There are few cars that evoke the spirit of sunny summertime vibes quite as joyfully as a bright yellow Beetle Cabriolet. The air-cooled community has always embraced these models with keenness, and their legacy stretches way back to the early days of the Beetle, with the obscure Hebmüller drop-tops having a particular cult following. And the official VW cabrios represented way more than simply chopping the top off and adding a canvas roof; the Beetle Cabriolet was treated to reinforced sills, a transverse beam beneath the rear seat, double-walled side cowl panels, and additional welding and gusseting. So the integrity of the convertible matched the stylish looks. 

The example here we have is a 1975 car, and it’s got an interesting history. A genuine UK right-hand-drive factory cabrio, it was subject to an extensive restoration in the 1980s, which included replacement of most of the body panels, a full repaint and a replacement engine. More recently, a large amount of money was spent in 2016 on a thorough mechanical overhaul. Today it presents as a beautifully finished and thoroughly enjoyable example of the breed, which is dependable, robust, and very pleasing to drive. 

 

 

 

 

There’s a beguiling simplicity to a Beetle interior, and this is very much in evidence here. The seats are unfussy, but neatly trimmed; there’s just one dial on the dash, and the steering wheel is a tasteful three-spoke affair. The driving experience is one of purity, unfettered by clutter.

The details are all solid too: everything’s neat and tidy with a gentle patina to show how well the car wears its years, and the only luxurious embellishment is a Blaupunkt head unit with upgraded speakers front and rear. 

Behind the tilting rear bench we find the tonneau cover for the roof, which is a quality item that’s easy to fit.

 

This is a very charmingly presented Beetle. We know from the documentation that the car received a thorough restoration in the 1980s, and this included replacement of all four wings, new bonnet and bootlid, and bumpers; the shell received a full repaint, and the resto has held up extremely well over the years. It’s a remarkably pretty car to behold, that received many admiring looks and comments throughout our test-drive and photoshoot.

The light lenses and window glass are all good (the headlights having been more recently replaced), and the chrome trim and bumpers are all in situ and gleaming. At the front end, we find a pair of Cibies along with a tasteful chin spoiler and chrome headlight brows. The car wears a set of EMPI-style 8-spoke alloy wheels, shod with matching Avon tyres with good tread.

The soft-top is in very good order – it’s easy to raise, latch, lower and stow, and has a heated glass window.

This Beetle is a lot of fun to drive. It fires up easily on the first turn of the key and settles into that characteristic flat-four thrum; the 1600cc motor sports a new exhaust which has a lovely deep (but not overly intrusive) tone, and the engine appears to have been well tuned as it drove faultlessly throughout our test-drive. The car rides very well, the brakes feel strong (having been fully overhauled), the steering is nimble, it’s a thoroughly pleasing machine. Wind-in-the-hair pleasure with that unmistakable air-cooled VW soundtrack.

This really is a good-time car, perfect for the scorching summer that’s just around the corner. If you think it looks good in the photos, you should see it in real life – it’s a lovely thing to behold, and you’ll always be making friends in this Beetle, as everybody wants to talk to you about it. It’s a properly joyful thing to drive too; the peppy motor has plenty of get-up-and-go, and it’s an eager and agile thing as well as being eminently comfy. Whoever buys this car will surely wake up every morning thereafter with a smile on their face, content in the knowledge that they made a very good decision indeed.

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