Aircooled VW South Africa

Volkswagen has restored the last Beetle ever built in its manufacturing plant in Uitenhage. The Beetle was practically destroyed in a vehicle carrier accident in 2006.

The metallic bronze Beetle represents the last of 288 353 Beetles built in Uitenhage from 31 August 1951 to 18 January 1979. It was never used and lived in the Volkswagen museum – now the AutoPavilion. It only had 200km on the clock when the accident happened on its way from a show in Cape Town in November 2006. The vehicle carrier overturned and nine of the AutoPavilion’s best historic cars were destroyed.

“Being such a special vehicle, the “last Beetle” was restored over a period of two years to ensure that it returned to its former glory. We are very pleased that it has once again taken its proud place at the AutoPavilion,” explained Johan Wagner, Manager of Volkswagen’s AutoPavillion.

Wagner added: “All the mechanicals and most of the interior from the original car could still be used. They were then transferred to another body of the same era. The original car was loaded with luxury features not found on any of the models which preceded it. It was built with most of the luxury features of the higher specification and limited edition 1600’s like the Fun Bug, Lux Bug, Jeans Bug and Snug Bug.”

Some of its special features include Bilboa cloth upholstery, black fender spats, a special gearlever knob, taper-tip exhaust pipes, a centre tunnel console, a cigarette lighter and Rostyle wheel rims. It was also sprayed in a special bronze metallic paint.

The Beetle had a production run in South Africa spanning almost 28 years, 11 of which were as the country’s top selling car. Testimony to its build quality and reliability is the fact that so many can still be seen on our roads today.

Wagner concluded: “The story of the Beetle’s success in South Africa and worldwide cannot be told in these few lines. The last Beetle has a plaque on the dash which reads, “The Legend Lives On”. Looking around, you will agree, it certainly does.”

The 21st Century Beetle will be introduced locally towards the end of the year.

That is really cool.. I'm glad to see its back to its former glory

I wonder why they changed the front bumper

and the windscreen

The wing morrow was also changed, so I suppose they used what they had, rather then trying to keep the car 100 % correct.

More honest to have the car "Restored" rather then have it "rebuilt".

After all, it is not the same car, but represents the "Last Beetle"

Would love to know what the write-up on the info sheet said.??

Must go have a look.
What ever, still good to have it fixed.........

OMO
Herman

Trim rings are also missing

Bumper overriders aswell!

Gosh the new front bumper has NOW got the rubber trim and I had thought for years that I had bought the last middle piece they had....

Must have been a replica or a double stunt Beetle. The original should never leave "home".

what's the story with those other 2 poor Beetles on the pics ?

Man !!!!!!!!!!! That stupid useless idiotic driver must be kicked so hard in the nuts he must talk funny for the rest of his life !!!!!!!!

There were a few of the museums cars on that carrier when it crashed.

as the saying goes

Is it just me or is it only Herman that read the complete write-up stating that this IS NOT the same car aka Last Beetle built in SA?

VWSA is so good at blowing smoke... this build really does not represent anything of historic or significant value. Reason I say this is that this is not the same car. It is a new rebuild of not even the same model year, hence Wagner saying “All the mechanicals and most of the interior from the original car could still be used. They were then transferred to another body of the same era"

The "same car" would have at least used the same body or floorpan /drivetrain. We could not even assume that they used the same engine. Why do a rebuild of this car (ok I know its the 'last one'), but they could have rather tackled the Oval or Split that they, VWSA destroyed, and not the driver of the truck like some one here said. An accident is an accident, and he did not choose to make an accident. The Oval and Split beetles and the others are surely of more or the same historic value. Why not do the same rebuild to them?

Quick answer, VWSA probably wont spend the money on them for rebuilds. Were they even insured? If yes, then why not?

VWSA were the culprits for even entertaining the thought of moving these cars from the Museum at that time to have them displayed here in Cape Town. Nobody deserved to have the cars come to Cape Town at the risk of what happended to them. VWSA is to blame for the loss of these cars. Period.

OK, rant over.
Muds

Muds, I'm with you 100% on that one........

Looking at what that bloke does in Thailand, I'm sure that if VW really wanted to restore it, then they could have. In fairness of it all, it's not like it has to be roadworthy as I don't see it doing any trips on holiday anytime soon.

That can't be called the last beetle...........fullstop.

For the Afrikaans manne, here is the link to Beeld reporting on this "restoration"

http://www.beeld.com/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/V ... a-20120514

Muderick wrote:not the driver of the truck like some one here said. An accident is an accident, and he did not choose to make an accident.

i heard from a very reliable source that this driver was "pissed as a coot" when he wiped out some history !
i agree more could have been done to get things closer to original in this case.

At the time I offered to purchase the wreck of the last beetle in order to do a perfect restoration of what it was before the accident.
this refused by the powers at be and they opted to give the restoration to someone else who obviously did not restore the car to it's original spec.

As I am the owner of the third last Golf ever built (the second last Golf is in the autopavilion and the last one in the museum in Germany) I would have loved to have restored the last beetle to my standard.

The side trim mouldings should also not be present on the last beetle.

Correction: The side trim mouldings should: Door Handles Scuff Plates.

No stone guards on rear fenders.

I have done some research, CAR magazine February 2007.

Preview: Re: Last Volkswagen Beetle built in South Africa restored (Photo taken at Drostdy Museum, Uitenhage)