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These ‘cars of the people’ are revered for their simplicity and genius, with many being showcased as pieces of art in galleries and museums alike.
Throughout the automotive industry, automakers have tried to create vehicles which suit all aspects of everyday life. While some are still pursuing this ethos, the trend was most evident after the end of the Second World War, where many were unable to afford the cars already available.
The respective country’s automakers then set about creating their own ‘car of the people’ to help the country build up their industry and economy, creating a better world for all. The original ‘car of the people’ was the Volkswagen Type 1 – also known as the ‘Bug’ or ‘Beetle’. While it does have an unfortunate past, it was the car that set off a revolution within the auto industry, triggering the surrounding countries of France, Britain, Italy and Russia to do the same. This even stretched to the Far East as Japan got busy designing their own versions. This global trend resulted in vehicles which were compact, cheap to build, cheap to run and cheap to buy, yet offered practicality, durability, and would be easy to fix with tools which were on hand, rather than specialized ones.
Today, these ‘cars of the people’ are revered for their simplicity and genius, with many being showcased as pieces of art in galleries and automotive museums alike. These classic cars have also gained cult followings, with an almost innumerable quantity of clubs dedicated to their restoration and preservation. With that, here are ten ‘cars of the people’ which have earned their cult followings.
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The VW Type 1 – or ‘Beetle’ – is one of the most well-known vehicles ever made. Originally commissioned by Adolf Hitler and designed and engineered by Ferdinand Porsche, the Beetle debuted in 1938 and remained in production until 2003. The Beetle was built by various different companies with more than 21.5 million units sold worldwide.
The Beetle is powered by a series of flat-4 engines, kicking off with a 1.1-liter and ending with a 1.6-liter. The original Beetle produced just 30 hp, but was eventually upped to 57 hp when the Beetle ended production. The VW Beetle is probably one of the most influential cars to ever exist as it redefined what the automobile was supposed to be.
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The VW Type 2 - also known as the Bus, Microbus, Kombi or Transporter in different countries – was a more practical alternative to the Beetle. It was designed by Dutch VW importer, Ben Pon, and subsequently became an extremely popular work/family and fun vehicle. The Type 2 was in production between 1950 and 1975, with the succeeding models still in production as the T6.1. VW has also recently begun production of the I.D.Buzz, an electric spiritual successor to the original.
Over the years, the Type 2 became a popular choice among all sorts of people, from construction workers to campers, larger families to celebrity chefs. The Type 2, being built on the same platform as the Type 1, shared the same engines and power figures as the Beetle. This made the vehicle quite slow and relatively underpowered – not that it mattered much as people definitely didn’t buy the Type 2 for the straight-line speed.
The Citroën 2CV was France’s answer to the VW Beetle. It had almost the same underpinnings as the Beetle, but with a proper French flair. The 2CV was larger than the Beetle, but had much smaller and less powerful engines, with the most powerful one developing just 29 hp.
The initial debut of the 2CV was filled with critique from the international press, but within the first year of production, the waiting list for the 2CV stretched to five years. The 2CV was a monumental success thanks to its simplicity, comfort and durability. Citroën’s ingenious suspension system made headlines and was reworked and updated to eventually become the basis for Rolls-Royce’s suspension.
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Like the Citroën 2CV, Renault was working on their own People’s Car. The Renault 4 debuted in 1962 and remained in production until 1992. The 4 was fitted with various inline-4 engines, ranging from a tiny 0.6-liter to a still tiny 1.1-liter, with the most powerful R4 version putting out just 32 hp.
The 4 was a more conventional car compared to the 2CV, but it still had a few interesting quirks. One example of this is the fact that the gearbox was at the front of the engine and rather than develop a complicated system of changing gears, the lever just went straight over the engine. This is a bit weird, but it worked out and the Renault 4 sold more than eight million units.
Across the Channel, the Brits were busy working on their own version of the VW Beetle, called the Morris Minor. Unlike the Beetle which was a rear-engine rear-wheel-drive car and the Citroën 2CV which was a front-engine front-wheel-drive car, the Minor combined the two to create the best layout – front-engine with rear-wheel-drive.
