It's A Bug's Life!

The bulk of Germany’s surviving classic commercials are the fabled Type 2 ‘splitties’ and ‘bay windows’, and it’s fair to say that there are hundreds worldwide, including here in the UK. However, Volkswagen didn’t just build commercials on these larger chassis, as Dean Reader found out.

- Dean Reader

Here at Heritage Commercials, we have featured the occasional Type 2 commercial, but how many of you know there were smaller commercials (known as a Kleinlieferwagen) in the VW range that are largely unrecognised outside of the VW scene? So, what started out as a feature on a rather unusual Beetle-based commercial turned into something bigger, and with these VWs receiving little coverage elsewhere, it would be a shame to ignore the subject. So, let’s start with the first small Volkswagen, the Type 1 Beetle.

The Peoples Commercial?

Whether you are into classic cars or not, everyone should know the long-told story behind the rise of the VW Beetle, so I won’t dilly dally on that segment of Germany’s post-war automobile rebirth history, but rather concentrate on the vans and pick-ups. But wait! Do I hear the cries of ‘they didn’t make any of these’? Well, you would be partly right.