1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle

- 1600cc 4 Cylinder
- 4 Speed Manual Transmission
- Red Over Black Interior
- 24k Miles

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1973 Volkswagen Super Beetle on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the car due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 135 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“... the world's best-selling car ever, and now it is probably the most usable real-world classic you can own.” Classic Motoring magazine, May 2011

Classic Motoring went on to opine about the Beetle's remarkable success: “Nobody can deny that the Volkswagen Beetle was a phenomenal success, but putting your finger on the exact reasons why is not simple. The original pre-war design brief for a car that was affordable to buy and run on modest means, could carry two adults and three children at 60mph (all day on the new autobahns) and return over 30mpg was laudable enough, but hardly revolutionary - a similar desire to provide transport for the masses had previously brought success to many manufacturers throughout the world, most spectacularly to Henry Ford with his Model T. Yet by 1972 Volkswagen's Beetle had outsold the Tin Lizzie and was well on its way to an astonishing total of 21,529,464 million units worldwide....”

Offered here is a 1973 Super Beetle, an excellent example of the car that outsold every other in history. This red-over-black Beetle has the added distinction of showing just 24,706 miles on its odometer, or roughly just 515 miles per-year on average since new.

To the untrained eye, many VW Beetles look alike. In truth, the cars were constantly updated, even in the middle of a production run. Wikipedia describes the contemporaneous improvements made in this car in addition to its larger engine: “… an 11% larger rear window (40 mm [1.6 in] taller), and the convertible engine lid with four rows of louvers was now used on all Beetles. Inside the vehicle, a four-spoke energy-absorbing steering wheel was introduced, the windshield wiper/washer knob was replaced in favor of a steering column stalk, and intermittent wipers were a new option available in selected markets. An engine compartment socket for the proprietary VW Diagnosis system was also introduced. The rear luggage area was fitted with a folding parcel shelf.”

The exterior of this red '73 Bug is as pristine and factory-original as one would expect for such a low-mileage car. The non-metallic red paint is uniformly glossy and smooth without signs of fading across the entire car. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, please be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) Body-panel fit and alignment is virtually perfect. Chrome—including the hood trim, body trim, headlight, and windshield trim—is bright and unpitted. The same is true for the non-typical quad exhaust outlets. Black-painted steel wheels with VW-logo chrome hubcaps are mounted with BFGoodrich® Radial T/A tires. Cabin glass and all lighting lenses (including the larger and safer taillights) are clear and un-cracked. The angled “Volkswagen” rear-hood badge is properly located as it came from the factory.

Inside, black is the Teutonic color theme. The padded dash, textured-vinyl seating surfaces, door trim (with pleated pockets), carpeting, headliner, visors, steering wheel and controls, including the floor-mounted 4-speed shifter, all carry the black color. In the only obvious variation from stock, an updated Sanyo® audio head unit is mounted in the factory-radio dash location. Across every surface, condition is original and unmarred. This is a true survivor Beetle.

Under the rear hood, the Super Beetle 1600-cc VW flat-four engine (300 cc larger displacement than the '72 model) exhibits the same level of originality and condition as the rest of the car. Similarly, the front trunk is spotless with the factory-installed low-pile black carpeting still in place. Underneath, much of the chassis has been treated with rust-inhibitor. Only light surface rust is evident on untreated metal, primarily on the exhaust.

While the more than 135 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '73 Super Beetle in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

At the end of his VW review, the Classic Motoring writer got a little nostalgic: “Having a Beetle was similar to walking a dog. People would see you and ask about it, only to soon reminisce about the time they or a friend drove a 'Bug.' It always brings a smile or two to recall a crazy road trip with a Beetle....”

Owning and enjoying a Beetle—and making a few “crazy road trips” in one—offers an automotive experience every enthusiast should cherish.