1970 Volkswagen Beetle
50 Cars for 50 Years – Spotlight #3
Katja Zigerlig pinpointed her parents’ 1970 Volkswagen Beetle as one of her earliest childhood memories, which eventually made her purchase her own lime green Beetle. As Berkley One Classics celebrates the big 5-0, we’re hosting an exciting virtual car show for collectors and enthusiasts alike. We’ll share our love of classic cars by spotlighting 50 cars for 50 years that have been chosen and beloved by our employees. Each will showcase the evolution of design and engineering and provide a nostalgic journey through auto and pop culture history. Read on as Katja Zigerlig, Berkley One’s Vice President Art, Wine + Collectibles Advisory, tells us more about why she loves the Volkswagen Beetle.
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The Car:
In 1945 German automaker Volkswagen entered the consumer automobile market launching with its first vehicle, the Type 1. Ultimately branded in 1968 as the Volkswagen Beetle, this iconic car with its distinctive shape was designed as a small, family car. The 1970’s model featured a simple yet durable rear mounted 1.6-liter four-cylinder air-cooled engine with 50 horsepower. Standard features included swiveling sun visors, an automatic windshield washer, overhead interior lighting and folding rear seats. The Bettle had unique luggage space under the front hood as well as in a three-foot carpeted compartment behind the rear seats.
The Collector:
The VW Beetle also known as the “Bug” is an icon due to its distinctive shape, worldwide availability and unmatched longevity in the marketplace. The earlier Beetle models are a great car for do-it-yourselfers as the simple yet robust design is easy to fix and maintain. In 2019 Volkswagen stopped manufacturing the Beetle. After many generations and iterations, the Beetle is recognized as one of the most iconic cars of the 20th century. With a production run of 74 years and 20 million plus produced, the Volkswagen Beetle is beloved by drivers, travelers and collectors alike.
The Love:.
My earliest childhood car memory was my parents’ white Beetle. My first car purchase was a 2000 lime green, new Beetle with a flower bud vase in the interior.
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Contributed by Katja Zigerlig
Photo: Garage Kept Motors
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This car feature is part of our 50 Cars for 50 Years campaign in honor of Berkley One Classics celebrating 50 year of insuring collectors and their vehicles. See the other cars we love here:
Berkley One Classics is a Berkley Company who recognizes that classic cars are unique and require insurance that’s equally distinctive. Let us help you protect your beloved vehicle so you can enjoy it for years to come. Learn more here.
