Join any VW community, and one of the questions you will notice is whether VW Beetle and VW Bug are the same things. These two terms continue to divide the closely-knit VW community. While some believe that VW Bug is different from VW Beetle, others say there are no differences between the two. To end this raging debate, we’ve decided to compare the two.
So, keep reading to find out the difference between VW Beetle and VW Bug.
What’s the Difference Between VW Beetle and VW Bug?
The truth is that there are no significant differences between a VW Beetle and a VW Bug. The public coined the term “VW Beetle” after the Volkswagen Type 1 was launched. However, in the late sixties, Volkswagen adopted the term “VW Beetle” as the official model name. The manufacturer used this term to market the VW Type 1 to the US audience.
People later came up with the term “VW Bug” after some time. They started calling the VW Type 1 a Bug due to its shape. Others began calling it a Bug since it’s easier to pronounce than Beetle. Simply put, there are no differences between the VW Bug and VW Beetle.
Other Popular Names of the VW Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1 is called der Kafer in Germany, which means Beetle. It also has other nicknames in other languages. Here is a short list of nicknames for the Volkswagen Type 1 across the world:
- US – Bug or Beetle
- UK, New Zealand, Australia, and other commonwealth countries – Beetle
- Belgium and Netherlands – Kever
- Nigeria – Mbe or Tortoise Car
- Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay – Fusca
- Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Costa Rica – Vocho
- Taiwan – Jin- guei Che
- France, Algeria, Switzerland, and Haiti – Coccinelle
- Iceland – Bjalla
- Kenya – Kifuu
- Croatia – Buba
- Portugal – Carocha
- Puerto Rico – Volky
- North America – Super Beetle or Super Bug
- Tanzania – Mgongo wa Chura
- Vietnam – Con Bo
- Panama – Tortuga
- Portland – Garbus
- Sri Lanka – Ibba, Volks, or Beetle
- Norway – Bible
- Ukraine – Volkswagen Bug
- South Africa – Volla, Kewer, or Volksie
- Lativa – Vabole
- Israel – Bombs
- Indonesia – Kodok
- Ecuador – Pichirilo
- Hungary – Bogar
- Mexico & US – Baja Bug
The History of the VW Beetle or Bug
Now that you know there are no significant differences between VW Beetle and VW Bug, you are probably wondering how the first Volkswagen was developed. The VW Beetle was designed to be affordable and practical for ordinary German citizens. As a result, it was given the name Volkswagen, which means “people’s car.” Back then, only 1 out of 50 Germans could afford a car. As a result, Adolf Hitler ordered Porsche to design a budget-friendly vehicle that could accommodate the typical family. He also directed Porsche to ensure the car was fuel efficient, using no more than seven liters per 100 km. Further, the vehicle should have a solid engine for cruising on most roads in Germany.
Adolf Hitler also wanted Porsche to develop a model that was cheap to maintain. That’s why VW Beetles have parts that can be quickly and inexpensively replaced. He also insisted that the engine be air-cooled because not every German had a garage. Once production kicked in, the German government launched a saving scheme to make it easy for ordinary citizens to purchase it. However, the outbreak of the war halted the saving schemes, and production dipped.
After the war started, Volkswagen stopped the production of civilian vehicles and focused on military vehicles. The Kubelwagen or Volkswagen Type 82, the Schwimmwagen, or Volkswagen Type 166 are some models developed during the war. Hundreds of Kommandeurswagen or Volkswagen Type 87 with a Type 1 Beetle body mounted on the chassis were also developed for the German army.
After the German allies overcame the German army, they followed the Morgenthau plan to weaken Germany’s war potential. Part of the plan included taking over the Volkswagen factory. However, Germany was allowed to retain 10% of 1963’s car production rate. The Americans took over the factory but later handed it to the Brits in 1945. The British government dismantled the entire factory and shipped it to Britain. However, British car manufacturers turned down the opportunity to buy the factory, saying that the car was unattractive and did not meet the technical requirements of an automobile. Some also noted that it was not economical.
Following these developments, the British government had no choice but to use the factory to produce military vehicles. However, the VW Beetle’s fate changed when British Army Office Major Ivan Hirst was directed to take over the bombed factory. He was first ordered to remove any unexploded bomb before restarting production. Hirst managed to remove all the unexploded bombs and restart production. After some time, he persuaded the British army to order 20,000 cars. By March 1946, Hirst and his team produced around 1,000 cars every month under the name Volkswagen Type 1. The city was also renamed Wolfsburg. This set the stage for the mass production of the VW Type 1 later. After that, Hirst established a sales network and exports to the Netherlands.
Hirst also appointed a former Opel manager and a detractor of Volkswagen as the factory director. Following that appointment, production increased significantly over the following decade. The post-war Volkswagen Beetle performed much better, with a maximum speed of 115 km/h and fuel consumption of 6.7 liters per 100 km. However, VW Beetle sales took a hit due to stiff competition. Constant criticism about its reliability and fuel efficiency did not help. By the early 1970s, sales of the VW Beetle in North America and across Europe plummeted.
As a result, Volkswagen continued to introduce new models, such as the VW Type 3 and Type 4, to supplement the Beetle. However, Volkswagen was in a financial crisis and required government funding to develop the Beetle’s replacement. Volkswagen later switched to a water-cooler front-engine model around 1974 known as the Golf. The Golf has become Volkswagen’s best-selling model since the Beetle. Production for the Beetle continued to slow down and was later stopped.
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