1957 Volkswagen Beetle 'Oval Window' Coupe

The story of the Volkswagen Beetle is an amazing one - from the original design brief to create cheap, reliable transport for the German masses through to the myriad of production changes and variants over the next five decades - the original "people's car" created by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche and his team has become the most successful automobile of all time, with no less than twenty million units produced to date. Although the basic concept remained unchanged over the years - an air-cooled flat twin mounted in behind the rear axle - the Beetle underwent constant refining and each year saw little improvements taking place. In 1957 the Beetle underwent the most significant revisions to date, with a redesigned body appearing in August that year. Both front and rear windscreens were considerably enlarged to improve outward vision, along with a modified engine lid and a completely new dashboard with the optional radio centrally located, a larger glovebox and - from September 1957 - additional soundproofing for a much quieter ride. The Beetles of the 1950s era are generally regarded as the most desirable, having been made to a very high standard of finish, and command a premium over later examples. The Beetle is the perfect classic car for the modern era - cheap to run and maintain, fun to drive and the universal popularity few other automobiles can lay claim to.