At the Geneva Motor Show this year, it was announced that the Volkswagen Beetle will not be replaced at the end of its current production run. The hearts of petrolheads everywhere were torn apart. Despite being born out of one of the darkest regimes in human history, the magical Beetle has brought us immeasurable joy over the years and deserves to be remembered as basking in its own ecstasy.
Here are just six of our fondest memories of the noble Beetle.
6. Fight Club (1999) – Don’t talk about Fight Club? No! The first rule is to always smash the Beetle with a baseball bat
Of all the situations where the humble Beetle is wholly out of its depth, this ranks pretty high on the list. This scene from the infamous 1999 film, Fight Club sees an innocent Beetle parked by the side of the road and minding its own business end up on the receiving end of a brutal beating. Watching this was the first time I felt a genuine desire to hug a car.
5. Once Upon a Time (2011) – Bug to the rescue
In a stark change of pace and tone from Fight Club, we move onto Once Upon A Time, a fantasy-drama television series that first aired in 2011. Irrespective of the actual quality of the programme, its one undeniable redeeming feature is the recurrent appearances of a lovely yellow Beetle. It features in many scenes and lights up the screen in all of them.
4. Happy Gilmore (1996) – Vorks Wagon
Happy Gilmore is one of the 7,000 Adam Sandler films released over the past 25 years. It is remarkable for a scene in which a rogue Beetle, driven by an unhinged maniac, trundles down a hill before ploughing into Sandler. Besides seeing the actor fall over in a comically dramatic fashion, it is delightful to watch the Beetle scarper away across the grass.
3. Double Trouble (1967) – Penrose police chase
Double Trouble is a 1967 film starring the one and only Elvis Presley, who can be seen at one point participating in a police chase in a surprisingly agile, very nippy little Beetle, fleeing from what appears to be an entire town’s police force crammed into – you guessed it – another Beetle. This scene highlights the Beetle’s little-touted nimbleness in a light-hearted, comedic and thoroughly enjoyable way.
2. Footloose (1984) – Fury factory
1984’s Footloose, easily one of the best musicals of all time, had the honour of featuring a 1972 Beetle in one of its most iconic scenes. A source of release and comfort for the infuriated protagonist, the Beetle plays the supporting role perfectly, giving the main character his space but also getting just enough screen time.
1. Herbie, The Love Bug (1968)
In comparison to this, the Holy Grail of cultural references to the Beetle, all those other scenes seem trivial. Herbie, a car of equal parts devilish cunning and irresistible adorableness, captured our hearts all the way back in 1968 with the release of The Love Bug, so much so that five sequels have been launched since then in a continuing attempt to recapture that magic, with varying degrees of success. This film is a classic, and it owes all its success to Herbie.
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Comments (66)
Okay, being younger than all of you, I don't know any of these movies, but I do know the beetle featured in Captain America : Civil War
I'm 18 🙄
I'm 18 as well... I get your reference..... What about the cabriolet one from the live action movie of Casper the friendly ghost
Is it really dead? :p
This joke makes me sad
Why?
WHY?! The Beetle is an ICON! The car of the people! Why would Volkswagen get rid of one of the most iconic cars OF ALL TIME?
The world of business is brutal. Thanks for reading and commenting!
Because there shit.
So, it's done. Time to start mentally preparing for the moment when the last ones roll off of the production line in Mexico right around 2043.
That's sooner than you think
I'm going to miss them. The last version is quite distinct and attractive. Retro without being too compromised. Cars today tend to look like angry Siamese fighting fish.
A vivid description. Thanks for reading and commenting!