Once　upon　a　time,　a　young　lady　visited　our　plant.　(In　our　view,　the　more　the　merrier.)

“What　a　sweet　little　car,”　she　said.　“It　looks　just　like　a　beetle.”

Now　were　a　pretty　down-to-earth　bunch.

At　that　moment　we　were　figuring　how　much　larger　our　brake-area　would　have　to　be　if　we　stepped　up　our　horsepower.

She　stopped　us　cold.

After　wed　made　some　discreet　inquiries　we　found　out　that　a　good　many　people　shared　her　opinion.

But　we　also　found　out　that　people　never　said　“beetle”　nastily.

Always　affectionately.

So　we　grew　resigned　to　our　nickname,　and　finally　rather　pleased　with　it.

It　seems　to　say　a　lot　about　our　attitude　to　car-making:　determined,　painstaking,　unpretentious.

After　all,　some　people　try　like　mad　to　create　a　favorable　impression.

Wed　simply　tried　to　make　the　Volkswagen　a　practical　car.

And　wed　gotten　our　very　own　image.