Doug DeMuro

And the funny thing is also they always, they danced around even in this period and then in the decades after that. And then, of course, now there was always kind of flirting with each other.

And the funny thing is also they always, they danced around even in this period and then in the decades after that. And then, of course, now there was always kind of flirting with each other.

Yeah. But supposedly, the British didn't want it. The British saw the plans for Volkswagen, for the Beetle, and said, no one's going to ever want to buy that car. It's crazy to think about now. And it gives you an idea of how the British would operate their car industry. There's constant missed opportunities. But they literally looked at the models that they had built, and they said, nah.

Yeah. But supposedly, the British didn't want it. The British saw the plans for Volkswagen, for the Beetle, and said, no one's going to ever want to buy that car. It's crazy to think about now. And it gives you an idea of how the British would operate their car industry. There's constant missed opportunities. But they literally looked at the models that they had built, and they said, nah.

They literally said it is not commercially viable.

They literally said it is not commercially viable.

Yeah, totally. Now, one of the things that I find interesting about the Beetle is that Europe was so war-torn after World War II. All these places were in similar situations to Germany in that the people needed to get back to work, they needed to be able to drive and go places, and each European country had their own Beetle. UK had the Mini, Italy had the Fiat 500, France had the Citroën 2CV,

Yeah, totally. Now, one of the things that I find interesting about the Beetle is that Europe was so war-torn after World War II. All these places were in similar situations to Germany in that the people needed to get back to work, they needed to be able to drive and go places, and each European country had their own Beetle. UK had the Mini, Italy had the Fiat 500, France had the Citroën 2CV,

They all kind of looked similar. Wait, these are all based on the Beetle? No, no, no. But they all came from the post-war era where they needed something small and cheap to, like, remobilize the citizenry, basically. And so kind of each country developed, had their own, you know, car that did that for each country.

They all kind of looked similar. Wait, these are all based on the Beetle? No, no, no. But they all came from the post-war era where they needed something small and cheap to, like, remobilize the citizenry, basically. And so kind of each country developed, had their own, you know, car that did that for each country.

But in Germany, of course, the Beetle became a global hit, whereas in those countries it was more... you know, in their era.

But in Germany, of course, the Beetle became a global hit, whereas in those countries it was more... you know, in their era.

But the 2CV was a huge, huge car. And the French, just like the Germans, needed to get back to work, needed to start building stuff again, and also needed a cheap car to, like, cruise around in.

But the 2CV was a huge, huge car. And the French, just like the Germans, needed to get back to work, needed to start building stuff again, and also needed a cheap car to, like, cruise around in.

Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting concept because sports cars in general weren't a thing that much. They were, and there's going to be people around and say, no, there were a lot of sports cars before. But it was really a thing of real enthusiasts, wealthy people, that sort of thing, would buy cars to go motor racing in the era of brass era and that kind of stuff.

Yeah, I mean, it's an interesting concept because sports cars in general weren't a thing that much. They were, and there's going to be people around and say, no, there were a lot of sports cars before. But it was really a thing of real enthusiasts, wealthy people, that sort of thing, would buy cars to go motor racing in the era of brass era and that kind of stuff.

The concept of creating like something more affordable, littler, that was still fun was like, it was kind of an interesting idea that, you know, this was a real, it was a touchstone of a concept that has really been taken obviously by them and refined and others as well. Yeah.

The concept of creating like something more affordable, littler, that was still fun was like, it was kind of an interesting idea that, you know, this was a real, it was a touchstone of a concept that has really been taken obviously by them and refined and others as well. Yeah.

It looks like a boat. The thought at the time really was, you want to go faster? More. More power, which of course creates more weight, which of course creates the need for more power. And they did that, but it was unwieldy. Yeah. I mean, even like to this day, the Carrera GT sitting behind us, that's not a large car. Right. And that was a Porsche thing.

It looks like a boat. The thought at the time really was, you want to go faster? More. More power, which of course creates more weight, which of course creates the need for more power. And they did that, but it was unwieldy. Yeah. I mean, even like to this day, the Carrera GT sitting behind us, that's not a large car. Right. And that was a Porsche thing.