There have been very few cars in history that have become

There have been very few cars in history that have become

 quite as iconic as the classic VW Beetle. For decades after series production first started in 1945, the car became the affordable transportation of choice for drivers across the globe, with 21.5 million examples of the first-generation car sold. That makes it the most popular single-platform passenger car

 of all time. The car's enduring popularity ensured that there are thousands upon thousands of innovative Beetle-based project cars out there, from Baja desert runners to slammed rat rod statics.

VW's reinvention of the Beetle in 1999 saw most of its enthusiast appeal lost in the process, and by 2019, the car had been killed off altogether. However, its sales success in its heyday has meant that there are still plenty of classic examples ready to be snapped up for bargain prices. A lightly-restored '66 example of the car crossed the auction block on Bring a Trailer in January 2023 for $9,000, and historical listing data shows that there are plenty more examples selling for similar prices.