After a brief introduction, Robert takes a moment to marvel at the sheer number of Volkswagens that were produced (1:14) before Russell dives into the unexpected history of the 'people's car'...specifically the Beetle (3:02). Then Robert asks Russell to drill into the history of Volkwagen after the British involvement following WW2 with a man named Heinz Nordhoff (7:19) and VW's efforts to go international and the difficulties in sharing the Beetle's new style with other cultures (8:50). Then Russell examines the complex shared history of Porsche and Volkswagen and how the companies have continued their relationship to the present day (10:49). Before taking a short break, Robert asks Russell for his advice on the most collectible Volkswagens (13:07).

Robert takes a brief detour to discuss the more obscure makes and models created by Volkswagen--like the Karmann Ghia (15:57) before steering the conversation back to the Volkswagen's arrival in America (18:41) and the creation and impact of the VW Bus (22:52). To conclude, the two men speculate on the future of the Beetle and Bus designs in Volkwagen's legacy (27:36).

Get Russell's book: https://www.amazon.com/Volkswagen-Beetles-Buses-Smaller-Smarter/dp/0760367663

(Due to some technical difficulties in connecting across continents, there are some audio glitches at certain points in the recording that could not be removed.)

LISTEN TO RELATED EPISODES:

Brian Howard and Automobile Conservation https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/38-brian-howard-and-automobile-conservation/id1485928924?i=1000497743682

Diane Parker and the Historic Vehicle Association https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/39-diane-parker-and-the-historic-vehicle-association/id1485928924?i=1000498776283

Freeman Thomas: Part 1
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/21-freeman-thomas-part-1/id1485928924?i=1000482838944 

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