Which car became the world’s best-selling automobile in 1972, surpassing the Ford Model T?

The Volkswagen Beetle became the world’s best-selling automobile in 1972, surpassing the Ford Model T.

The Beetle was developed in Germany in the 1930s and entered postwar production at Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg factory. Its rear-mounted, air-cooled engine, rounded body, relatively simple mechanical layout, and low operating costs helped it become popular across Europe and many other markets.

Volkswagen announced in February 1972 that Beetle production had passed the Model T’s commonly cited total of 15,007,034 vehicles. The milestone made the Beetle the most-produced single design at that time. Production continued for decades, including large-scale manufacturing in Mexico.

The comparison concerns cumulative production of a single model design. It does not mean Volkswagen became the largest automobile company in every year, nor that the Beetle was the first car to reach mass production.