Original Volkswagen Beetles can be had for a couple of thousand at minimum these days, so why pay €1 million for one? Because it came from Mexico.
For just €1,097,000 ($1.2 million USD), one wealthy individual would have the honor of owning one of the last Beetles to leave the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico in 2003, Autoblog reports.
Despite being one of the final Última Edición models, there isn’t much to the Beetle 1600 Mexico waiting for the new owner’s arrival. The interior is black cloth, the exterior is beige, and it only has around 75 miles on the odometer.
The owner, Maik Patzwaldt, says he was personally involved in his and the other Última Edicións’ celebration event as “a former Employee of VW de México in a strategic position,” with his Beetle being one of the last of the last from the second and final day of production back in 2003. Whether the history behind his car is enough to place a million euros into his account, though, is up to the market to decide; the Última Edición originally sold for $7,700 in 2003 dollars.
[Photo credit: Classic Trader]
Air-cooled Type 1s are readily available for less than $2k.
CP.
Yep. For that money, the choice between a Porsche 918 Spyder and a taxi spec Beetle is not really that difficult.
It looks like absolute poverty third world taxi spec, and is not charming like the old ones. It’s the color of a faded piece of paper, and won’t appreciate in value as a classic.
And you can get an absolutely perfect, restored 60’s one for what, 7% of this price?
Not built like the old ones either. Those Mexican Beetles need a lot of finish/repair work if you want to keep one long-term.
That’s a good point too. You can tell from the pics it was sloppy when new. These just weren’t made for a collector-type function.
You need an old blue and white one with a roof rack and plaid seats, and white walls and dog dishes.
Not sure if talking about this Beetle, the New Beetle, or the current Beetle…?
We’re talking about this Beetle, and my comment about blue and white was about an old German Beetle.
If this car is sold anywhere close to its asking price. First will be that you really can’t continue to claim with a straight face that Volvos and Cadillacs are way overpriced.
Second would this sorta mean we are getting close to the peak of the classic/exotic/ really old car bubble. Because an “original” Volkswagen Beetle selling for a million bucks does seem like a giant example of it being so. Especially compared to the new price of $7700 all the way back in 2003.
Or if I was cynical. Guy buys original 2003 Volkswagon Beetle for $7 grand ish. Owns it for 12 years wants to sell it. Figures out because its an Última Edición Beetle he wants more than just the doubling in value the car will receive despite the pristine condition the vehicle is in. He buys ad to sell car for one million dollars describing the car as one of the last ever made even thou it is 1 of 2,999. Que the internet, guy’s vehicle draws interest due to story spread across internet via news sites and car blogs. Someone makes him offer an offer substantially larger than market value. Thus guy makes out like bandit for selling a VW bug for way more than its worth.
Does it have AUX in.
I’d be concerned with the phrase “one of the last Beetles” For that kind of money I want the THE LAST ONE.
This. And I want it signed by all living descendants of Ferdinand Porsche. Then we’ll talk.
It better have some art that the Nazis stole in the trunk, and a deed to an agave plantation/tequilla distillery in the glove box.
For that amount, I want the first one, last one and every one made in-between.
I’d like to have a word with them on my Tiger tank which has been on back order for years. WTH Ferry?
Maybe a T72 will do instead?
That’s just not the same.
Yeah, a Russian built tank owned by the Polish doesn’t sound like a good used buy.
owned by the Polish?
A lot of T72s for sale are former Polish army vehicles.
Ah.
And Ferdy Peich’s used-to-b-kinda-hot-ex-nanny wife included in the deal!
I would imagine–I would HOPE–that the very last one will be on its way to Germany for Volkswagen to preserve. Then again, since the quality isn’t up to the original legendary VW standards, maybe they wouldn’t want to keep it.
The only Beetle I could imagine going for anything near the 1M euro mark would be something like an authentic WWII-era 4WD Kommandeurwagen in mint condition. Or maybe a prewar KdF-wagen. Anything else is just dreaming.
“a former Employee of VW de México in a strategic position”
We all appreciate fresh, hot coffee.
Café olé!
There’s a restaurant called that in Boise.
Isn’t it fun saying Boise?
I’ve never been. I imagine it to look rather boring, with brown buildings and lots of midwestern people?
Like this (this isn’t Boise).
http://ww3.hdnux.com/photos/32/65/54/7035686/3/920×1240.jpg
“brown buildings and lots of midwestern people”
Yeah! And lots of snow! That’s my Heaven Dream! Do you get them too?
No snow needed for me, it’s just a pain. I prefer colorful and/or architecturally interesting buildings, in a warm climate with no humidity and not many foreign people.
Here’s something also historically German, and yet much MUCH more interesting and pretty.
Pristine and rare RO80!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Other-Makes-NSU-Rare-/381260158979?ssPageName=ADME:X:DED:US:1123
Lord help the new owner if that thing breaks. I wouldn’t touch it with someone else’s 10,000 foot long pole.
Cool car, tho.
Not if, when.
Soon.
LOL, ancient rotary full of unobtanium parts from deceased automaker. Yeeeep.
Rotary too? This just gets better and better.
Yeah, the RO80 is a FWD Wankel!
Holy Jeebus. FWD Wankel!?!?!?!
Wait a 1968 interpretation of FWD *and* a rotary motor from a long dead automaker?
This is more radioactive than Fukushima.
Wait, there’s more! The auto gearbox is actuated via vacuum.
Per Wiki:
The Ro 80 featured a 113 bhp (84 kW; 115 PS), 995 cc twin-rotor Wankel engine driving the front wheels through a semi-automatic transmission with an innovative vacuum system.
The car featured an automatic clutch which was commonly described as a three-speed semi-automatic gearbox: there was no clutch pedal, but instead, on top of the gearknob, an electric switch that operated a vacuum system which disengaged the clutch. The gear lever itself then could be moved through a standard ‘H pattern’ gate.
omgwat.
This car sounds like it was designed on a dare.
“Interior trim combined cloth covered seats with PVC headlining and a carpeted floor.”
PVC headlining?
Hey something else RO80, Pininfarina did a one-off concept of a 2+2 convertible sedan (landaulet?), which has a big whiff of B-body Fleetwood to me.
http://www.madle.org/epmnsu.htm
I want to drive it about town.
Yikes, I’d watch out while driving it as Ahab might come after you.
Personally I love the wide whitewalls…
I’m going to go way out one a limb here and predict that he doesn’t actually sell it for that asking price.
What about the original Disney prop? Shouldn’t that be worth more?
I feel sorry for the poor sods who went from RO80 to PRV6. Surely that happened.
That transmission sounds very much like the old Saxomat that VW used to use in 1960’s Beetles. I think it was developed by Porsche, but I may be wrong there.
There is one born every minute…