Classic VW Beetles in SE Asia, Volkswagen “Type 1” … Chiang Mai

Here in northern Thailand, I’m surprised at the number of old Volkswagens that I see around town.

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Little car, big in Asia

Every few days, I see another original VW Beetle here on the streets of Chiang Mai. While this old classic has virtually disappeared from the USA and Canada, it remains rather common and quite popular in Chiang Mai. And many of them remain in very good shape.

A Beetle by any other name

The old Beetle was known officially as the Type 1, and unofficially as the “Bug.” It was also called the “Love Bug,” and when I was a kid, we jokingly referred to it as “Hitler’s Handbag.

The old Beetle was a very basic, no-frills economy car with a rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. Surprisingly, it became the most manufactured car ever, with over 21 million sold over its 5-decade run.

The Beetle was first manufactured in Germany in 1938.

In 1974, the company stopped producing the old Type 1 Beetle, and replaced it with the front-wheel-drive Golf.

Remade, remodeled

In 1988, however, the company introduced its “New Beetle,” which featured a stylish update of the old Type 1 model.

Over the 15 months that I’ve lived here, I’ve seen only 2 or 3 of those New Beetles, and I managed to get a photo of only 1 of them. Albeit a very nice shiny yellow one.