I'll have to look that up, as I have been talking to an
owner of a 1972 semi Auto Beetle with a badge on the
glovebox...
All semi Autos were made in Germany...
There were only 2000 special badged Beetles produced for worldwide distribution...
I think 200 went to Australia..... Can't remember where I read that..
So they are still fairly rare.....
this was the celebrate the breaking of the Ford T Model
production record of 15,007,034 cars....
on 17th feb 1972...
Lee
bugeyedbabe ·
here's to hoping its pasteing properly
.....
On February 17th 1972 the 15,007,034th Beetle was sold. Volkswagen had now claimed the world production record for the most produced single make of car in history. It was a 1302 Super Beetle that took the honors beating the 60-year-old record set by the Ford model T. This was an important mark in automotive history and that very car was donated by Volkswagen to the Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC for permanent display in the industrial section. In recognition of this special occasion Volkswagen equipped six thousand Super Beetles with a blue metallic paint scheme, special 10 spoke pressed steel wheels, and gave it the title of Marathon Beetle. This "European only" Beetle was the World Champion or Der Weltmeister as it was called in Germany. The Super Beetle was the global winner and was also being manufactured in South Africa though none of these vehicles were ever exported.
.....
Came from the 'superbeetles site'. I have read some more elsewhere on the anniversary models, so will go and countinue to hunt more info...especially the cars sent to aus...
bugeyedbabe ·
here's another link...ut it talks about the 20th million car being produced...
Nealy bought one of the commenmorative beetles but alas the $ and condition didn't synch
ancientbugger ·
My first beetle was a Marathon beetle in the UK. Marathon blue paint , 10 spoke wheels, was a 1300 twin port engine torsion bar front end, it even came with a flagpole on the front passenger side wing, beautiful looking car so what did I do! Widened the wheels and arches, black windows, respray, dechromed it, my dad had a fit! But that's what you do when you're young and stupid:bounce
68AutoBug ·
The "marathon beetle" wasn't a super in the UK... ??
I don't think.... I read where it was the 1300 cc engine in a 1200 body....
it was also the anniversary of the 300,000 Beetle sold in the UK in 1972...
There was also the Jeans Beetle & the GT Beetle in the UK...
they got lots of extras for little or no extra money....
they didn't do that in Australia.....
I wonder if there are any 1972 Marathon Beetle owners on AVD
other then Tom Mahlers.. No 1453 semi AUTOMATIC Beetle..
I'm just wondering if any Australian Assembled Beetles had the Commemorative badge on the glovebox lid...
Incidently, I must have pressed the wrong Key,
I was just answering someone elses question ......
Lee [/b]
jo_tas ·
Back when i was in college... in my automotive class, we did some work on a teachers bug.. i remember it being a white superbug with the badge on the glovebox...
bugeyedbabe ·
jo - its possible, but then it could also have been any one of the 35 odd special edition super bugs that were made....
once vw produced one, they produced many...hehe...
there is another thread also with info on the super as well...
empi ·
I have the badge 808 , i may have a few kickin round.
62deluxe ·
My first car was a 15 millionth edition bug. They are not the same as the marathon bugs.
Mine was mustard with back glove box and speaker grills. The trim across the dash was different too. Wish I still had it.........
Hope that sheds a bit of light!
WABaja ·
Guess I should have kept that one then huh...??? I think it went to the crusher... But I DID manage to grab that big round special badge off the glovebox door...!!! hehehehe.....
Spoze ya better cross at least ONE off that Shindlers List now hey...
vw54 ·
the Commorative Beetles with the badge on the dash were built in and for Australia only, there was some 1500 made, representing the 15million.
These badges were numbered and not available in any other country.
preacherman ·
Hi
I have been offered a 15 Million Commemorative Beetle by a local guy. It is original red- really bright red, and has the badge /plaque on the glove compartment. The body and interior are immaculate and it is 4 speed.
The motor is stuffed on it...a stud is pulling out of the case, and he is asking 2500. Is it worth getting?
I see him each week and have a chat about it. The case had a oversized stud put in it a while ago but it looks like it is pulling out again. There are thousands of dollars worth of receipts for work done on it since this guy had it.
What do youthink...is it worth getting...will it ever be a 'collectors item'?
68AutoBug ·
Maybe because many people don't know about them,
they aren't worth anymore than other beetles at the Moment
IMHO....
but they may become collectors Beetles in future years....
