KNOW THE YEAR
The following is a quick guide to identifying the age of a Beetle from major visible features:
- The split rear window dates a Beetle as earlier than March 1953. Hydraulic brakes were introduced in 1950 and synchromesh gears (second, third and fourth) in 1952.
- The oval rear window identifies Beetles made from March 1953 to July 1957.
- The rectangular rear window arrived in August 1957.
- Flashing turn signal (instead of semaphore type), together with the 34bhp engine and all-synchro gearbox, identify Beetles made from August 1960.
- Larger windows all round, with a sloping quarter vent pillar, identify Beetles made from August 1964.
- The 1300 engine and ball-joint front suspension came in August 1965.
- The 1300 engine, four bolt wheels, z-bar and disc brakes were in introduced in August 1966.
- Vertical headlamps and 12-volt electrics, plus Europa bumpers, were first seen in August 1967.
- Double-jointed rear suspension first appeared on the automatic Beetle in August 1967.
The 1302S with strut front suspension and 1600 engine went into production in August 1970.
- The 1303S with panoramic front windscreen replaced the 1302S in August 1962.
- Front turn signals were first installed in the bumper in 1974.
- 1303S Beetle production ceased in July 1975 and 1303S Cabriolet production ceased in January 1980.
- The last Beetles (1200s) were made in Europe and the last RHD models sold in Britain in 1978.
- The last Euro-specification 1200 Beetles, made in Mexico, were sold in Germany in 1986.
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