The many, MANY failed VW Beetle Reboots - Optional Extra

[@Skunkola]

Liked that, more relaxed and engaging. Not that the other format is stilted and bland, not at all but in contrast it was more 'shoes off and comfy chair with a nice half pint glass of beer at hand'.

[@LittleCar]

It might look more relaxed, but there's a "deer in the headlights" thing going off in my head for both of them!

[@cbrue1896]

Excellent video! You should give yourself some credit on this "winging it" video. Your insight on this "pop-culture vehicle" is well done! Thank you!

[@LittleCar]

It's difficult to do, and I've been spending 2 years doing Patron videos practicing!

[@martinthorne8543]

You did just fine, off-script. Your videos are always excellent.

[@eggbirdtherooster]

These non-scripted videos are great my man. Keep them coming 😀

[@LittleCar]

We'll see!

[@JohnMulhall1]

Your winging it style is quite enjoyable and a relaxing and interesting watch. I'd enjoy more of these off the cuff videos. Thank you and keep up the good work.

[@LittleCar]

Thanks - good feedback.

[@Conservator.]

@@LittleCar I really liked to hear your views on ‘things’. I hope you’ll do more like this one!

[@boronsniify]

Both of your VW videos are very interesting - even as an air cooled VW geek, I learned many new facts. thanks and hats off to you!

[@LittleCar]

Thanks Hugh.

[@davidhollenshead4892]

@@LittleCar The issue that you and VW missed. Some of VW's cars could have lasted much longer had they been re-engined. Take the South African Vanagon, which was powered by an I-4 and later I-5 and they were much improved over the waterboxer. Ironically this was done because the tooling to make the waterboxer had worn out...

[@havvacuppa]

This is great - I've been a fan of the channel from the early days and seen you develop your "formal narrator" style, now it's really nice to see another side of you - just some bloke chatting about cars in an interesting way with some interesting opinions. I hope you do more of these "follow-up" videos for future (and maybe even existing?) videos!

[@LittleCar]

Thanks. I'd like to do more if people like them. I definitely have a formal style (which I'm not particularly happy with, but I'm not sure how to improve).

[@davidsample9130]

Interesting...however, I owned a squareback, my older brother owned a beetle, the heavier squareback was a dream ride compared to the lighter beetle, even tho the suspension was fundamentally the same. I preferred the type three to drive in....however the beetle had an astronomically stronger effect for dating purposes....it was just cooler!

[@alfresco4976]

Calling the Type III a failure... I'm not sure. Our family had several, and you used to see them everywhere.

[@hugoportes734]

Wow, congrats for both channels. I really liked this new approach. Keep it up! Cheers from Brazil! Over here, "Fusca" (or beetle) is still alive and kicking. You can see them cruising around the coffee farms and mountainsides.

[@LittleCar]

Glad you like it Hugo!

[@EngineerLewis]

I owned a 1970 beetle as my 1st car - it had the 1200cc engine so OK but not one of the lovely 1303S models! However it was great fun to drive and work on as an engineer in training. I paid GBP400 for it - sorted the gear change which needed a new Gear Shift Rod Guide Bush to sort out the wobbly gear changer, welded up the sills and installed new heater channels along the sill, changed the front wheel arches and sold it after 3 years of owning it for GBP400! Happy memories and today I own a T25 Caravelle so still enjoy the older vehicles. 🤣

[@Larkinchance]

When I was a kid in LA, California had legislated against air cooled engines. People loved their Volkswagen and the Southern California's climate was dry and kind to the metal bodies. VW's own before the law went into effect were grandfathered in. When the engine died, the seats were worn and the front fender was crumpled, you just took it 200 miles South to Tijuana, Mexico and they'd make it all brand new.. Many of those VW are still on the road 50 years later.

[@StephanBuchin]

It's a classic because it's a no-nonsense design with regular rounded shapes and short overhangs + a cute front face with big round eyes. In the main episode, you show that blue one with a IKEA style interior that looks great even by modern standards.

