Cars

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the Type 1, is one of the most iconic cars of the 20th century. Designed in the 1930s by Ferdinand Porsche as a “people’s car,” it features a simple and ingenious design: an air-cooled, flat-four rear engine, rear-wheel drive, and a robust construction that makes it easy to maintain. After World War II, production resumed in Wolfsburg, and the Beetle quickly became a global phenomenon. Its mechanical simplicity, reliability, and low running costs accounted for its exceptional success, with more than 21 million units produced in total.

In the early 1970s, the so-called “Super Beetle” generation debuted, starting with the 1302 and followed by the 1303. Introduced in 1972, the 1303 was distinguished by a deeply curved windshield, a modernized dashboard, and enlarged taillights. Most notably, it featured a MacPherson strut front suspension, replacing the torsion bar front suspension of the classic Beetles. This change significantly improved handling, steering precision, and comfort, while retaining the traditional rear-engine layout. Although European production ceased in the mid-1970s, the Beetle continued to be produced in other countries, notably Mexico, where it continued to undergo technical upgrades.

The car shown here is a 1982 Beetle 1303. It was originally equipped with a 1,400 cm³ fuel-injected engine, typical of the later Beetle models produced outside of Europe. It is now equipped with a 1,600 cm³ engine, the best-known of Volkswagen’s boxer engines. This air-cooled flat-four engine produces approximately 50 ch at 4,000 tr/min, with a torque of about 106 Nm; it is carbureted and paired with a four-speed manual transmission. This engine is renowned for its durability, ease of maintenance, and wide availability of parts, making it one of the most popular powertrains among Beetle enthusiasts.

This car underwent a complete restoration in 2000, during which the entire mechanical system, bodywork, and interior were refurbished. More than twenty years after this restoration, it now shows signs of wear and tear—which is normal for a car that has been in use since its restoration—but the car remains sound and in good condition overall. It is equipped with electronic ignition and a new carburetor. The transmission was recently overhauled (shift forks, gears, bearings).

It is the result of extensive restoration work in which everything was redone, and today it is a charming Beetle available at an attractive price.