German dictator Adolf Hitler’s people’s car finds many a lover in the city
Manisha Singhal
MUMBAI: A Beetle is never bought or sold, it only changes homes.
If you took a look at the 12 Beetles that adorned the curvaceous Bandra Reclamation bend on Sunday morning—ready to cruise for a fun rally to revive the old Beetles Club India — you would have understood what it means to own a Beetle.
“Today’s attempt is to get in touch with new Beetle owners and bring the club back to life,” said Anoop Thakur, one of the original members of the 1991 Club, who owns actor (the late) Sanjeev Kumar’s Beetle, a 1600cc semi-automatic.
Taking part in the fun run was also the father-son duo of Keith and Kyle Mascarehnas, residents of Bandra (west).
The family owns five Beetles. Keith’s blue-coloured car was the oldest in the pack—a 1957 model. “This is our second rally in the past six months,” said Keith. “On the check post when I am asked to open the boot, I actually have to go in the front to do it and the policemen are quite amused (Beetles has the engine at the rear).” said Durgesh Nadkarni, who bought a 1961 Beetle 11 years ago.
Though it was a small ride, culminating at the Carter Road promenade (instead of the decided Gateway of India), there were many people who gathered to feast their eyes on these cars. After all, as a relatively new Beetle-owner Paresh Gandhi remarked, “When you own a Beetle, you own a part of history.”
Beetles down the ages
Beetle Volkswagen, positioned as the people’s car for the German family, was first commissioned in Germany by Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
The production for the car started in 1930.
The height of the Beetle cult was reached in Disney's Herbie series of five films.
In 2003, Volkswagen's plant in Mexico launched one last retro edition of the plucky bug before bringing down the curtain on nearly 70 years of history.
A redesigned, sleeker version called the New Beetle was launched in 1998, but at a price of $20,000 to $25,000, it’s no longer an everyman's car.
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