Happy World Industrial Design Day!

June 29th is World Industrial Design Day! For WIDD2020 the World Design Organisation has set the theme of ‘design for everyday life’, to celebrate ‘the value and benefits of design on the products and services that make our lives easier and more efficient.’ So today, we at Marion Friedmann Gallery are showing our appreciation to one of Mexico’s favourite automobiles...the VW Beetle!

The cheerful green emblematic taxi in Mexico City.

If you have ever been to Mexico City you will have certainly seen one of these lovely little cars parked on a roadside or carefully guarded in a garage. Or, if you visited before 2012 you may have even ridden in a VW Taxi, a privilege in itself! 

The VW Beetle – officially known as the Type I sedan – was a hit from the moment it was introduced at the ‘Alemanña y su Industria’ (Germany and its Industry) exhibition held in Veracruz City. Widely admired by the public, local newspapers dubbed it ‘The People’s Car’. 

Production of the Beetle in Mexico began in 1961, but the car proved so popular that just six years later, Volkswagen constructed a purpose-built VW plant in Puebla, specifically for the production of the Beetle. At the time it was one of the largest VW plants in all of the Americas, producing over 100,000 Beetles within its first 9 months of operation. ⁠

VW Bettle assembly line. IMAGE: Flickr: Alden Jewell

By 1971 the Beetle had become so highly regarded that the ‘Departamento del Distrito Federal’ selected it to serve as a public transport vehicle, meaning that it became the standard taxi in Mexico City. In the 30 years that followed, the Beetle came to dominate the streets of Mexico City, until a 2002 ruling banned the renewal of transport licenses for all two door vehicles. By 2012, there were no more Beetle taxis in operation. 

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Repair and nostalgia for the Bettle in the streets of Mexico City…

The Beetle’s success lasted for almost 40 years, until sales began to decline with the ’94 economic crisis. On 10 July 2019, the last ever Beetle to be produced anywhere in the world rolled off the assembly line in Puebla. However, it still can be found in the streets of Mexico today, lovingly preserved by drivers and collectors alike, its presence evoking a shared sense of nostalgia.

Thorough renovation of VW Beetles with skilled mechanics in Mexico City.