Volkswagen Beetle From 1972 - The Super Beetle by Jan Keteleer

About "Volkswagen Beetle From 1972 - The Super Beetle"

by Jan Keteleer

About the artwork

The 1973 Super Beetle was a radical redesign of the first-generation Beetle. It had a padded dashboard instead of the flat dashboard used since 1958. The new dash was angled to accommodate future air bags and to improve ventilation inside the car. It also featured an air vent channel near the front windshield to deliver fresh, heated air. The single gauge was housed in a plastic binnacle in front of the driver. Other controls were shifted downward to the steering wheel, and the fuel tank was relocated rearward to provide more trunk space.

The first Super Beetle was produced in Mexico, where the company sold the cars for a premium price. It was a unique and popular model, and the company produced a total of 35 of them. After 1971, Volkswagen ceased making the standard Beetle convertible but continued to sell the Super Beetle until the early 1980s. The Mexican-made car was marketed with a 14-page color sales brochure, which was later replaced by a seven-color brochure.

In 1973, the Super Beetle had a new design. The taillamps were now "elephant foot" shaped. The rear fenders were reshaped, and the wiper switch was moved to the steering wheel's right side. The engine lid also featured increased ventilation. The windshield was higher than the previous year, and the car was also fitted with a larger windscreen. Several other changes made to the vehicle include a higher speedometer pod and side-window defrosters.