1937 Volkswagen Beetle Prototype W30

On 28 May 1937 the “Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH” or “Gezuvor” for short (the “Company for Preparation of Deutsche Volkswagen Ltd”) was established, it was a new plant where the Volkswagens would be produced.

1937 Volkswagen Beetle Prototype W30

Between 1935 and 1937 a total of 50 prototypes were built. A further series of 30 prototypes (VW30) was built in 1937 by the then Daimler-Benz AG. A number of engines were also tested before the decision was taken to go ahead with the flat four air cooled engine. This engine was designed by Franz Reimspeiss and was more or less to be unchanged until this day.

The prototypes were submitted to a rough test program in order to expose weaknesses. For example they had to withstand days of full throttle runs on the newly built German autobahns. Due to the extensive tests SS soldiers had to be recruited as test drivers, they tested the car in a large-scale trial covering a total of 2.4 million test kilometers.