Treasures of the official Volkswagen museum

Volkswagen 1500 (1961)

The 1500, introduced in 1961 (and designated the Type 3), was VW’s first mid-sized car – a market segment that would become rather important to the brand. Saloon, estate, cabriolet, coupé and convertible versions were available at launch.In 1968, it also became the first series production car to feature optional electronic fuel injection. More than 2.5 million were made before production ended in 1973.

Formula Super Vee

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An equivalent to Formula Ford racers, Formula Vee was a junior single-seater category that started in the US but quickly headed to Germany. The cars initially featured Beetle engines, gearboxes, suspension and brakes and were limited to 40bhp. That was later raised to 100bhp.In 1971, Super Vee was introduced, featuring 1.6-litre engines taken from Type 3 cars, with more than 120bhp.

Volkswagen Scirocco Group 2

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This was the first successful saloon racing car to be based on a VW model. The Group 1 Scirocco was developed by Eckart Berg in 1974 and went on to dominate the 1.6-litre class in the German Circuit Championship.

Ford Model T

You couldn’t celebrate the design heritage of the automobile without an example of the car that revolutionised mass production. Predictably, Autostadt’s Ford Model T comes in black.

Borgward Isabella (1955)

The Isabella sits in the Zeithaus next to a BMW 1500, and for a good reason: after Borgward went bankrupt in 1961, BMW took many of the design traits of the Isabella that made it appeal to Germany’s middle classes and applied them to its new 1500.

Mini (1956)

Autostadt doesn’t ignore British design classics. The Mini is rightly celebrated for its ingenious, endearing and enduring design.

EMPI Imp dune buggy (1968)

The first dune buggy built on a Beetle chassis originated in the US in 1960. Eight years later, American firm EMPI followed suit with this design. Dune buggies proved popular with those seeking thrill-seeking motoring, but less so with US safety regulators.