https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/10/success/volkswagen-beetle-in-photos/index.html

Production of the famous Volkswagen Beetle is finally ending.

The curvy compact car got its start in Nazi Germany, played a role in the economic resurgence of Germany after World War II, and became a worldwide icon.
By Peter Valdes-Dapena and Nicole Ridgway
Photo editing by Marie Barbier and Brett Roegiers, CNN Business
Updated 0704 GMT (1504 HKT) July 10, 2019



Female gas station employees on rollerskates attend to a Volkswagen in Deidesheim, Germany, in 1954. The original Beetle's engine was in the back, leaving the area under the hood for cargo and the spare tire.




Other cars were considered, but a Beetle was cast in the starring role of the 1968 Disney movie "The Love Bug." The film helped cement the car's popular image as a lovable automotive companion.


The Beetle's simple and instantly recognizable design has made it a frequent basis for automotive art. This Beetle, being driven in a parade in New York City in 1970, has a body made from decorative white wrought iron.


Next to Volkswagen's factory in Wolfsburg, Germany, is the Autostadt, a visitor center that features a museum, an off-road driving course, restaurants, a cinema and a test track for kids. Here, children drive electric-powered toy Beetles in order to receive a "children's driving license."


In 1997, Volkswagen unveiled the New Beetle. This car carried the Beetle's iconic curved shape but it was an entirely different car. Sharing most of its engineering with the popular Volkswagen Golf, the engine was moved to the front like most other cars by this time.


Even after the New Beetle was introduced, the old rear-engined Beetles continued to be made for some markets. The last one was finally produced in 2003 in a factory in Mexico. Here, musicians serenade the last old-style Beetle as it leaves the assembly line.