1957 Volkswagen Beetle

Description

The Beetle is so iconic it is recognized the moment it comes into view. But despite a car that was advertised for being the same, there's a hierarchy among these love bugs, and this 1957 Volkswagen Beetle is right on top. With desirable early features, great colors, and a well maintained/restored quality inside & out, this is a showstopper at an affordable price.

We're getting all sorts of attention on this one. Beetle aficionados cherish these years because of the craftsmanship that goes into the earlier cars, including the Wolfsburg crest on the front, "W" decklid, and the overall fit and finish. Plus, '57 was the last year of the oval rear window. But all enthusiasts love features like the shiny Coral Red paint, custom VW wheels with whitewall tires, bright factory chrome bumpers, an abundance of other brightwork, and of course, the full-length ragtop sunroof.

The VW signature spartan interior is very well-finished, and features light beige vinyl upholstery with Coral Red piping to match the exterior. The door panels and dash also carry the same tropical hue for a true uniform appearance. The driver gets a grippy white steering wheel with the Wolfsburg city crest proudly affixed to the center. Beyond that is the VDO speedometer that looks just as much at home in a Porsche as it does here. This one feels thoroughly factory correct, nearly factory fresh, and it has the rare center-mounted VDO tachometer!

The engine bay is a very clean marvel of simplicity – just what these Beetles should be. The very tidy 1200cc horizontally-opposed four-cylinder engine is topped by the Solex one-barrel carburetor. It fires up easily with a magical buzz that only an air-cooled motor can. These are far from the most powerful motors out there, but it's the engineering that makes the VW legendary. The rear mounted motor gives the car good traction, and doesn't have the power loss associated with a large driveshaft. The four-cylinder is built to be stout and run all day without overheating thanks to air cooling. Also, you get to make the most out of this motor with the control of the four-speed manual transmission. The result is a nippy little car. But let's face it, when it looks this good, you want to be going slow enough so everyone gets a good stare at this bug.

A classic VW is an easy car to drive, maintain, and above all, cherish. It only gets better when an early one with such desirable features is turnkey ready and easily affordable. With the longer days ahead, we know this ragtop sunroof example will be going quick. Call today!