[@Iskelderon]

The Dudu movies were actually more Swiss than German. Not bad for a tiny country that can't even afford its own language and has to borrow ones from three neighboring ones ... 😁

[@LittleCar]

😀

[@someotherdude]

That Porsche redesign is amazing- it somehow manages to be very attractive, yet iconic and timeless. It wouldn't look out of place today, 2021. I think it's stunning, a real standout effort. Can't imagine why they didn't try selling it. Could have put that air cooled engine in front, BTW.

[@runoflife87]

Good video. As far as I remember there was an article about 1942 or 1943 Beetle (very rare) found in Russia in 1997. The car was bought by the German car enthusiast. BTW did you know that the only one original Toyota AA was found in Russia too? As for persponal memories: my family decided to buy a car in 1990. There was a very limited choice (remember, there were still soviet times), but suddenly my father was asked about bying the Beatle with the broken engine. He chose the export-made Lada 2103 from GDR in the end.

[@TrassseB]

I actually look forward to your videos every week it’s a nice way to unwind

[@Chris.Davies]

1:32 - previsualisation of the 911 nose! 3:08 - I really wish VW had optioned this Porsche design. It still looks good in 2021!

[@daviddunmore8415]

IN the 1960s and 70s many UK cars came with 'Factory fitted rust', Beetles didn't

[@garage6346]

If this was unscripted, why do you do scripts? Great extension to the main video! Btw I really loved the "Dudu" movies when I was a kid. Dudu was more a vision of what Teslas might become, while Herbie was just a car with human behaviour.

[@LittleCar]

Thanks!

[@artisticify]

Excellent VW mini bus was a beetle 1.5 cc sold in the usa now named the transporter. Really well done VW today had somewhat intresting times thank you again.

[@lbamusic]

My first brand new bug was in 1959! Since then I had 2 more, plus a Wagen, an automatic shift, and a convertible stick in 1971. Was a great, reliable car and remains my f miavorite car. I've had Porches, BMWs, MBs, since then - all good cars, but the Beetle remains my fav!! Also, they had a great dealer network for repairs - both in New York and California!

[@danelias8658]

I remember, as a child in Singapore, watching one of the German Herbie movies. It came out, I think, a little after the first Love Bug film. The German movie was dubbed with some subtitles. I remember only the scene on the beach where the VW covered itself with a sand coloured goo to blend in with its surroundings. I don't remember anything else apart from that the story was not as much fun as the Love Bug.

[@PhiZelak]

I really liked this companion video. It's very natural. Shows that you're great even without a script. Great job!!!

[@LittleCar]

Well, if I hide every time I break down with an image!

[@PhiZelak]

@@LittleCar , even so, really well done, Sir! Congrats from Brazil! P.S.: Just loved that in the main video you did remember the Brasilia and the Gol!!! 🇧🇷🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@rodoherty1]

Presentation was as enjoyable as the videos on your main channel!

[@PaulLeitnerWise]

Little Car don't sell yourself short, I really enjoyed both videos. You touched on the US advertising of the Beetle but perhaps could have expanded more on that as it was pretty revolutionary. That's part of what created the cultural phenomenon around the vehicle, which resulted in a Hollywood career beyond "The Love Bug" (witness the appearance in Woody Allen's movie The Sleeper, when he finds a 200 year old Beetle and it starts with the turn of a key). This feature in the 1973 movie was a parody based on a 1970 commercial where archeologists in 2270 dig up a 300 year old Beetle which starts immediately. Keep up the good work!

[@LittleCar]

Remember I'm British - it's in my DNA to be depreciating!

[@PaulLeitnerWise]

@@LittleCar Ha! How soon I forget that trait......

[@beatethevwbeetle7621]

Porsche and VW were strain due to the change of leadership in VW: Kurt which u have nailed. The Porsche 914 was the last VW and Porsche collaboration and Porsche 924 is just a VW with Porsche badge. I am angry that you didn't mention anything about me, the Super Beetle! The classic beetle follows Porsche's philosophy: keep ever improving a car like you said. That what make me an icon! Sad that the type 1 platform didn't last as long as the Porsche 911 did!

[@nickwebb9290]

Really like this ‘extra’, it’s a great idea 👍 and please give yourself more credit, you did a good job on this 😁

[@JL-db2yc]

Great work, it was very worthwhile listening to your opinions! Thanks for making it!

[@LittleCar]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BOABModels]

You chose my 'Optional Extras' name for this! Thank you! You're very good at talking about it off script! Great video.

[@LittleCar]

It was the best name. It's optional, and it's extra. And it's got that car play on words. Better than my idea of "Extra bit"! Thanks for the suggestion.

[@BOABModels]

@@LittleCar you're welcome! I love a play on words.

[@dlittlester]

I had three beetles in my life, somehow all of them white, but I loved them.

[@philiprodney7884]

I love this more relaxed conversational approach. More please!

[@florianwagner7279]

Thank you for your really great VW Videos. Really great. Please allow some remarks: You‘ve mentioned the EA266, with it‘s engine placed in the middle. As far as I am informed, This car has not been put into production due to high productions cost and mainly the unpredictable reactions of mid-engine car in difficult circumstances. This wasn‘t acceptable for a family car. As far as I know the successor of Kurt Lotz, a man called Toni Schmücker, stopped it. The platform of EA266 has been developped to VW-Porsche 914, so it survived in a way. Funny that you discovred the german beetle movies, thought they have been forgotton ;-) . The Beetles in the movie has been called „Dudu“ an african word (sorry for missing the language) for beetle so it is a word play with the car, which never had this naming „Käfer“ or „Beetle“ officially. Main caracter is named a guy called „Jimmy Bondie“ announces himself as James Bonds younger brother … those films had a bit of a success in German speaking countries.

[@dragostalks7501]

Both videos were quite nice and good quality. I like everything that you do. Good information and easy to understand, very well documented. Thank yoy for making this available!

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

You did a great job - also without a script😉👍 My dad bought a brand new VW1302S when they came out (last model with flat windscreen). It looked so outdated along my friends dads Escorts and even Allegros. He had it for 14 years, with the only faults being a broken clutch cable… and a rusted out heating system, clearly 😉🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

[@radudeATL]

You are quite modest. You are very good at speaking off the cuff!

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

You really did a excellent job on this update too. I can’t put a finger on anything at all in any of your productions. As always we end up with a lot of new knowledge.

[@LittleCar]

Thanks Kasper. Glad you liked it!

[@leodooley7572]

I think the Beetle always looked modern compared to the Morris Minor which came after.

[@mmickle6191]

My aunt had a metallic blue VW, then a silver one. Must've been sometime between '76 and '82. The UK models.

[@TheodorosPopa]

I didn't know you also had this channel! Now I have even more 'Big Car stories' content to watch! You are great, as always! Thank you.

[@LittleCar]

It's all part of my plan for world domination. One Decimalisation video at a time..

[@jeffking4176]

You are better at this than you think. Excellent. 📻🙂

[@LittleCar]

It came out better than I was expecting it to! The magic of hiding cuts under photos.

[@AtheistOrphan]

6:58 - Wittkar! I would love to see a video about those.

[@LittleCar]

I covered it in my videos on 60s EVs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opu5cnRniddrj9E

[@AtheistOrphan]

@@LittleCar - Oh I didn’t know that! Many thanks for the link, going to watch it now.👍

[@martinthorne8543]

I had a '70 Type 3 Squareback. Great car.

[@woooGazza]

As per other comments - nice relaxed style is great

[@ollychap1985]

Great video I wish VW would make a new beetle on the id electric platform

[@bryco32]

I really like these "off the cuff" videos!

[@ricardojdribeiro]

More videos like this, please. Great channel.

[@david9530]

This is one of your best videos.

[@bsn2ndsflatdavis378]

The type 3 was a good design, and the flatter engine allowed for more luggage space in back. And access to the engine was good, not like the mid engine prototype . The type 3 styling wasn't exiting, except for the fastback. But VW could have designed a new bug with a type 3 engine .

