Volkswagen Bug

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#153, Author Russell Hayes’ new book on VW beetle, bus

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 34:25 — 31.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreRussell Hayes, like all automotive industry book authors, is passionate about his subject matter. Hayes’ interests cover several iconic carmakers, including his latest effort celebrating the 75th and 70th anniversaries of the Beetle and Bus. Hayes is the author of numerous automotive books ranging in topics from auto shows to Lotus to several offerings on Volkswagen. His latest book is the just-released “Volkswagen Beetles and Buses: Smaller and Smarter.” In a wide-ranging interview, Hayes is our guest on Episode #153 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia talk with the author about VW’s two most iconic vehicles, the first Beetles

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So long, farewell to the Volkswagen Beetle

Say goodbye to the most iconic car ever made, the Volkswagen Beetle. A representative from the German automaker told a reporter from the publication Autocar during the Geneva Motor Show that it plans to stop production of the vehicle at the end of its current generation. Frank Welsch, the carmaker’s research and development leader, said, “two or three generations is enough now.” The Volkswagen Beetle is the fourth best-selling vehicle in history, trailing the Toyota Corolla, Ford F series pickup trucks and Volkswagen Golf. But the Beetle’s sales have waned in recent years, with reports the carmaker’s engineers have lost enthusiasm for the vehicle. It was originally known as the “people car’s” when it was first commissioned in Germany by

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The Weekly Driver Podcast, Episode 7, 1959 Volkswagen Bug

Every family has a car story. Bruce Aldrich, the co-host of The Weekly Driver Podcast, inherited a 1959 Volkswagen Bug his father who bought it new. Bruce has more than a 50-year history with the car. He’s the guest in this week’s episode, discussing the legacy of the historic Bug and how it influenced his upbringing and his close relationship with his father and family. Officially, the Volkswagen Beetle and Bug are the Volkswagen Type I. It’s arguably the most recognizable vehicle on the road with its high, severely rounded roofline, protruding fenders, distinct lights and overall bulbousness. It’s now 72 years old. The VW’ has a weird legacy. It was commissioned by Adolph Hitler in the 1930s as “The

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NEW CAR REVIEW: 2014 Volkswagen Beetle shines

The Volkswagen Bug has endured many name and design changes since it debuted in the Unites States in 1949. With the 2014 Volkswagen Beetle R-Line, another chapter in the carmaker’s legacy as one of the top-10 best-selling cars in history has begun. The new limited edition is the most upscale and most powerful Beetle to date. The Beetle as a sports car isn’t quite accurate. But for 2014, the upscale trim features a larger turbo-charged engine, new front fascia, a metal dash plate and a host of R-Line, sporty badging throughout the car. The styling is not only more sporting, it’s more masculine than the 2013 Beetle Turbo. The squared-off steering wheel is leather wrapped and there are easy-to use

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Volkswagen: Bugs, Beetles, Bliss

Like several friends, my first car was a Volkswagen. It was a family friend’s car and the 1962 VW Bug was pristine. I bought it for $500 in 1972 when I was age 17. The memories of learning about its simple engine and driving it everywhere are still vivid 40 years later. All these years later, I just drove a 2014 Volkswagen Beetle R-Line for a week. It’s still unmistakably a Volkswagen, but it’s also a completely different car. The new VW Beetle has five times the horsepower of my Bug from yesteryear. And the driving difference, from what I can remember from 40 years ago, is remarkable. Vintage and new Bugs and Beetles still share a wondrous trait: Both

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Volkswagen Bug, 1965: A video review

Bill is the weekend butcher at Compton’s Market in East Sacramento. And just lik any passionate Volkswagen owner, he loves his 1965 VW Bug. He’s owned the car for 18 years and drives it to work 16-miles each way. Bill’s VW Bug has a long and varied history. The car’s been stolen and returned and it’s had a tree branch crush the hood. Bill parks the car in the front corner of the market, and it gets plenty of attention. Yet, the now 48-year-old Bug looks fine, so much so it’s won Best-in-Class three straight years at the Bug-o-Rama. While driving, Bill says he’s had people wave, take pictures and videos, and afford him extraordinary driving courtesy. And Bill has

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