Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Made:
1947 in Wolfsburg

Volkswagen Beetle motor car, 1947

Volkswagen Beetle Motor car 1947. In the early 1930s Dr Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) designed a car for purchase by the average working man. While the car was in development a number of backers came and went, until 1933 when the then new German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), remarked that motor cars ought be a component of the 'National Socialist Victory'. At a car show in 1934 Hitler said that he did not see why 'good hard-working people' should be excluded from car ownership. Later that year Porsche gained a government contract to develop the 'Volkswagen' (people's car, later known as the 'Beetle'), for a target price of 995 Reichs Marks. In 1937 Hitler took the project away from Porsche, and Daimler Benz built batches of development models of the car, which by now was looking similar to the well-known post-war version. In 1938 work started to build a factory dedicated to VW production. The car's cost for the ordinary citizen was still a problem so purchase was through a subscription scheme

Details

Category:
Road Transport
Object Number:
1969-492
type:
road vehicles, four-wheeled motor vehicles, private cars, automobiles and motor cars
credit:
Roberts, B.

Parts

Chassis From Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Chassis From Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Chassis from Volkswagen Beetle motor car, 1947

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Volkswagen Beetle Motor car 1947. In the early 1930s Dr Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) designed a car for purchase by the average working man. While the car was in development a number of backers came and went, until 1933 when the then new German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), remarked that motor cars ought be a component of the 'National Socialist Victory'. At a car show in 1934 Hitler said that he did not see why 'good hard-working people' should be excluded from car ownership. Later that year Porsche gained a government contract to develop the 'Volkswagen' (people's car, later known as the 'Beetle'), for a target price of 995 Reichs Marks. In 1937 Hitler took the project away from Porsche, and Daimler Benz built batches of development models of the car, which by now was looking similar to the well-known post-war version. In 1938 work started to build a factory dedicated to VW production. The car's cost for the ordinary citizen was still a problem so purchase was through a subscription scheme

Measurements:
overall: 1180 mm x 1210 mm x 3760 mm,
Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
1969-492/1
type:
road vehicles, four-wheeled motor vehicles , private cars , automobiles and motor cars
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Metal Panels From Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Metal Panels From Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Metal panels from Volkswagen Beetle motor car, 1947

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Volkswagen Beetle Motor car 1947. In the early 1930s Dr Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) designed a car for purchase by the average working man. While the car was in development a number of backers came and went, until 1933 when the then new German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), remarked that motor cars ought be a component of the 'National Socialist Victory'. At a car show in 1934 Hitler said that he did not see why 'good hard-working people' should be excluded from car ownership. Later that year Porsche gained a government contract to develop the 'Volkswagen' (people's car, later known as the 'Beetle'), for a target price of 995 Reichs Marks. In 1937 Hitler took the project away from Porsche, and Daimler Benz built batches of development models of the car, which by now was looking similar to the well-known post-war version. In 1938 work started to build a factory dedicated to VW production. The car's cost for the ordinary citizen was still a problem so purchase was through a subscription scheme

Measurements:
overall: 943 mm x 1840 mm x 1395 mm,
Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
1969-492/2
type:
road vehicles, four-wheeled motor vehicles , private cars , automobiles and motor cars
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Assorted Components From Volkswagen Beetle Motor Car, 1947.

Assorted Components From Volkswagen Beetle Motor Car, 1947.

Assorted components from Volkswagen Beetle motor car, 1947; seats, steering wheel, tyres, lamps, metal bodywork pieces, fuel tank, fuel system.

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Volkswagen Beetle Motor car 1947. In the early 1930s Dr Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) designed a car for purchase by the average working man. While the car was in development a number of backers came and went, until 1933 when the then new German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), remarked that motor cars ought be a component of the 'National Socialist Victory'. At a car show in 1934 Hitler said that he did not see why 'good hard-working people' should be excluded from car ownership. Later that year Porsche gained a government contract to develop the 'Volkswagen' (people's car, later known as the 'Beetle'), for a target price of 995 Reichs Marks. In 1937 Hitler took the project away from Porsche, and Daimler Benz built batches of development models of the car, which by now was looking similar to the well-known post-war version. In 1938 work started to build a factory dedicated to VW production. The car's cost for the ordinary citizen was still a problem so purchase was through a subscription scheme

Measurements:
overall: 1290 mm x 1870 mm x 1790 mm,
Materials:
metal (unknown) and textile
Object Number:
1969-492/3
type:
road vehicles, four-wheeled motor vehicles , private cars , automobiles and motor cars
Image ©
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Floor From Volkswagen Beetle Motor Car, 1947.

Floor From Volkswagen Beetle Motor Car, 1947.

Floor From Volkswagen Beetle Motor Car including break lines, gearstick, handbreak and pedals.

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Volkswagen Beetle Motor car 1947. In the early 1930s Dr Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) designed a car for purchase by the average working man. While the car was in development a number of backers came and went, until 1933 when the then new German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), remarked that motor cars ought be a component of the 'National Socialist Victory'. At a car show in 1934 Hitler said that he did not see why 'good hard-working people' should be excluded from car ownership. Later that year Porsche gained a government contract to develop the 'Volkswagen' (people's car, later known as the 'Beetle'), for a target price of 995 Reichs Marks. In 1937 Hitler took the project away from Porsche, and Daimler Benz built batches of development models of the car, which by now was looking similar to the well-known post-war version. In 1938 work started to build a factory dedicated to VW production. The car's cost for the ordinary citizen was still a problem so purchase was through a subscription scheme

Measurements:
overall: 490 mm x 1440 mm x 2700 mm,
Object Number:
1969-492/4
type:
road vehicles, four-wheeled motor vehicles , private cars , automobiles and motor cars
Engine from Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Engine from Volkswagen Beetle Motor car, 1947.

Engine and part of drive shaft from Volkswagen Beetle motor car, 1947

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Volkswagen Beetle Motor car 1947. In the early 1930s Dr Ferdinand Porsche (1875-1951) designed a car for purchase by the average working man. While the car was in development a number of backers came and went, until 1933 when the then new German Chancellor, Adolf Hitler (1889-1945), remarked that motor cars ought be a component of the 'National Socialist Victory'. At a car show in 1934 Hitler said that he did not see why 'good hard-working people' should be excluded from car ownership. Later that year Porsche gained a government contract to develop the 'Volkswagen' (people's car, later known as the 'Beetle'), for a target price of 995 Reichs Marks. In 1937 Hitler took the project away from Porsche, and Daimler Benz built batches of development models of the car, which by now was looking similar to the well-known post-war version. In 1938 work started to build a factory dedicated to VW production. The car's cost for the ordinary citizen was still a problem so purchase was through a subscription scheme

Measurements:
overall: 650 mm x 1410 mm x 1040 mm,
Materials:
metal (unknown)
Object Number:
1969-492/5
type:
engine from volkswagen beetle motor car, 1947.