Volkswagen Beetle workshop repair manual

The Volkswagen Beetle, officially called the Volkswagen Type 1, is an economy auto yielded by the German car machine Volkswagen from 1938 till 2003. The auto was dreamed up because a inexpensive easy auto, plus it was commissioned by Adolf Hitler plus tailored by Ferdinand Porsche. With over 21 million produced inside an air-cooled, rear-engined, rear-wheel drive configuration, the Beetle is the longest-running plus most-manufactured vehicle of the single shape platform, internationally.

Although crafted inside the 1930s, the Beetle was just yielded inside noticeable numbers from 1945 about whenever the model was internally designated the Volkswagen Type 1, plus advertised merely because the "Volkswagen". Later models were designated VW 1200, 1300, 1500, 1302 or 1303, the past 3 indicating engine displacement as well as the latter 2 being produced within the sort quantity plus not indicative of engine ability. The model became commonly recognized inside its house nation because the Käfer plus was later advertised as a result inside Germany, plus because the Volkswagen Beetle inside different nations.

In the 1950s, the Beetle was more comfortable plus effective than many European little vehicles, having been crafted for sustained significant speed found on the Autobahn. It stayed a top seller inside the U.S., owing much of its achievement with significant build-quality plus innovative advertising, eventually offering rise with variants, including the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia as well as the Volkswagen Type 2 bus.

The Beetle had marked a substantial trend led by Volkswagen, Fiat, plus Renault whereby the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive design had improved from 2.6 % of continental Western Europe's auto creation inside 1946 with 26.6 % inside 1956. The 1948 Citroën 2CV plus additional European models marked a later trend with front-wheel drive inside the European tiny automobile marketplace, a trend which might come with dominate which marketplace. In 1974, Volkswagen's own front-wheel drive Golf model succeeded the Beetle. In 1994, Volkswagen unveiled the Concept One, a "retro"-themed concept auto with a resemblance with the authentic Beetle, plus inside 1998 introduced the "New Beetle", built found on the Golf platform with styling recalling the authentic Type 1.

In a 1999 global poll for the world's many influential vehicle of the 20th century, the Type 1 came 4th, following the Ford Model T, the Mini, as well as the Citroën DS.

In 1971, a modern Beetle model featuring MacPherson strut front suspension along with a redesigned front end was introduced alongside the "standard" Beetle, that continued inside creation. Officially recognised as the VW 1302 from 1971 with 1972, plus VW 1303 from 1973 onwards, yet commonly called Super Beetle, the new stretched nose shape changed the double parallel torsion bar beams that had compromised torso area plus relocated the spare tire from a close vertical with a low horizontal position. The redesign lead to a tighter turning radius despite a 20 mm longer wheelbase, along with a doubling of the front compartment's cargo amount. As with past models, air stress within the spare tire pressurized the windshield washer canister, inside lieu of a electrical pump.

1972 Super Beetles had an 11 % heavier back window taller), heavier front brakes, 4 rows of vents found on the engine deck lid, tail lights incorporating reverse lights, a four-spoke energy-absorbing steering wheel plus steering column, plus an engine compartment socket for the proprietary VW Diagnosis program.
1973-1974 Volkswagen 1303/Big

In 1973, the VW 1303 introduced a curved windscreen, forced forward plus away within the guests, permitting a redesigned, padded dashboard with substitute the pre-1973 vertical dash. A two-speed heater enthusiast, high back mudguards, plus heavier tail lights were added. The changes with the heater/windshield wiper housing plus curved windshield lead to slight redesign of the front bonnet, generating the 1971 plus 1972 Super Beetle hoods special. In late 1973, the well-equipped "1303/Big" unique edition was introduced because buyers were seeking less spartan vehicles. These have 15-inch wheels, metallic paintwork, a more luxurious interior, a heated back windshield, plus other comforts.