I read where there were 200 allotted to Australia....
it would be interesting to see how many are left....
What does the badge look like? I have a friend with a badge on her glovebox....but she swears blind its a 1974 model
68AutoBug ·
If You read in Books or the internet about special edition Beetles -
like - Jeans Beetle - GT Beetle - Marathon Bug - SunBug - June Bug - Chocolate Bug - Le Grande beetle- etc...
NONE of these were ever sold in Australia....
VW Australasia did their own thing ... which was nothing basically....
thats why You don't see all those nice sunroofs, pop out windows and 10 spoke steel wheels everywhere...
VW in Australia wasn't interested.... in accessories or specials
So, We didn't have them....
If Dave is correct, then the actual "made in Germany"
15 millionth anniversary Beetle could be VERY Rare in Australia...
Tom has one... a Semi Auto "Made in Germany" beetle....
I wasn't sure what they were called in Australia....
Maybe 15 Millionth beetle ??
so Anniversary - Marathon etc beetle could be Incorrect
for these Aussie assembled Beetles...
Apologies for the Mistake....
Everything I've been reading (so far) is suggesting the only thing done to commerorate the the 20th VW, and 15th million beetle, was all coming out of germany.
Nothing from here. but having said that, there maybe a souce that others have that I am/we are missing.
I think the other thing ppl need to realise is that there are TWO beetles (at least) that i can identify that ppl are talking about, the jubilee and the marathon....(as they were titled in wolfsberg)
In addition to this, VW also went onto put out another 35 special edition super bugs over the years...
So if u have a bug with a plate or a badge, can u pls get a pic, or even just advise what the badge says (if anything) and looks like....in addition to that, if u could give us soem vin numbers....would be great.
I (for me only) would like to find out more if possible, to work out the aussie connection to this...
In addition - i don't think the anniversary beetle was ever an offical title given to the ones from germany...so it may be that aussie did have one in its production line, called the anniversay, but details about it may be scarce or lost...
will keep reading 9I get to see soem funny thinsg along my searches...)
bugeyedbabe ·
more for the history buffs.....
I found another site, whilst looking for info on supers...which gives a bit more history abotu the VW and it origins (including the v8) worth reading...seems pretty accurate...heres the link...
OK Heres the photo of the glove box plate the vin plate didn't come out so here are the no.s
Engine- AD 326801
Chassis- 1122184706
Commemorative-1453
Also on the plate is says it was made by Motor Producers Limited but its a stick shift auto
nbturbo ·
Lee,when I worked at a VW Garage in the mid 70's,we had a customer with one he had bought new,and it was orange in colour with a light colour trim,blacked out dash bits and a 1300 TP motor.I seem to remember something else odd about it which may have been a swing axle back end.The badge from memory was a gold thing about 2 inches round and on the glovebox lid.It was too long ago and many brain cells have been alcoholicly deleted in the last 30 years.
barls ·
i got one that im using as a donor body for chaos in his rebuild
Che Castro ·
I think Matara on this forum had one a while back with a factory golde ragtop in it.
Personally I dont think they are worth any more than any other bug of its age. VW released quite a few limited edition models in the 70's to help falling sales.
ancientbugger ·
In the UK I saw many Marathon beetle but never saw one that was a 1302. I'm at work at the mo but when I get home I'll post pics of a couple. At the time 1200s still were produced but with the rounded bumpers and with a lot less trim-cost cutting was starting in a big way.
ancientbugger ·
As for the official name I believe it was World Championship and just the colour was Marathon blue. Also the Munich Olympics in 1972 a Championship beetle led the athletes around the stadium at the opening ceremony.
68AutoBug ·
Yes, nbturbo,
I think You are right about the badge....
I have seen one like that at a swap meet for sale....
Tom,
I think Motor Producers just attached that plate because they sold the car in Australia....
Che Castro,
This was the ONLY special edition sold in Australia....
We didn't get any of the others.... NONE....
and there were NO special colors.... in Australia..
in the UK, in 1972 they had the Marathon beetle to commemorate selling 300,000 beetles in the UK....
It Wasn't a SuperBug.... neither was the GT Beetle....
they were 1200 late bodies with fancy wheels etc and the
1600cc engine instead of the small engine...
the 1200's were made in Germany right up till the closing of the Emden Beetle Factory....
most were sold in Germany & the UK.....
Lee
traumin ·
Thanks Lee
I asked 2 of the local repairers today about the origins. One didn't know and the other confirmed your opinion Tom
bugeyedbabe ·
cool as for that info lee...
and if anyone has a badge..i'd love it....just thought it would be nice to get a hld of them to be able to show ppls the different ones that came out...see if we can get a proper display from all those round the world...(I can see eyes filling with dollar signs as we speak)
but dont u think it's be good...go to a meet, see the badges on display at the AVD stand and go...hey, i got that badge, now i know what it means...
especially if we can get a blurb written by the very informed lee, on each, print it to paper, and hand it to those who have one....so they can say to their frineds etc...see, this is what that badge means...
just a thought.....
but like i said, if u have badges and plaques from 'donor' cars, send to me, i'd love them....(also cars details if u have them on hand (like vin and engine, type etc)
cheers
donna
traumin ·
Thanks for all of your help and wisdom Lee and Donna. Appreciate the time and effort that you have put in.
regards Tom.
68AutoBug ·
thanks Donna & others...
It looks like You May have a very Rare Beetle Tom....
Appreciating by the day......
A Very Interesting topic....
which is hard to find info as most of it has been Written Overseas....
Marathon Beetle was Metallic Blue, SunBug was Yellow , Le Grande beetle was metallic Green .. etc...
I cannot remember ever seeing a metallic beetle "made In Australia"
Yes they were available in from Germany from approx 1956..
I'd have to look it up to be correct...
Any more of these special Beetles in Australia????
They do seem to be Very Rare ....
Lee
traumin ·
Does this mean that we could possibly have the only one? Does anyone have any more info please???
bugeyedbabe ·
i've heard of about 3 others on here...but all may be a little different...
luke i think - Original_1972_Superbeetle - has one...but not sure of specs on his...
but can't remember the other two (wer asking abotu it all back when i first came onto here...
but they seem to be pretty rare none the less....
and if i recall, there is a site os which ask ppl with these bugs to register them...will see if i can find it for u tom...
cheers
donna
Kombi_Rescue ·
guys as big dave said only 1500 speacial plated bugs went thru the dealer ships....they came with a matching key ring and certificate..these were locally produced and fitted in clayton on both superbug[1302 manual/auto] and 1300's..other differences were fully carpeted floor, black glove box lid and speaker grills vw at the time ran full page ads and lots of point of sale material celebrating the 15th mill. Lee metallic paint started 1953and in 1975 some autralian superbugs[1303] were painted in metallic brown same as the passat..one attends valla park each year. I think any australian produced beetle is valuable..only 260,055 beetles were produced in australia !
68AutoBug ·
I know Volkswagenwerk painted Beetles in metallic paint back in 1953...
But I have been an avid VW fanatic since 1962.... and I've never seen a Metallic Beetle in the 60s or early 70s...
Ok on the 1303S being in Metallic paint...
I never really took any notice of them, as they didn't have a flat windscreen....
There were never many colours used in Australia....
and the colours were different to German colours too...
I remember they introduced some new Colours in 1967...
a Royal Blue I remember.....
Maybe they were using paint colors used on Datsuns etc..
I'm sure the Polar white was used on beetles & Datsuns....
You could buy the Auto paint touch up spray cans with Polar White - Used on Volkswagens & Datsuns -
and the 1500 Commemorative Beetles assembled in Australia are Different to the 200 from Germany which would be ONLY semi Auto Beetles.... as they were built in Germany..
I read where 200 were for Australia....
Did they ship & Sell 200 1972 German built Beetles [Autos??] in Australia ???
So much We don't know....
Lee
preacherman ·
The 15 million Commemorative beetle that I was offered had the same badge on the glove lid and was definately bright red from new. It did have anumber on it and I will take a pic and post it. By the sounds of it there was at least 200 in Australia but I will check the number as it said what number it was and how manywere in the build. eg 155/200 or whatever.
traumin ·
OK searching through all the owners manuals that came with the car ( should of looked at them a bit harder first ), her colour is the original radar red, she has an importers No. 994 200, type/model 114132, original engine still in. Now she was first sold as a demo on the 1-11-1972 to a Mr W D Mills from Auto Centre PTY LTD Mount Gravatt QLD (dealer No. 994 212) and still has the original registration plate No. PZD 304 which have been personalized now. Have looked up every D W Mills in the phone book in QLD, havn't found him yet ( but get this all the one's I"ve rung so far have owned beetles !!! )
Tom and Sue