiveness in a package that followed a slow but methodical evolution over decades of production. There may not have been a lot of car to look at, but there was definitely a lot to love.

1963 VW Ad

1964 VW Ad
There may be a few people who still consider the Volkswagen Beetle part of the counterculture. To some, it is a part of our pop culture reserved for surf bums and hippies or those seeking a bit of nostalgia. But to others, the Vokswagen Beetle was the “the people’s car” or “poor man’s Porsche.” It may have been anti-establishment here in the States, but at the same time it was humble, faithful and fun. To a those growing up during the 1960s, it made a whole lot of sense and helped to define a generation.

Growing Up
I grew up being shuttled around in a pearl white 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. It’s true, my father was fastidious about his 911, but I would look forward to the weekends when we would kick off our shoes, load our sandy, salty, waxed surfboards onto the roof of the Bug and head down to Doheny State Beach to surf. My father’s first new vehicle was the 1967 VW Beetle; he loved it and still owns it to this day.
Owning a Bug is like owning no other car in the world. It doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg to buy or to own, and yet, if you own one, you feel as though you belong to one the largest car clubs in the world. You automatically have friends! People who own one or had previously owned one belong and get the joke everyone else seems to miss. Owning a Beetle automatically makes you an approachable person: You’re not pretentious, you don’t have an agenda, and you make the most of what you have.

Stop Trying to Keep Up with The Joneses!
Over the years, I have truly enjoyed Volkswagen advertising. From the 1960’s to present day, they all have a tendency to show how purchasing a VW is a sound decision. They tend to push frugality, authenticity and fun.
One television ad I remember from the 1960s showed how one neighbor purchased a beautiful, brand-new four-door sedan, while the other neighbor purchased a brand-new Beetle… and a new range, dishwasher and refrigerator, all for the same amount of money. The premise was simple: In the good ol’ USA, our social status is defined more by our material wealth than our family name. Even though the Volkswagen Beetle has stood for many things, it has never stood for conspicuous consumption, and I think many people admire that.

Volkswagen Partnership with Barneys New York
With Volkswagen of America announcing its partnership with Barney’s New York for the retailer’s “Peace and Love: Have a Hippie Holiday” campaign, it made sense that the iconic VW Beetle would play its part. The Barney’s campaign revolves around the explosive creativity and iconic designs of the 1960s. A centerpiece of the campaign will be a one-of-a-kind New Beetle painted by New York artist John-Paul Philippe. According to Tim Ellis, vice president of marketing at Volkswagen of America, “The story of the New Beetle and the role it continues to play as a beacon of pop culture shows that smart, functional design can transcend time.”
Barney’s, in partnership with Volkswagen of America, will cap off the holiday season by giving away the featured vehicle. Raffle tickets will be available to holiday shoppers in stores and online for a suggested donation of $100; proceeds will benefit the Carbon Fund. Volkswagen and the Carbon Fund created the Carbon Neutral Project in September 2007, and so far, 278,496 trees have been planted in the Volkswagen Forest in the Lower Missisippi Alluvial Valley.
The partnership with Barney’s caps off a year of celebration for the New Beetle’s 10-year anniversary.
*Real aficionados, Volkswagen Beetle collectors prefer 1967 and earlier cars but for the majority the price of admission is simply owning one of these cult classics. To this day, the original Beetle still brings a smile.