Small Wonder: The Amazing Story of the Volkswagen Beetle

by Walter Henry Nelson

A highly-detailed account of the development and subsequent success of the Beetle, including much behind-the-scenes information. Originally published in 1970, Small Wonder focuses on the history of Volkswagen from its inception to 1970. With this edition, the author wrote a new introduction which helps the reader to understand the relevance of the book to our times, in light of the release of the New Beetle. Also new to this edition are expanded appendices including retail information for all Volkswagen models through 1997 and an updated how-to-tell-the age of your Beetle chart. Over 1.2 million paperback copies were sold when originally released, making Small Wonder the most successful Beetle book of all time. Often quoted as a reference source by subsequent histories, Small Wonder provided valuable insights and inside information gleaned from years of research within Volkswagen. Not only is the history of Volkswagen portrayed, but also that of the personalities that helped shape the direction of the company and of the Beetle itself. * At the time of writing, the author had full access to Volkswagen archives in Germany and the U.S. * Detailed profile of Heinz Nordhoff, the man most responsible for the worldwide success of Volkswagen in the '50s, '60s, and '70s * The complete story of how the Beetle overtook the U.S. market * How advertising played a role, including the behind-the-scenes story of VW's ad agency at the time, DDB (Doyle Dane Bernbach) and their classic "Think Small" campaign * New section on "How to identify the year of a Beetle," and a detailed look at the assembly process

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Reference, Cars, Germany

378 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1965

Reviews

[Andy Littleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’d give the beginning of the book a 4.5 for telling a detailed and engaging story about the origin of the people’s car, its entanglement with Hitler, and the successful recovery of the vision. The second half was informative, but less arresting, as it got into a lot of the expansion efforts, sales numbers etc. Good history. Less enjoyable reading.

[E B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book I read was published in 1967 and though it misses a lot of modern Volkswagen, it is the fundamentals of The Type 1 Beetle and the beginnings of Volkswagen as a company. This has to be the most thorough book ever written on the subject and has a lot of information beyond simply general.

A lot of companies go through rough patches and many never make it. The beetle had a lot of bumps on the way to production and is more shocking that it ever actually came to be and was as successful as it was considering it had the odds stacked against it the entire time. Its not the story of one person making it successful, but the story of the many people who made it the success that it became from design to execution.

For anyone who is fan of the brand, this is a must read. For anyone who even has a mild interest in VW Beetles, I would highly suggest it.

[Scott Beddingfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful story from the very beginnings of Porsche but mostly Volkswagen. Having learned to dirve in a VW Beetle and owning many VW’s and a Porsche over the years it was particularly enlightening to be reminded of how brilliant Ferdinand‘a concept was from the beginning. Today in a world of growing automotive electrification it was revealing to learn that his first automobile design was totally electric! His early innovations and expert engineering have not only stood the test of time but can still be seen in everything from today’s base VW sedan to the $200,000 Porsche RS.

[Du · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was dry but interesting. It is crazy to think/read about all of the advancement and history this company had in basically 30 years. The commitment to one model and its ability to define the automotive world for that aspect is unfathomable today.

[Green G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A nice little book about a timeless automobile. Well written in my opinion and full of interesting information about a car that very nearly never was.

[LonewolfMX Luna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book talks about the history of the VW Type I Beetle, which began as the idea of Ferdinand Porsche (Who was responsible for the creation of the Porsche) an auto designer whose dreams were high jacked by Adolf Hitler just before World War II to build a car that would cost under 990 Reichmarks and out of it would emerge the Porsche 60 or Kraft durch Freude (Strength Through Joy)or KDF-Wagen (The Previous name of the VW Beetle) in which the Nazis would create a saving scheme that would scam many ordinary German out of their savings for a false dream that never came to be under Hitler to motorize the "1000 year" Reich.

But the dreams of providing motor vehicles to masses never came to be, because of WW II and the KDF Factory would shift it's focus from Type I KDF-Wagens to war vehicles such as the Type 82 KubelWagen Jeep (Predecessor of the Type 181 VW Thing) and the Type 128/166 Schwimmwagen (A Amphibious Jeep vehicle)as well as other war material. Despite their Germany's manufacturing capabilities The Nazi Third Reich was doomed as the Allies would mercilessly bomb the Hell out of Germany bring crashing down the Third Reich as well as Porsche's dream of a "People's Car". In which he was arrested by the Allies and held in a French Prison for almost 2 years before he died of a stroke, probably related to his time in prison.

With the end of the war it seemed that KDF-Wagen's (now renamed Volkswagen)fate was sealed but thanks to the British especially one Major Ivan Hirst as well some of the other Allies along Heinz Heinrich Nordhoff became the VW factory's first Post war director who helped rebuild VW out the ashes of war as Germany began it's reconstruction and Nordhoff became a legendary from turning the Volkswagen Beetle into a worldwide automotive phenomenon.

His commitment to improving the workmanship at VW made the Beetle famous for its reliability with it's air-cooled engine

In the post war years VW would also produce the Type II Combi
(Microbus) and Type III Karmann Ghia which the world will become familiar with and introduce the VW Rabbit/Golf which would be VW first water-cooled engine car.

This book is one of the best sources on the history of the VW Type I Beetle and its offspring which even today it is hard to imagine the world without VW despite its insidious origins.

I even used this book as part of term paper for my Western Civilization History class with Professor Jeffery Manson back when I was at Ventura College, Got me an A for content and originality!

[Frederick J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is not simply about what is arguably the most iconic automobile ever built. It is a story about a car that by all accounts should never have been built. Given impetus by the gangster methods of the Nazi regime and very nearly destroyed by the actions of that very same government, it later becomes a testament of democratic and free market institutions at their best.
It is also not simply a story about ingenuity and visionary engineering. It is a story about great leadership; vision and optimism in the face of great adversity. What made the Volkswagen Beetle all that it was (and is) despite its sordid and tainted past, was not simply its innovative design or unique looks, but the people who refused to be discouraged or dismayed; by leaders who inspired and led and ignored the naysayers; by workers who took pride in their car and believed in what they were doing.
What makes the Volkswagen Beetle arguably the most endearing car of the 20th century is that it truly became the “People’s Car”, but not by the millions of people who drove it, but by the people who built it.

[Nemo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very good, very comprehensive look at what brought the VW beetle into existence and the trails and tribulations it and it's makers had to go through to bring it into production. The book was written in the early '70s so it's a bit of a dated look at the beetle but there is also a different perspective of the VW present, giving an interesting look at how the VW company, and car companies in general have changed over the last 40 years. There was a lot to learn in terms of how mechanics, production, marketing, and other aspects of engineering, manufacturing and distribution of a car comes into being. Very well written and a very interesting look at the German car company and it's star vehicle, though the book was a slow read due to the amount of information that needed to be assimilated.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amazing store of hope and determination in a shattered factory post-WWII that became an automotive phenomenon.

[Martha]

Good so far. And for all you Volkswagon lovers, it's the perfect treat.

[Noël]

Mine is the 1970 edition of this book. Not available on Good Reads.