Volkswagen’s Beetle became the world’s best-selling car model in 1972.
The Beetle, officially the Volkswagen Type 1, was developed in Germany before the Second World War and entered large-scale postwar production under Volkswagen. Its rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-four engine and rounded body gave it a distinctive mechanical layout and appearance.
On February 17, 1972, production passed the Ford Model T’s recorded total of 15,007,034 vehicles. That milestone made the Beetle the best-selling single model at the time. Later, other vehicles surpassed its total, and comparisons can vary depending on whether differently bodied derivatives or continuing production are counted. Volkswagen produced the classic Beetle in Germany until 1978 and continued production in Mexico until 2003.