The Many Lives of the Volkswagen Beetle

The All Terrain Vehicle

Volkswagen Group Singapore

The “Think Small” ad campaign made much of Volkswagen Beetle’s robust design, and soon Beetle drivers were busy testing the little car’s limits.

Thanks to its airtight construction, Volkswagen Beetles float when lowered into water. Malcolm Buchanan (pictured above) rode a roadworthy Beetle 59 km across the Irish Sea. Another Beetle spent a year on Antarctica, serving as a transport for an Australian research station. After returning to Australia, the “Red Terror” went on to win the 1964 BP Rally through hot, dusty Down Under roads.

To this day, heavily-modified Beetles compete in drag races and off-road competitions. “Baja Bugs”, or Beetles modified for off-road use, still compete every year in the Baja 1000 rally in Mexico.