1949 Volkswagen Beetle

The first VW Beetle arrived in New York in January of 1949. The selling price was $800 and two were sold that year in the U.S. The initial shipments being orchestrated by Dutch importer Ben Pon. Volkswagen offered both Standard and DeLuxe versions for the model year. Spartan accommodations greeted buyers of the 1949 Volkswagen Beetle Standard sedan. Dashboards were done in a monotone scheme, with black Bakelite being used for knobs and the speedometer surround. Some relief was provided by contrasting seat and door-panel materials, but the Standard Volkswagen Beetle left no doubt about its utilitarian mission. Foot pedals sprouted from the floor rather than hanging down from beneath the dash as they did in most cars. To the right of the speedometer was a panel that could be removed if the optional radio was ordered. New was a Solex carburetor, double-action shock absorbers, and the Volkswagen logo imprinted on the hubcaps.

1949 Volkswagen Beetle

The 1949 DeLuxe Volkswagen (export) sedan had better trim, equipment, and sound-deadening. Convertibles were also added in 1949 (mostly Karmann-built four-seaters, but also 750 two-seaters by the Karosserie Hebmuller). Nordhoff had a simple plan for a simple car, and he made sure that both worked to perfection. That they did. People fell in love with the Volkswagen Beetle and orders poured in, prompting vast expansion in facilities and workers.

The first convertible Beetle. Production began to soar.