Reminds me of the ” DUDU”aka Superbug series in Europe.It was based on a somewhat intelligent yellow Volkswagen Beetle similar to Disney’s Herbie(which was white).But unlike ” The Love Bug” which used magic, it used modern technology to display signs of intelligence.
I should take a picture of the bright orange convertible just down the street that I pass by every morning under a car port. The one always make me look and smile going on almost a year now.
I bought my oldest Daughter a yellow Bug like this as her first car. I never liked Beetles but she did. Learned to drive a stick and still does. I’m still not a fan.
Maybe I’m thinking or remembering too much with rose colored glasses, but they were nice to drive. No, not fast, but the gear ratios weren’t bad and you felt like you were making progress. Presentable interior, vinyl door panels unlike some cardboard ones on some cars. Handled ok for the era, good MPG for the era and decent reliability. I’d love to test drive one today in decent shape.
There are certain intangibles about cars that make people like them. Volvo 140/240 series. They were slow, nothing special about MPG, didn’t handle great, but people loved those things. First gen Ford Taurus. Maybe not quite like the Volvo, but again, people really liked those cars. Far more than the 2nd gen Taurus which nobody liked. I don’t have nearly enough seat time in either of the above to say why, but those and the feature of the story have something in common. Not the styling on any of them, but again, if people like driving it, you might be on to something. Conversely, no matter what the specs, if people get out and say let me out of this POS, (I’m at least partly talking about you GM) you’ve got a problem if you’re an automaker, no matter how good it is on paper.
I’m not sure it wasn’t by accident in earlier eras, but today I don’t think they have a clue about any of that, if it meets specs on paper and even in the field, it’s a go for the manufacturer, no matter how much people hate driving them.
I remember them in the 1950’s when I lived in rural New England and they always were out in the snow, mediocre heaters and all .
Stuff it full of two adults and the back seat full of kids and it wasn’t cold at all .
Speeds were far less then and any Beetle would easily top 70MPH if maybe only 35 going up a steep hill on the open highway .
Unlike every other brand, VW never lied about it’s fuel economy ~ they easily got 35 MPH with a teenager behind the wheel and the adverts only claimed 25 MPG .
For a while there the dollar Vs. the Deutschmark was *very* good so you got a significantly better built car for less money plus the parts were dirt cheap .
Of course, Americans tend to be very rough on their cars and I remember three year old Beetles that were freezing inside and drafty to boot .
Others had ten year old (ancient at that time) Beetles that were fine, didn’t leak rain in and weren’t noisy inside .
The big thing was it’s counter culture aspect .
You can’t expect an American who grew up riding in Buick’s, Hudsons, Packards and the like, to accept riding in a cramped tin can acceptable no matter how well it worked .
Those who’d suffered Crosley’s etc. were thrilled .
I clearly remember my Hot Rodder buddies always screaming ” ! SLOW DOWN DAMMIT !” in my 36 horsepower Beetles .
Beep! BeeeeEEEEeeeeeppp! 🙂
Most excellent, the yellow counterpart to my blue ’63. How can you not smile at that?
She’s a beauty!
The sun WILL shine Tomorrow! Tomorrow! Tomorrow!!! 🙂
Sweeeeet!
And like the Russian Olives in the background, in the 60s the Beetle was an invasive species.
More like “Littler Miss Sunshine”.
Just like my ’63, except for the paint job, which I approve of.
Or maybe Old Yeller? 🙂
This looks like a 1962 #113 Beetle I had in the early 1980’s .
Yellow is a cheerful color .
Every so often someone mixes a repaint’s yellow and it attracts _BEES_ ~ .
Gah .
Guess who always get to drive those cars away and get rid of the damned bees ? .
-Nate
Reminds me of the ” DUDU”aka Superbug series in Europe.It was based on a somewhat intelligent yellow Volkswagen Beetle similar to Disney’s Herbie(which was white).But unlike ” The Love Bug” which used magic, it used modern technology to display signs of intelligence.
I should take a picture of the bright orange convertible just down the street that I pass by every morning under a car port. The one always make me look and smile going on almost a year now.
Too much chrome to be a retiree of the Deutsche Post.
I bought my oldest Daughter a yellow Bug like this as her first car. I never liked Beetles but she did. Learned to drive a stick and still does. I’m still not a fan.
As close as I can come is after 57 and before 64.
Maybe I’m thinking or remembering too much with rose colored glasses, but they were nice to drive. No, not fast, but the gear ratios weren’t bad and you felt like you were making progress. Presentable interior, vinyl door panels unlike some cardboard ones on some cars. Handled ok for the era, good MPG for the era and decent reliability. I’d love to test drive one today in decent shape.
There are certain intangibles about cars that make people like them. Volvo 140/240 series. They were slow, nothing special about MPG, didn’t handle great, but people loved those things. First gen Ford Taurus. Maybe not quite like the Volvo, but again, people really liked those cars. Far more than the 2nd gen Taurus which nobody liked. I don’t have nearly enough seat time in either of the above to say why, but those and the feature of the story have something in common. Not the styling on any of them, but again, if people like driving it, you might be on to something. Conversely, no matter what the specs, if people get out and say let me out of this POS, (I’m at least partly talking about you GM) you’ve got a problem if you’re an automaker, no matter how good it is on paper.
I’m not sure it wasn’t by accident in earlier eras, but today I don’t think they have a clue about any of that, if it meets specs on paper and even in the field, it’s a go for the manufacturer, no matter how much people hate driving them.
Well said Mike ;
I remember them in the 1950’s when I lived in rural New England and they always were out in the snow, mediocre heaters and all .
Stuff it full of two adults and the back seat full of kids and it wasn’t cold at all .
Speeds were far less then and any Beetle would easily top 70MPH if maybe only 35 going up a steep hill on the open highway .
Unlike every other brand, VW never lied about it’s fuel economy ~ they easily got 35 MPH with a teenager behind the wheel and the adverts only claimed 25 MPG .
For a while there the dollar Vs. the Deutschmark was *very* good so you got a significantly better built car for less money plus the parts were dirt cheap .
Of course, Americans tend to be very rough on their cars and I remember three year old Beetles that were freezing inside and drafty to boot .
Others had ten year old (ancient at that time) Beetles that were fine, didn’t leak rain in and weren’t noisy inside .
The big thing was it’s counter culture aspect .
You can’t expect an American who grew up riding in Buick’s, Hudsons, Packards and the like, to accept riding in a cramped tin can acceptable no matter how well it worked .
Those who’d suffered Crosley’s etc. were thrilled .
I clearly remember my Hot Rodder buddies always screaming ” ! SLOW DOWN DAMMIT !” in my 36 horsepower Beetles .
-Nate