production was underway. But aside from a few
examples built for propaganda purposes and
given to high-ranking Nazi offi cials, the outbreak
of the confl ict largely saw standard saloon
production cease after only a couple of hundred
had appeared prior to September 1939.
The Kübelwagen and Schwimmwagen took up
the factory time and space that would otherwise
have been devoted to the German people’s car.
Eventually, of course, the Beetle managed to
successfully shake off its dubious birth,
Rear aspect of a
Kommandeurwagen- the standard front
and rear bumpers
didn’t help the
angles of attack for
banks and ditches