For 1974, the past flat steel bumper mounting brackets were changed with tubular "self restoring power absorbing" attachments, effectively shock absorbers for the bumpers, about North American marketplace Beetles. These vehicles equally got stronger "5 mph" bumpers which added an inch with the size of the vehicle. The steering knuckle plus consequently the lower connection point of the strut was redesigned with enhance handling plus stability inside the event of the tire blowout. This signifies struts from pre-1974 Super Beetles are not interchangeable with 1974–79s.

1975 models showcased Air Flow Control Fuel Injection about U.S., Canadian, plus Japanese Beetles, a derivative of the more complex Bosch gas injection program utilized inside the Volkswagen Type III, plus equal with Bosch L-Jetronic. The fuel-injected engine moreover received a unique muffler as well as the choice of a upstream catalytic converter needed about several models, necessitating a bulge inside the back apron sheet metal straight beneath the back bumper, plus changing the distinctive double "pea shooter" pipes with a single offset tailpipe, generating fuel-injected models identifiable at a glance. Other changes were rack plus pinion steering substituting the conventional worm plus roller gearbox about Super Beetles, along with a heavier license plate lamp housing under the engine lid. The front turn indicators were moved within the top of the fenders into the bumper bars about European models.

In 1976, the optional Autostick transmission as well as the Super Beetle sedan were discontinued, with VW continuing with market the standard sedan plus VW 1303 convertible. 1976-on convertibles received no immense technology changes, just a limited aesthetic touches plus modern paint choices, including the "Champagne Edition" models with the final 1979 "Epilogue Edition" black about black, inside salute with the initially Beetles yielded inside the 1930s. 1977 model sedans received front seats with separate head restraints.

Though very lucrative inside the 1960s, the Beetle was confronted with stiff competition from more contemporary designs. The Japanese had processed rear-wheel-drive, water-cooled, front-engine little vehicles so they available effectively inside the North American marketplace, plus Americans introduced their own similarly sized rear-wheel-drive Chevrolet Vega, Ford Pinto plus AMC Gremlin inside the 1970s. The superminis inside Europe adopted more effective transverse-engine front-wheel-drive layouts, plus sales started dropping inside the mid-1970s. There had been many unsuccessful tries with substitute or supplement the Beetle inside the VW product line throughout the 1960s; the Type 3, Type 4, as well as the NSU-based K70 were all less effective than the Beetle, though aimed at more upscale markets for that VW lacked credibility. The over-reliance found on the Beetle meant which Volkswagen was inside financial crisis by 1974. It required German government funding with provide the Beetle's substitution. Just whenever manufacturing lines at Wolfsburg flipped with the fresh watercooled, front-engined, front-wheel drive Golf tailored by Giorgetto Giugiaro inside 1974, did Volkswagen provide a automobile because effective because the Beetle. The Golf will be periodically redesigned over its life, entering its seventh generation inside 2012, with just a some components carried over between decades, whilst the Beetle had just minor refinements of its authentic shape.

The Golf didn't kill Beetle creation, that continued inside small numbers at different German factories till 19 January 1978, whenever mainstream manufacturing changed with Brazil plus Mexico: markets where low working expense was significant. The Beetle Cabriolet was yielded for the North American plus European markets inside Germany till 10 January 1980. The last Beetle was yielded inside Puebla, Mexico, inside July 2003. The final batch of 3,000 Beetles were available because 2004 models plus badged because the Última Edición, with whitewall wheels, a host of earlier discontinued chrome trim, as well as the choice of 2 specialized paint hues taken within the New Beetle. Production inside Brazil ended inside 1986, then began again inside 1993 plus continued till 1996. Volkswagen available Beetle sedans inside the US till August 1977 plus inside Europe till 1985, with private businesses continuing with import vehicles yielded inside Mexico following 1985.

The Beetle outlasted many additional vehicles that had copied the back air-cooled engine design including those by Subaru, Fiat, plus General Motors. Porsche's sport coupes that were initially based about Volkswagen components plus platforms continue with utilize the classic back engine design inside the Porsche 911 series, that remains competitive inside the next decade of the 21st century.