VW Beetle of the week #1 - 1936 KDF-Wagen Prototype

A new series of VW Beetle models. I will try to post a new one each week.

Starting at the beginning then: Ferdinand Porsche was contracted by Hitler in 1934 to design a "people's car" (a Volkswagen) for Germany. Testing of the first prototypes began in 1936 with this version. The car was officially named the KdF-Wagen in 1937, a name derived from the Nazi propaganda organization "Kraft durch Freude" (Strength through Joy)

The biggest difference you will notice is the lack of the famous split rear window, or indeed any rear window. This was added in the first pre-production run of 44 cars in 1938.

Here is the early car in the form of a Kager 1:43 scale die cast model. Picture 4 shows the real car complete with never actually used covered wheel arches