Volkswagen Beetle 1200 DeLuxe Oval Window

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Designed by Dr Ferdinand Porsche under the orders of Adolf Hitler, the VW Beetle was initially designed to provide cheap transport for the hard working German masses.

Officially known as the Volkswagen Type 1, the Beetle (as it came to be known) was one of the first mass produced rear-engined cars and was intended as an utterly reliable ‘volkswagen’ (‘people’s car’) capable of carrying two adults and three children at 100kmh (62mph) for under 1,000 Reichsmarks – about the price of a small motorcycle. Porsche subsequently developed the rear-engine concept further when he designed the Porsche 356 in 1948, this concept being optimised in the iconic Porsche 911 which first appeared in 1963.

Built in very small numbers before and during World War Two, the Beetle literally rose from the ashes of its bombed-out Wolfsburg factory under the guidance of the British Army, becoming a huge success in Europe, Britain, America and virtually every other country in the world. The model evolved through various face-lifts and running gear changes and provided a platform for other models including commercial and sporting derivatives (such as the Karmann-Ghia).

The basic Beetle rear-engine/rear wheel drive layout was used in all of the Beetle derivatives, the engine itself being an air-cooled, horizontally opposed unit. As production raced past the 15 million mark, the Beetle went on to be crowned as the best-selling car of all time. Production of German Beetles finished in the late 1970s but the car refused to die and has been built in Mexico ever since, evolving into the far less characterful ‘New Beetle’ in the late 1990s.

As the accompanying VW Heritage Certificate confirms, this particular Beetle was built in right-hand drive on 30th August 1954 to 114 DeLuxe specification and was despatched to VW Motors of London on 7th September. Being a 1954 model, it has the sought-after oval rear window, semaphore indicators and small rear lights of the early models but also benefits from the more powerful and free-revving 1.2-litre 30bhp engine which was introduced that year.

The original buff log book shows that it was first registered in Preston on 1st October 1954 and it was to remain in Lancashire for the next 60 years, being initially registered as TTJ 70. Between 2013 and 2014 the car was totally restored to show condition by the previous owner, taking great care to retain as many of the original features as possible, only deviating from these to make improvements, such as conversion to 12v lighting and discreet electric windscreen washer system. As an added safety feature the semaphore indicators have been converted to flashing operation using LED lights.

The Beetle had been restored some years previously so was in substantially good condition, but despite this a full ‘body-off, glass-out’ restoration was carried out to bring it up to the highest possible standard. The body was completely stripped, then cleaned and sprayed in deep blue, the floorpan also being stripped, cleaned and stone chipped, the whole process documented in many photographs and invoices on file.

The original type 30hp engine was completely overhauled and is reported to run very sweetly, all the ancillaries being either renewed or restored at the same time. The interior is all completely new, including original style headlining, beige seat covers and door cards, and ‘coco’ type carpets. The door furniture is either original or to the original style and it even retains the original and now very rare ‘Kienzle’ clock which is in full working order, as is the heating system. The wheel alignment has also just been checked.

The car has only covered a minimal mileage since the restoration was completed, mainly for adjustment and ‘snagging’, and has also appeared on the show circuit, scooping the ‘Best Car’ award at the Ludlow Festival of Transport in May 2015. It comes with 4 ignition keys and 2 door keys (all to the original VW pattern), an owner’s manual, Haynes Workshop Manual, plus a comprehensive portfolio of pictures and invoices.

Now in stunning condition throughout and surely one of the finest ‘oval window’ Beetles in the UK, it would be the pride of any collection and is no doubt capable of winning many more awards should the fortunate new owner feel so inclined.