The common English name for the Volkswagen Type 1 is the Beetle.
Volkswagen’s Type 1 was the company’s first mass-produced passenger car and became one of the most recognizable automobiles in history. Although its official factory designation was Type 1, English-speaking markets commonly came to know it as the Beetle because of its rounded, insect-like body.
The name was not universal. In the United States, “Bug” or “Volkswagen Bug” was widely used, while the German name is Käfer. Other countries developed their own local nicknames, often based on beetles, turtles, frogs, bubbles, or the car’s distinctive curved silhouette.
“Beetle” should also be distinguished from the New Beetle introduced in 1997 and the later A5 Beetle sold from 2011. Those were newer models inspired by the original’s styling. The classic Type 1 itself was produced from 1938 until 2003 and became famous for its rear-mounted, air-cooled engine and unusually long production life.