1963 Volkswagen Beetle ‘Herbie’
Quick Specs
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190 hp (modified engine for film)
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138 mph (modified engine for film)
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There may only be 1 Herbie, but 217,124 Volkswagen Beetles were sold in the 1963 model year
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The number 53 on the car was selected in honor of Los Angeles Dodgers Legend and Baseball Hall of Fame Pitcher Don Drysdale
Herbie the Love Bug: A Symbol for Idealism and Peace
The 1963 Beetle was a demonstration of Volkswagen’s growing popularity in the United States. 217,124 units were sold in the United States, which represented 62.3% of the import market at that time. The height of the car’s popularity was best captured in a Sports Illustrated magazine quote: “The Volkswagen has found a home in America… it is the most easily recognized car on earth.” It was especially popular with the growing counterculture movement of the 1960s by becoming a symbol of idealism and peace. The price for the 1963 model was the same as the 1962 model but it was the first year that one could add the option of a steel sunroof instead of the canvas one. By 1968, it was the best-selling car in the world and by the 1970s would become the first car to outsell the Ford Model T.
This 1963 Volkswagen Beetle was featured in the 2005 film Herbie Fully Loaded starring Lindsay Lohan. A 1963 Volkswagen Beetle was used to portray Herbie the Love Bug since the first Herbie movie in 1969, The Love Bug. A modified engine was added to this car for use in racing sequences.
Collection of the Petersen Automotive Museum
This Vehicle is featured in ‘Hollywood Customs: Modified for the Movies’ Exhibit
1963 Volkswagen Beetle ‘Herbie’ Gallery
Vehicle Imagery may be used for personal, editorial, or educational purposes. Please credit Petersen Automotive Museum, petersen.org, if used.
