How much of a role did Hitler play in the design of the VW Beetle?

Question

Is he responsible for the entirity of the design or were there others involved?

Answer 1

Sitting at a restaurant table in Munich in the summer of 1932, Hitler designed the prototype for what would become the immensely successful Beetle design for Volkswagen (literally, the "car of the people"). In an era where only the most economic elite possessed cars, Hitler believed that all people should be able to own a car and additionally thought that a smart design could allow for reliability, enjoyment, and vacation travel. The name given to the car in 1938 was Kraft durch Freude (KdF-Wagen, literally "strength through joy car").

Hitler gave his design to the head of Daimler-Benz, Jakob Werlin, and stressed its importance. "Take it with you and speak with people who understand more about it than I do. But don't forget it. I want to hear from you soon, about the technical details."

Answer 2

Ferdinand Porche had the design 10 years prior hoping to design a car for the people. In the 30's Germany was an industrial powerhouse.
When the government that Hitler was the leader of, came into power(no different than Republicans or Democrats), Hitler also wanted to offer the people affordable mobility and he and Porche got together to make a car for the people. Hitler's govenment would be the financiers. Check http://user.tninet.se/~xnf969f/htmlfiler/vwhistory.html
It was just timing

Answer 3

Quite a bit actually. See http://rexcurry.net/bookchapter4a1a2a.html for example.

"Adolf Hitler declared that he knew no good reason why millions of good hard-working people should not own their own cars". With Hitlers announcement, Germany began the quest to build a small car for the common people of Germany, and sixty days later, on April 27th, 1934, the first drawings were made by Dr. Ferdinand Porshe. By May of that year, Hitler had seen the drawings himself, and made suggestions for the specifications of the car. Hitler said" It should be streamlined, like a beetle". He wanted a lightweight, air-cooled, low fuel consumption automobile. He wanted these to be cheap to build. This project was titled "type 60". Eventually, in December of 1934, porshe had this car built, and it was tested. Porshe's engineers were great at chassis design. So then Dr. Porshe had a coachbuilding place contracted to build the bodies for these type60's.

See also http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/chronology/thisday/1936-02-26.htm

Answer 4

The VW beetle was designed by Dr. Ferdinand porsche, after being commissioned by hitler to make a car for the people. IIRC the idea that hitler himself drew it was propaganda (to make him seem even more amazing). the early 911s and 356s from porsche used some similar styling cues, so its fairly obvious Dr. porsche designed it. The flat 4 engine was also porsche's baby (as seen in the 356, 914, 912s and 911s).

Dr. porsche also was pretty in line with the nazi party. He designed most of the german tanks which were so amazing during the war, and even several planes.

Porsche made essentially the whole car. another of his famous cars of the time period is the Auto Union D-type racecar. super super rare and valuable.

Answer 5

He wanted a cheap car for the people of Germany. When he had the Autobahn built only the wealthy people of Germany had cars. And the road was rarely used, so he ordered for a small car to be built for less than about three hundred dollars. Then on came the Volkswagen beetle. The only thing Hitler EVER did right was creating the Autobahn and Volkswagen and I thank him for that and that alone. God Bless America and the Volkswagen. V Dub for life. Yeah

Answer 6

the car was taken from one of Porshes designs for the Tatra.
It was modified by Porsh to have no part that could not be made in a small forge.
The design was started as the peoples car by Hitler and then oked by him and put into production.

Answer 7

you all miss the big story..hitler put in a system of payroll deduction for all workers... they paid for years but most didnt get a car because the money went to the war and VW was making staff cars and jeeps for the army

Answer 8

IT WAS SHAPED LIKE ONE OF HIS TURDS