[@Bicyclehub]

I did enjoy it and to me you sound articulate and engaging. I liked hearing your opinions and it's an interesting story. I vividly recall the tv advert for the Golf where a Beetle morphed into a Golf. It seemed amazing at the time but I remember thinking that the Golf was dull and boxy compared to the Beetle.

[@nathanhobson1142]

I think the new beetle should have been rear engined, for authenticity. Who knows it might have added more character too.

[@jannadrielcervo7753]

I was thinking the same thing. Volkswagen should have asked Porsche to assist them in making an rear engined RWD compact car, and advertised as a sporty compact coupe. Also why not a flat 4 engine derived from the new water cooled flat 6 of the 996.

[@Crazy_Borg]

The VW Type 3 a failure? I thought it sold pretty well, at least here in Germany. They were facing heavy competition from Opel and Ford, but I don't think VW lost money on the car. The Type 4 on the other hand...

[@nlpnt]

Hard to call anything with a 14-year production run a "failure".

[@LittleCar]

Yeah, but look at VWs finances. They were bleeding money, and the Type 3 & Type 4 weren't supplying the money VW expected. And the Austin Maestro was sold for 12 years, because Austin Rover couldn't afford to replace it with anything else.

[@hynestimothy411]

Nice and different approach, value your opinion and this is a good way to see how you think 🤔

[@seanoneillsongs]

Nothing wrong with this video. I've missed out on these extras but will follow and watch the rest. The Beetle. the Mini and Golf in both there original incarnations and subsequent updates, like a violin, look right. They look like they are the way they are meant to be - proportions and shapes. are balanced. None of the proposed replacements come any where close to the sense of harmonious design. That said, my mother's 1970 Beetle was a horrible car to drive although she seemed happy with it. No mention of the Super Beetle - 1600 cc and a curved windscreen even.

[@Alpostpone]

This is a good format. While I appreciate the neutral tone of main feature, I'm also interested in your personal views on things. Putting them in a separate video and allowing yourself room to rant and rave if needed would be a welcome addition.

[@Henry_Jones]

Improv is as good as scripted. Good job!

[@refusist]

This is getting out of hand! Now there are two of them

[@LittleCar]

Argh!

[@genethemachine7169]

You've got a very free off-the-cuff style. You should do this more often!

[@LittleCar]

Thanks - I appreciate the feedback!

[@nlpnt]

I always thought it was odd that VW didn't build a four-door anything until the Type 4. Seems to me like they'd have taken a look at the Rometsch taxis and found a full production 4 door bug on the standard wheelbase a natural line extension. The Saturn Astra's problem was timing - it arrived just before the 2008 economic crisis tanked the new-car market. By 2010 GM was shutting down the whole division along with Pontiac and (for the time being) Hummer. Buick only survived because it's so popular in China, and GMC because people will pay so much extra for a Sierra over a Silverado and it's almost pure profit. They could cover the breadth of the American auto market with just Chevrolet and Cadillac.

[@NLBassist]

I like this second video and I hope you do it more often!

[@LittleCar]

We'll see!

[@jannadrielcervo7753]

I like this unscripted take. It feels more human and like talking to a friend. I mean yeah, your final version is good, well made, and very organized in the delivery of the events. Maybe you should try more of like this, I like something that is like a normal conversation with a friend. Very well done and hope you get more views and subscribers.

[@LittleCar]

Thanks - appreciate the feedback. It's hard to do this for a main video (other than getting better at seeming like I'm not reading from a script!), as there's so much I want to get into such a short space of time. I need to hit every point and make it well. Doing it off the cuff, after all the research would mean I'd miss important stuff out. But I like the extra bit off the cuff. There's bits I miss out, and opinion stuff. I'd like to go into how my opinion on BL and the unions in the 70s has changed since I started making these videos. I plan to talk about it in a future "Optional Extra".

