The first beetle year
05/06/2018
Yesterday, May 5, 2018, it was 70 years to the day since the first VW Beetle rolled into Switzerland. Literally, in fact.
Shortly beforehand, Walter Haefner, owner of the car importer AMAG, had signed an import contract with Wolfsburg and on May 5, 1948, the 25 first Beetles were driven by German employees by axle - there were no car trains or cross-border vehicle logistics traffic at the time - to Lörrach and across the border, where they were paid for and taken over by 25 fresh VW dealers in cash. The dealers then drove the cars to their premises and soon enjoyed great interest from their customers. After all, a further 1355 Beetles were imported in the same year, and by 1983 the figure had risen to 320,637 vehicles.
This special event was then re-enacted yesterday by AMAG, together with the RAID organization, which organized the Young Driver Challenge on the same day.
25 VW Beetles from the earliest years were lined up again at customs between Lörrach and Riehen. This in itself was a remarkable achievement.
However, there were even two customs officers dressed in historical costumes on site and the customs authorities provided the use of the customs facilities and rerouted the weekend shopping traffic. Bravo!
The 25 Beetles then drove halfway across Switzerland to the Museum of Transport in Lucerne. Wherever they stopped, a cluster of people formed around the likeable Volkswagens.
It's actually incredible, but despite the long construction period and the more than 21 million vehicles built, the VW Beetle is one of the most popular classic cars, even among people who didn't even experience it back when it dominated the streetscape.
We will soon be reporting in more detail on the anniversary and the 25 Pretzel Beetles.
