When Volkswagen do Brasil produced the first national Beetle, in 1959, the charismatic model created by Professor Ferdinand Porsche was still called Volkswagen Sedan. The German brand put a car with unique design features on Brazilian streets that would become one of the most iconic models not only in the global industry, but also locally.
On National Beetle Day, VW celebrates the history of its most traditional model, welcomes members of Fusca Clube do Brasil and Fusca Club ABC, and presents in detail three precious units that make up its collection of classics. It is in the newly opened Garagem VW – parte II, that models from the years 1986, 1993 and 1996 rest, always under the watchful eye of the brand’s engineering team. “The opportunity to manage a collection of classic vehicles brings a mix of challenges, as it preserves this history for years to come, and also a lot of nostalgia, for being able to experience each product, thinking about how that unit left its mark on the industry in the country”, says André Drigo, Executive Product Development Manager.
The Beetle is synonymous with curiosities and good stories. Among some peculiarities, the model that left the Anchieta production line in 1959 was already different from the CKD, mounted on the Ipiranga since 1953. One of the novelties for the manufactured was the introduction of a stabilizer bar for the front axle. At the time, the Beetle had a nationalization rate of 54%. In its first year of production, the Beetle sold 8,406 units and, from 1962, it was already the great market leader, with a total of 31,014 units. And that was just the beginning of a prosperous history of the model in Brazil. The Beetle was the market leader for 23 years!
Discover the VW Garage Beetles:
Beetle 1986, the last one before the hiatus
The unit, which came straight off the production line, is among the last manufactured in the “first phase” of the model, which ran from 1959 to 1986. This friendly red Beetle is equipped with a 1,600 cm³ engine running on alcohol.
Beetle 1993, the Beetle Itamar
Discontinued since the end of 1986, the Beetle would be manufactured again in 1993. The rebirth, unprecedented in the world, came from a request from the then President of the Republic, Itamar Franco, who saw in the resumption of production a way to generate jobs and economic stimulus. A tax exemption program was specially tailored to the air-cooled motorization of the Beetle and Kombi.
The example that is part of the collection has chassis number 9BWZZZ11ZPP00001, it is the first example produced in the second phase of manufacture and the same vehicle presented to Itamar Franco in the celebration of the return of production. Its historical value is invaluable.
Hair in the wind in the Beetle 1996
In 1996, three years after its production was resumed at the request of the then President of the Republic Itamar Franco, the Beetle would again leave the Anchieta Plant production line. For the definitive retirement, Volkswagen created the Gold Series: 1,368 copies differentiated from the other Beetles “Itamar” by auxiliary headlights, darkened taillights, logo on the sides and the platelet “Beetle” on the engine cover, in gold. Inside, seats with Pointer GTI upholstery, Gol steering wheel, panel with white background and green glass.
After production of the Ouro Series ended, another three examples were converted into convertibles by Sulam (a traditional vehicle transformer founded in 1973). The last of these, chassis number 9BWZZZ113TP006623, belongs to the historical collection of Volkswagen do Brasil. Painted in white, with a black hood, the Beetle convertible from the collection brings the 1600 cm³ gasoline engine with an injected engine for the Mexican market.
Beetle, a story that never ends
The car that started Volkswagen operations in Brazil, in 1953, assembled in a shed in the Ipiranga neighborhood. Its engine had 1,200 cm³. From 1959 it began to be manufactured in the country, already in the Anchieta unit, until 1986.
Throughout this period, the Volkswagen Sedan was always equipped with different versions of the air-cooled four-cylinder engine — the gearbox was always a four-speed manual and the rear-wheel drive. First, the engine went from 1,200 cm³ to 1,300 cm³, starting in 1967, with 45 gross hp.
Then won the 1,500 cm³ version, introduced in 1970, with 52 gross hp. The power was associated with the 62 mm larger rear gauge, which changed the size of the model and earned it the nickname “Fuscão”.
The 1,600 cm³ version would come in 1974, with dual carburetion, which yielded 65 gross hp. This change was also accompanied by an increase in the front gauge, in addition to a larger windshield, internal ventilation system and hazard warning lights.
Over the years improvements have been introduced such as the split steering column, dual independent brake circuit and windshield wiper control on the steering column (1977), textured polypropylene steering wheel and the large and rounded taillights nicknamed ” Fafá”(1979), internal heating and electronic ignition (1983), among others. The model also had several restylings and special series, such as Silver, from 1979.
From the original Volkswagen Sedan, the name was officially replaced by Beetle in 1983. In 1984, the model gained disc brakes on the front and started to be produced only in the 1600 version — the following year it would receive a 1600 version powered by ethanol. Its production resumed in 1993 and lasted until 1996. Drigo completes:
“It is a privilege to be able to show three extremely rare and fully preserved units during the celebrations of the National Beetle Day. There were 30 years of car production in the country and more than 3.1 million manufactured here. The Volkswagen Beetle is not only a darling of ours, but of the whole world.”
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