February 2018 – In 1939, at the beginning of the Second World War, this VW 39 was the first of a total of just 14 to leave the Porsche plant in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen and was the only one in its series to be preserved. The VW 39 was designed by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche as a high-speed variant and was used as a test vehicle by him and his son Ferry Porsche. Temporarily a performance-enhanced type 64 engine, which provided 32 hp instead of the usual 23.5 hp had been installed. Noticeable details are the vertical fold on the now arched bonnet, the concave bumper horns and the improved interior heating. The nameplate identifies this vehicle as a Porsche. New and defining for all subsequent models is the chassis number, which begins with a “1”, followed by a hyphen and a five-digit number, which already suggests a series production. After several years of restoration, this unique pretzel beetle is now part of our permanent exhibition.

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