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15 Millionth Commemorative Edition 1972 Superbug
1972super - April 28th, 2003 at 02:59 PM

Hi,

I'm new to this great forum and pretty much new to the wonderful world of aircooled Volkswagens.

My question regards my 11/1972 Superbug, which I recently purchased. according to the VW club of Victoria’s Aussie Beetle history page, the 15 Millionth Commemorative Edition had a medallion on the glove box lid and carpet. My car does not have the medallion but it does have carpet however this may have been fitted many years after it was made.

What part of 1972 were the 15 Millionth Commemorative Edition sold? Or was there a option of buying a standard 1972 Superbug or the Commemorative Edition?

Regards

1972super


Phil74Camper - May 1st, 2003 at 11:37 PM

The Commemorative Beetle was a short assembly run of 1,500 cars, with the medallion and an improved level of interior trim. They were assembled in Melbourne and sold through VW dealers as normal cars. Once they were gone, that was it. Apart from the few cosmetic additions, they were identical with normal VWs of that year.

These badges turn up at swapmeets - don't worry, you will find one.

They were made to commemmorate the Beetle passing the Model T Ford's production record of 15,007,033, which VW did in February 1972. Australian cars were assembled from CKD kits from Germany, with some local components like glass, tyres and batteries. Changes made to German models often took four or five months to reach here, so I would surprised if the Commemmorative Model appeared before June 1972.

[Edited on 1-5-2003 by Phil74Camper]


matara - May 2nd, 2003 at 10:26 AM

I have a 15 millioneth too! Its got a Britax sunroof that I thought came as a dealer option. Nothing much else that different!

Heres a pic of the badge:-


1972super - May 2nd, 2003 at 05:38 PM

I'm still not 100% sure if it is a 15 Millionth Commemorative Edition or not. It was assembled in November of 1972, but seeing it has not evidence of a badge on the glove box lid it is probably not. I don't really care if it's not, I'm just curious.

Maybe an expert can have a look at the Albury gathering in June.


Mach1 - May 1st, 2007 at 11:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by matara
I have a 15 millioneth too! Its got a Britax sunroof that I thought came as a dealer option. Nothing much else that different!

Heres a pic of the badge:-


Hi matara

Do you have other pics of your 15 millionth ???
Do you know where I could find the "15 millionth / collector's bug" on the internet?
Geoffroy


vw54 - May 2nd, 2007 at 07:15 AM

The dash also had a special gunmetal strip across it and on the glove box lid

the purchaser also got a similar badge as a key fob and there was a booklet out as well Ive only seen one booklet over the years but plenty of key fobs on Ebay

The glove box lid comes up at swaps there all numbered 1- 1500


barls - May 2nd, 2007 at 05:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 1972super
I'm still not 100% sure if it is a 15 Millionth Commemorative Edition or not. It was assembled in November of 1972, but seeing it has not evidence of a badge on the glove box lid it is probably not. I don't really care if it's not, I'm just curious.

Maybe an expert can have a look at the Albury gathering in June.

november sounds too late ive got one and mine was about june. try looking at this link for one
http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=25214 


ancientbugger - May 2nd, 2007 at 08:13 PM

Was this the same as the 'Marathon' or Championship Beetle special edition that came out in Europe? 'cos I had one of those as my first car (back in the UK). That was made to commemorate passing the model T (over there at least) and they were all light metallic blue(marathon metallic) with ten spoke steel wheels, rubber inserts in the bumpers. Mine was 1300cc twin port with torsion bar front suspension not a super and I believe they only produced two thousand in RHD.


barls - May 2nd, 2007 at 08:46 PM

similar but the one hes talking about is the local version and was a couple of months before


ancientbugger - May 3rd, 2007 at 09:41 PM

I'd give anything to get another set of those wheels. Would you you believe I had them widened to 6" at the front and 8" at the rear and then gave them away in the end:blush:


zjm - May 31st, 2007 at 10:30 PM

I bought one yesterday and the strips on the dash are different to a normal beetle and the glove box lid and the grills next to the speedo are black my car is red


Typ-152 - June 3rd, 2007 at 08:50 PM

A freind of mine has only the glovebox lid (thats all that left of the car ) with the # 1 stamped
as a single numeral only, no zeros. I have a photo of it but will not produce well enough to put up. Cheers Jason


handbagdeb - June 29th, 2011 at 06:41 PM

I have one too, number 176 as I remember-before some (I suspect) Beastie Boys fans broke in and nicked both that and the bonnet badge-it was the 80s. Does anyone know where I can get a replacement-or confirm its number? Its absence irks me.


alien8 - June 30th, 2011 at 04:20 AM

In the badge pic it looks like its rolling on Riviera's.


1303Steve - June 30th, 2011 at 08:40 AM

Hi

I have a glove box lid but no badge somewhere in my stash. I thought that they also had carpet instead of of rubber mats.

I found 15 million badge in a 1500 Beetle years ago.

Steve


Uncle Craig - June 30th, 2011 at 01:14 PM

Gday, I have a 71 super bug and was wondering if any 71's could have had the 15million badge on them. Or was it 72 build only?
regards Craig


barls - June 30th, 2011 at 01:34 PM

it was only limited number of production that was about 2 months at about may 72 i think from memory.


vw144 - June 30th, 2011 at 05:30 PM

I was working(!) at the factory in 1972 and they started producing them straight after the Xmas break.


bushed - June 30th, 2011 at 06:37 PM

got a lid and a badge if anyone wants
offers ?


scootissimo - September 11th, 2016 at 07:48 PM

Long shot I know but anyone out there want to part with a 15 millionth commemorative model keyring?


Phil74Camper - September 13th, 2016 at 08:03 AM

No 1971 cars with this edition - the Model T record wasn't passed until February 1972.


AA003 - September 13th, 2016 at 05:04 PM

From memory they were released about February/March.

They had carpets and red striped tyres (radials?).


68AutoBug - September 14th, 2016 at 04:52 PM

When counting the number of beetles produced.....

did they count the beetles made in South Africa and Brazil??
and Mexico etc???

it seems they may have counted the Aussie made beetles???

With the figure of 1500 commemorative 1972 Super bugs, was that the number sold in Australia???

I didn't know about the carpet....

LEE


waltermitty - September 14th, 2016 at 06:54 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by 68AutoBug
When counting the number of beetles produced.....

did they count the beetles made in South Africa and Brazil??
and Mexico etc???

it seems they may have counted the Aussie made beetles???

With the figure of 1500 commemorative 1972 Super bugs, was that the number sold in Australia???

I didn't know about the carpet....

LEE

The Commemorative Beetle was a short assembly run of 1,500 cars, with the medallion and an improved level of interior trim. They were assembled in Melbourne and sold through VW dealers as normal cars. Once they were gone, that was it. Apart from the few cosmetic additions, they were identical with normal VWs of that year.

These badges turn up at swapmeets - don't worry, you will find one.

They were made to commemmorate the Beetle passing the Model T Ford's production record of 15,007,033, which VW did in February 1972. Australian cars were assembled from CKD kits from Germany, with some local components like glass, tyres and batteries. Changes made to German models often took four or five months to reach here, so I would surprised if the Commemmorative Model appeared before June 1972.

[Edited on 1-5-2003 by Phil74Camper]


1303Steve - September 15th, 2016 at 12:53 PM

When I worked in a VW dealer in the 70s I ordered a genuine VW carpet kit in, very well made, it have been kept in stock from the 15 million production