Volkswagens at the Des Moines Concours
June 19, 2024
Discover the History and Charm of Volkswagen at the 2024 Des Moines Concours
We are excited to announce that this year’s Des Moines Concours will feature a special class dedicated to celebrating the history of air-cooled Volkswagens in America, spanning the years from 1949 to 1981. This unique class will include air-cooled examples from Volkswagen’s product line, including the iconic Beetle, the versatile VW Bus in all its variations, the elegant Karmann Ghia, the Squareback and more. Each vehicle on display represents a piece of Volkswagen’s storied past and its impact on automotive culture.
In 1934, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, the visionary behind both Volkswagen and Porsche, was awarded a contract to create an affordable car for the average German—the “people’s car” or Volkswagen. Originally called the KdF Type 60, the design parameters included being able to accommodate two adults and three children, 32 MPG, an air-cooled engine, and easy inexpensive parts changes. By late 1935, prototypes with their 1100cc 25HP engines appeared. Production was interrupted by WW2, but units of the now Type 1 began trickling out of the Wolfsburg factory by late 1945. By 1972, over 15 million had been produced, exceeding the Ford Model T’s production record. When the last Beetle rolled out of the Puebla Mexico factory in 2003, over 21 million units had been produced wordwide. An interesting fact you might not know: Volkswagen always produced a convertible version (Cabriolet) of the Beetle, adding a touch of open-air freedom to its lineup.
The concept for the Type 2 (aka the Bus) is credited to Dutch Volkswagen importer Ben Pon. Pon visited Wolfsburg in 1946, intending to purchase Type 1s for import to the Netherlands. While visiting, he saw a Plattenwagen, an improvised parts-mover based on the Type 1 chassis. HE realized something better was possible using the stock Type 1 pan. With a drag coefficient of Cd=0.75, the aerodynamics of the first prototypes were poor. Engineers did wind tunnel testing to optimize the design, implementing simple changes such as splitting the windshield and roofline into a “vee”, this helping the production Type 2 to achieve a Cd=0.44. The first production models debuted in November 1949. Only two models were offered: the Kombi, with two side windows and middle and rear seats that were easily removable by one person, and the Commercial. The Microbus was added in May 1950, joined by the Deluxe Microbus in June 1951.
The Des Moines Concours is accepting applications for exceptional cars for the Volkswagen Class. If you would like to be a part of this iconic class, go to our Exhibiting page to apply.
Questions? Send your email to info@desmoinesconcours.com
DID YOU KNOW VW’s presence in Iowa dates back to as early as the mid-50’s? Des Moines had Cars Inc., Cedar Rapids with Empire Motors, Burlington had Import Motors Ltd, Davenport had Murphy’s Foreign Cars, and Hassenger Import Motors in Sioux City. In some cases, these dealerships sold multiple imported brands to augment the sales of Beetles and microbuses. Today, remnants of their (and their successor’s) legacy can still be seen at vintage car shows and classic Volkswagen gatherings across Iowa! Here are a few:
