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1937 VW W30 Prototype Certified Roadworthy as World’s Oldest Beetle

An eight-year reconstruction by the Grundmann family restored the prototype using a newly built body.

Overview

  • TÜV Nord confirmed the authenticity of chassis number 26 and reported no evidence of other surviving frames or bodies from the series.
  • After safety checks, authorities granted registration with exemptions for pre-1938 features, including a portable hazard signal in place of a fixed warning light.
  • The W30 run comprised 30 trial cars built in 1937 at Porsche’s engineering office with Mercedes support as direct precursors to the later Käfer.
  • Designer Andreas Mindt created a full-scale drawing to guide the new body, and period-correct parts were sourced internationally, including from Britain, France and Poland.
  • The car is housed in Hessisch Oldendorf beside a 1938 Beetle and is driven occasionally, with TÜV indicating speeds up to 100 km/h are feasible.