 Standard Beetle
| The windshield wipers simply stop when they are switched off. |
No, it was not the 'Standard' model that was launched in 1949, but the export model. This process characterizes a particularly common measure taken by governments after wars with heavy losses, namely to encourage the
domestic economy to increase exports.
What is missing in such a situation is foreign currency, without which a state has to make do with what is produced domestically. And so the largest automobile manufacturer had to follow this verdict too. The VW Beetle as
an export model may not have been created entirely voluntarily.
VW tried hard and what was the result? Chrome as far as the eye could see, trim, hubcaps, door handles and headlights. In addition, new synthetic resin paint from 1949, which produced a high gloss. The brake system
changed under the sheet metal, which then worked hydraulically at the VW Export from 1950.
Apparently no difference to the standard, but upon closer inspection it is. There were still four drum brakes and their operation worked basically the same whether hydraulic or mechanical, but the latter had to be adjusted
much more often for even pulling. However, due to the system, the handbrake on the VW standard still applied to all wheels.
JInside, the VW Standard was recognized for a long time by its black steering wheel with three spokes, brightly painted and decades with only two spokes in case of the Export. With it you didn't have to stop and get out to
adjust the seats. The poorer sound insulation, e.g. due to bare sheet metal in the Standard version, was probably retained forever.
The extensive improvements to the Beetle from 1953 onwards were by no means all beneficial to the VW Standard, except if the different handling would have required more effort. So it had the benefit of a glare grille in the
fender because the horn was moved there. However, it was denied the glare grille on the other side (picture above).
After all, in 1953 it received the more powerful 30 hp engine together with the Export model. However, it was escaped the blessings of a gearbox with locking synchronization. It had to wait until 1967 for the next step of
increasing output to 25 kW (34 hp), 7 years longer than the Export. When it finally received a hydraulically operated brake in 1960, it was only single-circuit.
| 12V system: Export from 1967, Standard from 1975, as Extra earlier possible. |
Everything was kept simpler, for example the covering of the roof and seats including the upholstery. Even the easier-to-clean cladding of the frame tunnel was saved at the Standard. However, a sunroof was available for an
additional charge. There are also said to have been retrofits to the Export version ex works, although the abolition of the reserve tap by a petrol gauge was probably not.
| Chrome bumpers, hubcaps and trim from 1967 |
From 1964 there was the 1200 A, followed by the 1300 A for a year in between. Apart from the lack of chrome in the window frames and on the door handles and the horns on the bumper, the 'Savings Beetle' was initially not
noticeable. However, the normal version had box bumpers instead of the old now box bumpers, while the 1200 A only received the vertical headlights.
The cheapest model was around 1,000 DM more favorable, and now also had a fuel gauge that was integrated into the speedometer. Even though at first glance it looked roughly the same inside, e.g. the steering wheel and
door handle gave it away again. It would continue to exist until the end of the Beetle, optionally even with a slightly more powerful engine.
| Box bumpers on standard Beetle 1973-1978 |
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