A 1302S Super Beetle chassis with fitted engine and gearbox moves along the assembly line, waiting for its body to come down from above

Super Beetle body shell painted in Clementine Orange L20D

Wolfsburg, August 1970. Note the basic "Sparkäfer" 1200 models - blade bumpers, smaller rear lights and with a 34hp single-port engine fitted, slots in the engine lid were not necessary

Completed bodies, including 1302 models, are carefully lowered from the conveyor chain on to their chassis for the Hochzeit at the Wolfsburg plant

A fresh batch of North-American specification imported cars at the Port of Ensenada, northwest Mexico in 1971, including a lot of Super Beetles, known as the 1302 in Europe

A colorful scene at the Wolfsburg plant with 1302 bodies being completed on the assembly line in the early 1970s

1302 production painted in the very popular Marina Blue

1303 Super Beetle production Wolfsburg, March 1973

1974 model year production in Wolfsburg Germany

A colorful assortment of Standard and Super Beetles arrive at the New York docks in 1974

Somewhere in Canada, 1973 Beetles being transported on a 3 deck train operated by CN (Canadian National) railways. Most of the regular colours offered on both the Standard and Super Beetle sedans for North America in 1973 are represented in this image, only Kansas Beige and Sumatra Green are missing

The Beetle became Der Weltmiester (World Champion) on February 1972

Production began at VW-Werk Wolfsburg of the Gelb-Schwarze Renner (Yellow Black Racer) Beetle special limited edition on December 1972 and continued until February 1973

Test car VW Beetle 1303 in the Wolfsburg wind tunnel

To celebrate West Germany winning the FIFA World Cup in 1974, Wilhelm Karmann GmbH produced twenty-five 1303 Super Beetle Cabriolets as a “World Cup ‘74” very limited special edition for all the members of the West German winning team

An early Passat surrounded by 1303 Super Beetles coming off the conveyor belt carrying cars out of the Wolfsburg factory. The Passat debuted in May 1973, so this image was taken between May 1973 and July 1974 but probably sometime in mid to late 1973

The 'home made' last ever Super Beetle sedan to be made at Volkswagen Brussels in 1975, a 1303 model

The 15 millionth Beetle is presented to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC in February 1972

The 2 millionth Beetle to be shipped from the port of Emden is seen on March 1971, being hoisted aboard the Volkswagen transport ship Johann Schulte. The car is a 1302 Super Beetle and was decorated in traditional style with colorful Chrysanthemums

A 1302 Super Beetle being driven on Volkswagen's test track at Ehra-Lessien, 20 kilometers north of Wolfsburg

Images courtesy of Volkswagen Factory Pictures

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