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New cars today just don’t seem to last. Production runs and product lifecycles aren’t what they used to be, with a few exceptions. Some collectible and classic cars have been around for decades and these are the brands and names that collectors love. A legacy is important to brand recognition, loyalty, and collectability.
Volkswagen Beetle: Picture a warm summer day, the sun shining bright, with a perfect light breeze to keep the sandy beach just cool enough to walk on. As you take in the waves lapping at your toes, which wiggle happily in the shallow water, you turn to see your closest friends unloading their surf boards and a cooler. It’s the summer sometime in the 1960s, and you couldn’t be happier to be on a tour of the West Coast in your Volkswagen Beetle.
When you look at the evolution of the automotive industry in the United States, it is clear that the price and availability of gasoline, coupled with the onset of emissions regulations, had a huge impact. These factors led to the increasing demand for smaller and more fuel efficient cars. The post World War II American offerings, at first, were designed with zero regard for fuel economy. The big gas guzzling boats were the order of the day from the entry level models on up to the top of the heap. But by the time the 1950s were coming to a close, whispers of a new era started to be heard over the horizon.