The history of the Volkswagen brand began with the ‘Käfer’ (German word for Beetle). On May 28, 1937, the Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH (Company for the Preparation of the German Volkswagen Ltd.) was formally established. The name was changed to ‘Volkswagenwerk GmbH’ in 1938, and the company built its main plant in what has become Wolfsburg. However, the outbreak of war and integration into the arms industry prevented mass production of the Volkswagen (‘people’s car’); instead, military vehicles and other armaments were produced using forced labor.

On December 27, 1945, production of the Type 1 commenced. Volkswagen started assembly of 55 cars by the end of the year with 6,000 employees. The Volkswagen Type 1 was initially only available for authorities and the British military. Private buyers were able to acquire new cars in significant numbers only after the currency reform of June 1948. However, already in 1947, the decision was made to export the Beetle. This led to a split in production into ‘Standard’ and ‘Export’ models, which lasted for three decades. The ‘Export’ models (Type 11A) could be recognized by additional chrome parts (for instance, bumpers and wheel adornments) and a more comprehensive standard equipment, including adjustable seats.

Since developing and producing a curved rear window was deemed too expensive, engineers decided to use a split window. From 1949, open-top versions of the Beetle were produced to offer buyers a flair of luxury in the austere post-war years. A company called ‘Hebmüller’ developed an elegant 2+2-seater cabriolet based on the Beetle and received a production order from Volkswagen. 696 cars were built and sold by official Volkswagen dealers. Karmann also developed a Beetle cabriolet based on the ‘Export’ model. Unlike the Hebmüller version, Karmann proudly marketed its car as a four-window model with a usable rear seat. The opened soft-top rested at the rear of the body to provide sufficient rear legroom and luggage space. Volkswagen approved the car and delivered chassis to the plant in Osnabrück. In 1949, Wolfsburg ordered a pre-production of 25 vehicles. After the Karmann prototypes successfully completed comprehensive testing by Volkswagen, Wolfsburg ordered 1,000 customer cars—a significant number for a small coachbuilder.

Our stunning car is of the extremely rare first series Type 15 A (1949-1952) and was built on July 17, 1951, in Osnabrück. The worldwide ‘Karmann’ registry currently knows of only 165 Type 15 cabriolets, making them a rare sight anywhere in the world and the most sought-after model for any collector of early Volkswagen vehicles.

The Ron Sturgeon Collection