[@diecast_MikeEspo]

That was very good information , cool video . Cool Car the V W Bug . And it has a giant following .

[@aspiringaspie3280]

I'm a 1980s baby. I thought they were kinda cool as a kid and had character compared to the 1980s squares. I was a esp a big fan of the beach buggy.

[@munecaeburro]

I LOVE your channel, I think it is underrated (or undersubscribed?). You should have way more subscribers.

[@Brera011]

Loved this one as much as all the others you've made so far. All those lovely pictures of failed prototypes and some very good images of my favourit VW, the VW 1500/1600 TL or series 3. Hope you will make an episode othat one soon.

[@LittleCar]

One day!

[@Brera011]

@@LittleCar Great!

[@michaelgillett5477]

I know your channel is big and small car but looking at the world through the motorcycles you on about spares I can remember talking to a local motorcycle dealer he still owns a company to this day sitting with British motorcycle spares And he was saying he went to some big lunch and there was a director from one of the Japanese motorcycle companies Yamaha actually and he was complaining the fact there was More spares sold in England and less motorcycles than any other country in the world he said I don’t want to sell so many spares I just want to sell motorcycles by the way he was also drinking whiskey by the tumble I know the British industry didn’t help themselves but I knew we could get the hang of Japanese motorcycles enjoy your program thanks. Michael

[@dwilce]

Really enjoyed this more laid back style of video. Nice to see a bit more personality and opinion too!

[@LittleCar]

Who would have known I have a personality? 😉 Seriously, thx for the feedback.

[@ernestomorales2487]

I enjoyed a lot ! Great job man.. just subscribed to your channel. Keep the videos coming.

[@neilmustow368]

Great extra info about the Beetle reboots👍👍👍

[@LittleCar]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@taraemory]

omg i can't believe you didn't mention this is either the original video or this one. VW DID do a significant update of the beetle in the early 1970s with the "Super Beetle" or 1302 and 1303 models. You completely ignored this model which was a HUGE update to the original beetle design. From what I gather, it goes something like this. VW buys NSU and Audi, who use McPhearson struts in their cars instead of axle beams and torsion bars. VW takes that MC Phearson strut knowledge and incorporates that into the 411 (type 4) in 1969. The 411 also had it's spare tire flat in the front trunk as extra crash protection. Then VW takes these ideas in incorporates them into the 1971 1302 model. IT's the same beetle from the flat windshield back but ahead of that it's all new. They made this model for 2 years and then the 1303 was an even bigger leap forward, it has a significantly curved windshield and a dashboard that's more than 2 inches thick. IN fact, I think at 1:53 you show that model while you're describing how claustrophobic the standard (non-super) beetle is. SMH. IN fact, the 1303 dashboard was originally designed to accept an air bag!! Anyway, there was even more planned, which I read in a book called "The Beetle - The Chronicles of the People's Car: Design and Evolution-the story Volume 2" published by Haynes in 1990. Essentially that book covers many of the same models you talk about in the video, but it goes far more in depth as to how the 1303 came about. The 1302 had done fairly well, but the designers had more drastic plans for the 1302 replacement. This book shows some clay models from the early 1970s that show all the lines of the beetle smoothed out, integrated bumpers, and even a 4 door model. This never really got past the study stage, but if you get a chance to see these pictures, it really looks like the missing link between the old beetle and the '98 new beetle. These designs were penned by VW's then head of styling, Herbert Schafer. As it happened, VW didn't have the resources to make these drastic changes, (which originally had something to do inpending US legislation about the distance from the driver's head to the windshield that never happened), so instead just the windshield and dashboard were changed, which is how the 1303 came about. They sold the 1303 (super beetle) for 3 years as a hardtop model (1973-75), but the curved windshield, McPhearson strut model also became the basis for the convertible model which continued till '79 or '80. But I'm sad you didn't mention the super beetle. It's a significant departure from the original design, and it might not quite be a stretch to say that the difference between a 1303/super beetle and a Standard torsion bar axle beam flat windshield beetle is comperable to the leap Saab did when it took the 99 in 1979 and redesigned the front of the car and made it the (classic) 900, or what Volvo did with the 140 series in the mid 70s and made the 240 series. It's pretty much the same thing. But yeah, sad you didn't mention the Super Beetle/1302/1303. It deserved a mention, as it really was a last minute attempt to modernize the beetle in a big way. I'd be happy to share some photos from that book because from what i can gather, it's a super rare book full of very rare pictures of prototypes, stuff you won't even see mentioned on VW's website

