Beschreibung:

•Desirable and rare early Cabriolet •Preserved in original condition •Now in running order after 36 years in storage •Italian registration papers One of the 20th Century's truly great automobiles, the Volkswagen 'Beetle' lived down its origin as Hitler's 'people's car', going on to become an all-time best-seller and cult classic. The Beetle was continuously up-dated from the time post-war production commenced, under British military supervision, in 1945, acquiring subtly altered coachwork, improved running gear and larger engines. By the time European production ceased in 1974 a staggering 21,000,000-plus Beetles of all types had been made. The 'Beetle' spawned a host of derivatives over the course of its life, the longest enduring being the Cabriolet. A single prototype was built pre-war but it was not until 1949 that production proper commenced, the bulk of which was entrusted to Karmann of Osnabruck whose four-seater Cabriolet appeared soon after the two-seater Hebmuller-built version. Only Karmann's would stand the test of time, outliving the saloon and remaining ever fashionable, an instantly recognisable motoring icon to this day and one ever popular with showbusiness celebrities. Mechanical changes to the Cabriolet kept pace with those of the saloon until the latter's production began to wind down in the early 1970s. Thus the Cabriolet gained the Super Beetle's MacPherson strut front suspension, trailing arm rear suspension and more-bulbous bonnet for 1971, the effect of these long overdue suspension improvements being markedly superior handling. 1973 brought with it further styling changes in the form of a curved windscreen (and shortened bonnet), recessed dashboard and altered rear wings with enlarged light clusters. Topping the range was the 1.6-litre 1303LS. In this specification the Cabriolet continued to be built until January 1980, two years after German production of the saloon had ended. The history of this early Betle Cabriolet is unknown prior to 1981 when it was acquired by a Porsche dealer in Bologna, Italy where the car was kept under cover until 2017, preserving it in remarkably original condition with even the original stickers of the 1950's on the windscreen still in place. Earlier this year the current proud owner commenced the task of bringing the car back to life, which included overhauling the brakes and starter motor, fitting a new battery, attending to the lights, and an engine check up; the sum of €5,000 was spent. Today, the car is presented in original, untouched, and un-restored 'barn find' condition, with a lovely original interior; however, the white soft-top is in a very poor condition and cannot be saved. The engine starts and runs well, and the car drives smoothly. Accompanying documentation consists of Italian registration papers and invoices for the recent works. Finished in the attractive colours of Knokke-Le Zoute, this car represents a unique opportunity to own a driveable 'barn find' Beetle: a rarity indeed and an eye-catcher at any concours or other motoring event.