The Beetle’s original design description gave it a drag coefficient of 0.48. The coefficient of drag, or Cd, is a dimensionless measure of how strongly a vehicle resists moving through air; lower values generally indicate better aerodynamic efficiency.
That figure was notable for a small family car conceived in the 1930s. The Beetle’s smooth, rounded body and tapered rear helped air flow over the car more cleanly than the boxier shapes common among many contemporary vehicles. Its rear-mounted engine also allowed designers to avoid a large front-engine grille and bonnet arrangement.
A common mix-up is confusing the original Beetle’s figure with later Volkswagen models. The 0.48 value refers specifically to the original 1938 design in commonly cited drag-coefficient lists, not to every Beetle built during its 65-year production run. Aerodynamic testing methods and body details also varied across model years.