[@fougamagister8862]

the 1969porsche design has something of a small Honda from those days

[@LittleCar]

This is a companion video to my main Big Car video. Watch it first! kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6bXaK18q5yZi9U There's some weird video issues 5 minutes in. It may be on the original video, I'm not sure. Regardless, I can't get rid of it.

[@sak1339]

Thanks for the added material. I had hoped you might have a bit of time to chat about the Type14/34 because when I was a youngster one of my uncles in South Africa owned one. I thought it was a very beautiful car -- everyone else I knew owned rather bland sedans.

[@LittleCar]

I really don't know much more than I've put in videos. All I know is what I research, and it's usually pretty laser-focused on the subject at hand.

[@Conservator.]

I thoroughly enjoyed the video. I think it was excellent 👌.

[@deheerdeheer]

Nice! We get to see more of you, brilliant.

[@LittleCar]

I'll expect you for dinner. Then you can see even more of me! 😉

[@Aygo84]

Not sure if they're related, but more or less around the same era, Porsche was working on two families of cars for sovietic brand Moskvich, and one of them was very similar to the EA266 in terms of packaging. Is it possible that Moskvich declined the project ultimately and Porsche offered it to VW?

[@mervynrudgley1335]

Thanks for the additional information, and well done as usual. Would be interesting to know how well the "New Beetle" sold. I was not a fan of "retro" cars in general, but my wife wanted one, since her first car was an original, so we bought a pale blue 2014 R-line about a year ago. I have to admit I am impressed and she gets a lot of compliments. There also appear a lot more New Beetles on the road in Southern California than Golfs. I hadn't realized it was as popular as it clearly was, so I wonder how many were sold. Also, some years ago I heard a rumour that California Cadillac dealers in the 60's gave away a Beetle as an incentive with top-of-the-range Cadillac sales. Marketing theory was that Beetles appeared in expensive drives, and rich kids were seen driving Beetles. Whether there was any truth in this I have no idea.

[@LittleCar]

There's some figures here: carsalesbase.com/?s=beetle Not as high as I thought they'd be.

[@mervynrudgley1335]

@@LittleCar thanks. Had you heard of the Cadillac promo?

[@LittleCar]

@@mervynrudgley1335 Nope

[@frankwhelan1715]

The 90s beetle favorite car,looks wise

[@christopherconard2831]

The Porsche prototype around 5:00 looks like an early Honda CVC with an extended front end.

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

No

[@NLBassist]

At 7 minutes you see a Beetle in Amsterdam with a 'futuristic' white car. Some guys first founded 'The WHiet Bicyle Plan' which was like bike sharing. Grab a bike and leave it somewhere for somebody else to use. This car in the pic was part of a plan of car sharing. Maybe nice as a subject for Little Car?

[@LittleCar]

I covered it in my "60s and 70s EV" video on Big Car. It was a cool idea! kzbin.info/www/bejne/opu5cnRniddrj9E

[@NLBassist]

(The E Kadett (Astra) was also sold in the USA for a while. I think as Pontiac?

[@LittleCar]

@@NLBassist Pontiac LeMans (Optima in Canada). Ask me how I know. Bloody video's taking forever!

[@woodrow_mayes]

I felt this was more enjoyable that the main video c:

[@MicrobyteAlan]

Okay I couldn’t resist. Good one 👍👍

[@prl08]

Great bonus video!

