1959 Volkswagen Beetle

The Story

No car better captures mid-century optimism and everyman practicality than the Volkswagen Beetle. By 1959 the 'people's car' was selling in huge numbers around the world, its simple air-cooled engineering and bulletproof reliability winning over families on a budget.

The 1959 model carried a 1,192 cc air-cooled flat-four mounted in the tail, producing all of 36 horsepower. Performance was leisurely, with a 0-60 mph crawl of roughly thirty seconds, but the Beetle made up for it with frugality, durability and a top speed that finally nudged highway-capable territory.

That year brought sensible refinements: a stronger reinforced frame, an anti-sway bar, beefier clutch springs and the move toward a fully synchromesh gearbox. The shape, of course, stayed charmingly, famously unchanged, the secret to its decades-long appeal.

At just $1,545 when new, the 1959 Beetle put motoring within reach of millions and helped launch Volkswagen's American success story. Today these early sedans are beloved entry-level classics, simple to own, endlessly cheerful and dripping with nostalgia.