O Último Volkswagen Beetle / Fusca Produzido, Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition 2.5 L 170 HP 2019, 10/07/2019, Puebla, México

O Último Volkswagen Beetle / Fusca Produzido, Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition 2.5 L 170 HP 2019, 10/07/2019, Puebla, México
Volkswagen Beetle Final Edition 2.5 L 170 HP 2019
Fotografia

Mexican Volkswagen staff have bid farewell to their last "New Beetle," the design that in 1997 succeeded the curvy small family car first made famous in postwar Germany.

Wednesday's send-off for a car in metallic-blue was the last of 1.7 million "New Beetles" produced by Volkswagen in Mexico, and ended more than seven "very important" decades of manufacture, said the German car giant.

Volkswagen's Puebla works, southeast of Mexico City, would, however, continue producing different VW models, including the Golf and Jetta, while focusing on electric and larger family vehicles for the United States.

At Wednesday's ceremony, complete with mariachi band and confetti, VW Mexico CEO Steffen Reiche said the era had ended for a car that had "conquered the hearts of the people with its special design and quality."

"Today is the last day. It has been very emotional," he said. 

The original Beetle series was sold in Germany up until 1985, latterly as Beetles imported from Mexico. Assembly in Mexico was terminated in 2003, ending a total run of 21.5 million cars produced.

In 1997, Puebla had already begun production of the successor "New Beetle," emulating the original's round shape. A second-generation "New Beetle" followed in 2011.

Mexico City locals on Wednesday said the front-engine "New Beetle" failed to impress.

"The new ones don't get uphill, and the old ones can climb any incline without a problem," said taxi driver Adrian Martinez.

Businessman David Alvarez said his 2008 New Beetle with a roll-down top still "turns a lot of heads in the streets."

Mechanic Juan Jose Fragoso said spare parts to fix older Beetles had become "very scarce," leaving him dependent on a business partner who bought and disassembled broken or abandoned so-called Type 1 Beetles.

The final car produced Wednesday will remain at Volkswagen's museum in Puebla.