[@OktoberFilms]

Love your videos and this was no different. I’d love to see a video on the Type 3. I remember them as a kid and always loved the styling. Heck, if I had the money, I’d probably buy one and transform it into an EV. So, there you go, your carefree improvised videos are great as well.

[@Jamien1967]

Not everything needs to be scripted, great!

[@jerrywood4508]

The VW did get a reputation as being bullet-proof. In Woody Allen's 1973 movie Sleeper he plays an American who is placed in suspended animation and reanimated 200 years later. He has to go on the run and comes across a VW in a cave that had been left untouched for two centuries. It started right up, and the audience went nuts cheering and laughing. You can't buy that kind of advertising.

[@GusBounas]

I like this format

[@Henry_Jones]

Awesome vid. You should do the other iconic automotive design to come out of ww2 next, (that is still in production) the american jeep!

[@LittleCar]

Thanks for the suggestion. Maybe in the future!

[@mjouwbuis]

That first restyle looks extremely Tatra, so that would have been a bad move with the lawsuits still going on.

[@jamesengland7461]

Well done!

[@avtomad722]

Excellent! more of this big car I like your opinions, as decades pass we can only wonder what went through the heads of these manufacturers decisions as to how they should replace their iconic model, if you are wrong, there will be loads of comments to disprove, but it's far better to say it than not say it; if that made sense!

[@LittleCar]

It's a race to get information down before it's lost. My Ford SYNC video was an attempt to do that. I interviewed a couple of influential people on the Microsoft side about their work in it to get it right.

[@avtomad722]

@@LittleCar Put down ALL info! We are the guys in the comments that can fill the gaps, or try

[@jensschroder8214]

Auto Union already had the engine in front and moved away from the water-cooled two-stroke to the four-stroke engine. I think Audi was not yet together with VW, it must have been with Mercedes. NSU was a small company full of ideas but without the money to build big cars. When Audi and NSU went together, NSU brought in the R80 as a child, even if it was born as an Audi. This was built parallel to the four-stroke Audi that became the Audi 80. Sadly, apart from the window handle, the two cars had nothing in common. So the Audi replaced the Ro80 with the K70. But this experience of this development team ultimately also benefited VW. These urgently needed a success after the Type 3 and 4 flopped and the Type 1 Beetle slowly looked old. The Audi 80 and the VW Passat were very similar for a long time and the Golf was the smaller brother. The VW Polo, started as an idea under NSU, was born as the Audi 50 and then adopted by VW. Without Audi and NSU, VW would not have been able to develop a completely new product. The engine alone. And Prosche also helped out here and there, after all, one was and is a family: Prosche and Piëch.

[@sebastiancasco3568]

Very good videos both of them. 👍

[@SteveBueche1027]

It just goes to show you that even today lots of people want just a basic car to be inexpensive and able to run it into the ground.

[@wilfamos7314]

Excellent. Thank you so much for a brilliant video. Keep them coming! :-)

[@duallipspoiler]

imagine if they actually updated the original beetle until now. 2,0l watercooled turbo boxer 4, 6 speed manual/7 speed DSG, rear engine rear/all wheel drive, more modern technology, styling, safety etc.

[@LittleCar]

Yeah, but the shape would have held it back. It's so cramped, with a small amount of luggage space. They needed a revolution.

[@davidd.6448]

The 1969 redesign is baffling. I mean why even call it a Beetle at that point

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

I enjoyed this part II extremely well and I didn’t notice any difference in quality.

[@LittleCar]

That either says something good about my power to deliver off the cuff, or my lack of ability to read a script!

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

@@LittleCar It is all quality when it comes to your videos! You have nothing to worry about.

[@talkartoons]

The Type 3 was not a failure, they just didn't sell 21,000,000 million of them.

[@bob_._.]

The Astra probably wasn't a hit in America because Saturn only sold it for a year before they went out of business.

[@LittleCar]

Well there is that!

[@theactualnic]

The one dislike must be Kurt Lotz.

[@LittleCar]

From beyond the grave!

[@louisbeerreviews8964]

@ Nicolas there isn’t a dislike button anymore