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

Little car, big in Asia


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

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.

This is my entry in @juliank’s Vehicle Photography contest.