Volkswagen Beetle Celebrates 65th Year In The U.S

There are few shapes more recognizable than the profile of Volkswagen's most famous vehicle. If you were to ask a hundred people who knew nothing about cars to pick one out in a lineup, few would get it wrong. Aside from its charm and unique shape, one of the factors in the Beetle's impact is its longevity--and this month, Volkswagen is celebrating 65 years since the Beetle hit U.S. shores, all the way back in January 1949.

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That first car was imported by Ben Pon Sr., a Dutch businessman who shipped the car to New York City. From that first car, sales built rapidly. By the mid-1950s more than 35,000 had been sold, and given another five years that figure was up to 300,000.

Sales really took off in the 1960s, a decade which has defined the vehicle for subsequent generations due to its popularity among young, counter-culture Americans. Frugal, small, distinctive and practical, the Beetle resonated with young buyers in a way few small cars have since--and by the end of the decade the model was selling as many as 400,000 units each year. That's ten times more than the current Beetle, which moved 43,000 units in the U.S. in 2013. The market is very different these days of course and the Beetle itself is a far cry from its humble ancestor, but still remains one of Volkswagen's highest-selling lines.