VW Beetle

The first models, yet very different from VW Beetle, were ready as early as 1932. However, the Zündapp by financial problems broke the contract. Porsche was one of the cars, though none of them survived the war. Porsche, however, had already negotiated with another manufacturer to develop a "Volkswagen". Following the trend of Zündapp, the NSU decided to enter the automotive industry. Porsche earned it were the lessons learned in the previous project, and ideas that became more refined, and model of NSU ended up well similar to the VW Beetle as we know it. He had a four cylinder boxer engine, suspension from bars by twisting course format and aerodynamic Despite the refinement of the project, however, the NSU not achieved the necessary capital to start their line of cars, and in 1933 withdrew the project. Porsche, which always building prototypes 3, once again remained one (which is today at the museum VW). The contribution of this model NSU (trade name that, as well as Zündapp, contributed to the engineering of its prototype) would be valuable later, mainly in time to choose the engine of the VW Beetle.

At that time Hitler had taken power in Germany and was committed to the modernization of the country and the recovery of the economy, particularly employment. Entusiasta by car from the youth, Hitler was familiar with the idea of the car of the people since the days of the jail, where he read about Henry Ford. For him the idea of a "people's car" made by German workers and traveling throughout the country was the exact realization of this political platform.