Vintage Volkswagens

San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1999. Trade Paperback. Near Fine. 7 1/4" x 10. Stout, Jeremy - Cover Design. 103 Pages plus a sixteen page description section. Beautiful pictorial in pristine condition. No defects noted. Stiff card covers with jacket-like flaps. Color photographs on every page. In 1949, Volkswagen introduced a car that seemed to be the antithesis of American drivers' dreams. The Bug was small, funny looking, without frills and functional. America was postwar and prosperous. The Bug didn't make sense. Yet it sold. As soon as there were Volkswagens, there were Volkswagen lovers. People who saw beauty in the Bug's new shape and value in its simple efficiency. Soon Bugs were dotting the American scene, carving a niche in the driving trends of the fifties. Then came the other VW's-the Karmann-Ghias, the Hebmullers, the Buses and Vans. Now the Volkswagen seems like an idea that was ahead of its time. Vintage Volkswagens are finding their just place in the annals of automotive innovation. This book is a pictorial tribute to the unique design and timeless form of the classic VWs: Beetles, Karmann Ghias, Microbuses, Hebmullers, Cabriolets - they're all here. Every last quirky detail is lovingly documented, from the knobby little turn signals to the autoblumen vase - the original flower vase on the dashboard. Complete with authentic 1950s sales brochures, ads, and a special appendix of captions detailing everything from model numbers to body color and now reissued with a new cover this is the perfect book for the Volkswagen aficionado and everyone else who appreciates the evolution of a classic.