After 21 Years Volkswagen Bids Farewell To The Iconic Beetle

After its multi-generational run as a brand mainstay and global automotive phenomenon, the Volkswagen Beetle is ending production. The final car produced by Volkswagen de Mexico’s Puebla plant—a Denim Blue coupe—will live on display at Volkswagen’s local museum in Puebla as a lasting tribute to the automobile’s rich and storied heritage.Introduced to America as the Type 1, Volkswagen sold nearly five million Beetles in the United States and a worldwide total of 21.5 million cars. In 1998, the New Beetle—an early automotive adopter of “modern retro” design language—re-introduced the familiar silhouette to a new generation of drivers, and sold more than 1.2 million cars between 1998 and 2010. In 2011, the third, and the current generation of Beetle went on sale in the U.S. as a 2012 model, and more than 500,000 have been built since.[gallery size="full" ids="9983,9984,9988"]Sold in both coupe and convertible variants, the second- and third-generation of Beetles have collectively been produced in 23 different exterior colors, 32 interior trims, 13 varying engine configurations and 19 special editions, including the Dune, Denim, Coast and #PinkBeetle. All second- and third-generation Beetles have been built by Volkswagen de Mexico, Puebla, and have been sold in 91 markets worldwide.After its celebration, the final Beetle will be displayed at Volkswagen’s museum in the city of Puebla, Mexico. The last cars built for the U.S., a pair of Kings Red vehicles with custom dashes, keys and quilted seats, will join Volkswagen of America’s collection of historic vehicles. The Volkswagen Beetle has been one of the most recognizable cars for the past couple generation and we stand and salute to its run that spanned 21 years. Bye, bye Beetle.