The Minor was in production between 1948 and 1971 and was fitted with small inline-4 engines. Like the other People’s Cars, the Minor was available as a 4-door and 2-door hardtop, as well as a 2-door convertible. The Minor was a great car which was eventually replaced by the Austin Mini in 1959.
Like the previous cars, the original Mini was a result of economic instability. In the 1950s, Britain was facing a fuel shortage and so the people of Britain needed a fuel-efficient car to travel in. The result was the Austin Mini – also known by 15 other names over the 41 years of production. Like the Morris Minor before it, the Mini was powered by a series of inline-4 engines, mounted transversely due to the front-drive layout.
The Mini was a revolution and thanks to the frugal engines, helped Britons through this tough time. The Mini was also a brilliant racecar, easily being able to keep up with the large American V8 barges around circuits during Touring Car Championships. The Mini was also excellent at rallying thanks to the punchy engine, short wheelbase and light weight, winning 32 titles between 1960 and 1972.
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Over on the Italian mainland, the engineers at Fiat didn’t want to be left out, so in 1957, the Italian marque unveiled the Fiat 500. It was a small, 2-door city car with an inline-2 engine powering the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission. The 500 as we know it was the replacement for the Topolino, a pre-Second World War car that had become outdated.
The 500 was available as a hardtop, convertible and even a 2-door wagon – mostly used as delivery vehicles. Today, the 500 lives on as a city car with a modern take on the original’s styling, and it can even be bought as an electric vehicle. The Fiat 500 also features in the Cars film series as Luigi, the tire shop owner of Radiator Springs.
The Fiat Panda followed the criteria for a People’s Car, but with a bit more space. Introduced in 1980, the Panda has been in constant production and is currently in its third generation. The original Panda was a front-engine brick-like hatchback, fitted with various inline-4 engines, even sporting an inline-2 and a 1.3-liter diesel.
Hilariously, the Panda was also available with 4-wheel-drive and the powerful 48 hp engine. The Panda 4x4 was the first small, transversely mounted engine car to feature a 4WD system, which was selectable and had an ultra-low first gear. The original Panda was a great car and was made even more famous by James May’s liking of them.
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The Datsun 510 was the Japanese equivalent to Europe’s cars of the people. It was larger and more comfortable but was the same basic idea – cheap and reliable which would last for a long time. The 510 was available in sedan, coupe and station wagon body styles, sporting some larger 4-cylinder engines starting with a 1.3-liter and eventually ending with a 1.8-liter.
The 510 had some pretty nice trims during its production runs, with the SSS trim even putting out an impressive 108 hp. Luckily for enthusiasts, the 510 was the proper front-engine, rear-drive layout, making it popular among drivers and racers alike, even competing in the Trans Am series in the early 1970s. Today, the 510 is massively collectable and has a huge following.
The original Honda Civic was the Japanese brand’s first genuine market success, selling around 100,000 units per year between 1972 and 1979. The Civic was available as a 2- and 4-door fastback, a 3- and 5-door hatchback and even a 5-door wagon. It was fitted with inline-4 engines, ranging from the entry-level 50 hp 1.2-liter to the 75 hp 1.5-liter – when mated with the 5-speed manual.
Most Civic models were fitted with 4-speed manual transmissions, but Honda did offer a 2-speed automatic, called the Hondamatic – however few people went for this option. The Civic was a popular choice in Britain and the U.S. as the energy crisis was in full swing and the American cars were pretty terrible. The Civic may have been a bit late to the party, but it definitely deserves to be among the ‘Cars of the People’ category.
Michael De Kock is passionate about cars and everything from avocados to particle accelerators. He has studied psychology and knows a little bit about fixing cars (old Land Rovers mostly). He also blogs and has a book, 125 Creative Writing Prompts for Petrolheads, available on Amazon. His philosophy in life: Stop the hate - Adopt a V8.