The Beetle That Spawned Many Children
Did you know the Beetle, in its original form, served as the prototype for many future generations of VWs? The German military was most notorious for doing this. Using the Beetle as a model, they created their ultimate off-road vehicle. The adaptation created during World War II, was known as Kubelwagen (Type 82). It was similar to the Willys Jeep, but it was rear-engined, 4x2, rear-wheel drive, and significantly lighter.First Bucket Seat Car
The Kubelwagen (which means "bucket seat car") was designed by Dr. Porsche and his son, Ferry, as a "buggy" -- purely for fun and leisure. However, in December 1939, after the invasion of Poland, the "fun car" became a military vehicle. After a year of testing under some of the most extreme conditions, Type 82 outperformed heavier 4x4's, and by late 1940, 1000 units drove off the assembly line headed for war. The Kubelwagen saw five years of production as a military vehicle. Approximately 60,000 were built for the military.Today, the Kubelwagen represents the exceptional robustness of the VW, both in wartime and beyond. In all, approximately 35 million Kubelwagens were manufactured as civilian vehicles. The Kubelwagen paved the way for future adaptations of the original Beetle, including the 4x4 models: Schwimmwagen, the Iltis, and the most popular among today's enthusiasts: The Thing.
- The Swimming Car
The Schwimmwagen ("swimming car"), a 4wheel drive vehicle that is capable of driving both on land and in water, was built for amphibious assault. Its top speed on land was 50mph, and in water was 6mph. Only 30 were initially produced from 1939-1940 as Type 128, before the Schwimmwagen was further developed into a smaller, faster machine. Those built from 1942-1944 were known as Type 166. Total production was just over 14,000, and less than 150 are known to exist today. - A Car Of Many Armies
The VW Iltis, also known as Type 183, grew out of a 1960's project for "a European Jeep with amphibious capabilities". When this fell through, the German army built a non-amphibious 4x4 adaptation known as the Iltis. The German army used the Iltis throughout the 70s and 80s, and the Canadian army has been utilizing it since the early 80s. The Iltis was built from 1978 to 1982, with approximately 9,500 total vehicles in production for the civilian market. - Oooh Oooh That Thing!
Originally produced as an inexpensive light reconnaissance vehicle for the German army (from late 1969 to early 1980), the VW Type 181 was introduced in the U.S. in late 1973 as The Thing. It was a utilitarian vehicle designed for both work and play. It was imported to the U.S. market for only two years (1973-1974), however, Type 181's continued to be built and sold in Mexico and Brazil for several years thereafter. While the total number of Type 181's produced was approximately 70,000, barely 30,000 were sold in the U.S.
The 4x4 Beetle
In the early 40's, VW also made (in very limited quantities) the Komanderwagen, which was basically a 4x4 Beetle. Total production barely reached 700, including two built out of spare parts at the end of the war. The only remaining Kommandeurwagen is in the Wolfsburg museum.The VW Beetle has come full circle, today we have the VW Touareg -- Volkswagen's first official four wheel drive SUV for the mainstream public. Touareg is another example of how the original VW Beetle has been mutated to "fit" into a different environment. Today's drivers are looking for rugged go-anywhere vehicles that are filled with creature comforts and are fun to drive. Touareg fits the bill. As VW describes it, "Touareg is a luxury sedan with a mountain-goat attitude."
