Last weekend, 405 Volkswagen Beetle from many different variants came together for the 'Beetle, An Iconic Gathering' event at Putrajaya. The gathering on 13th July 2019 was organised by official Volkswagen distributors here, Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia (VPCM) and it was joined by Beetle owners from up north in Perlis to down south in Johor Bahru making it one of the largest gatherings for what is arguably the ultimate automotive icon.
The celebration of the Volkswagen Beetle started off early in the morning where a convoy of 138 Beetle cars drove through the streets of Kuala Lumpur before heading south towards Putrajaya to join the Gathering. Beetles of all colours, variants and uniquely customised ones which reflect the personalities of their owners were part of this convoy and it must have been quite a surprise to many KL folks who were up and about that Saturday morning.
Erik Winter, Managing Director of VPCM (pictured below) expressed his appreciation to the Beetle owners who had come from all over the Malaysian Peninsula. He said, “It was an emotional moment for us to see the rows and rows of colourful air-cooled and water-cooled Beetle cars and I believe all those who were present today shared this sentiment.”
“This is a car that has united people across all walks of life, and they all gathered in Putrajaya over one common passion – the Beetle. The sense of kinship was apparent everywhere, and we are grateful to all owners, and especially to our Beetle car clubs and classic Volkswagen communities for making the event a success.” added Erik.
Of course, this being an official Volkswagen Malaysia gathering, there were prizes for 'the Best of' cars on display there. A few of the best Beetle cars which stood out from the crowd were awarded prizes. There was the “Best in Show” cars, and the “Most Liked Car” which was a social media contest for visitors to the show to vote for.
The winners of the “Best in Show” cars were Fairul Irwan, Raja Gopal and Thavanesan A/L Selvaratnam, while Siti Aishah Ismail’s Instagram posting of her Bug earned the “Most Liked Car” title.
Aside from the owner cars on show, VPCM also displayed the Collector’s Edition Beetle. This was launched in Malaysia just one day after the last Beetle rolled out from the production line at Volkswagen’s Puebla factory in Mexico. The limited to 75 units Collector's Edition Beetle comes equipped with a list of accessories worth up to RM12,000, including a rear spoiler, decorative film, chrome exhaust tips, aluminium sports pedals, scuff plates, VW Tint and an emblem marking its production run. The special edition is priced at RM164,390 and only 75 units are available, where d all 75 owners will receive an official Collector’s Edition certificate of ownership.
So the event basically is quite a goodbye for the current Beetle. It may be a long while before Volkswagen use the Beetle moniker again so the gathering was like a grand farewell party. Of course, the cars will eventually become as collectible as the super iconic old Beetle.
It is because of this, and the love of all things motoring, The Iconic Gathering attracted visitors who spent the day celebrating the legacy of the Beetle, and enjoying performances by local acts, lots of food from popular food trucks, shopping at the Beetle car boot sales, test driving other popular Volkswagen models, and other fun activities for the family.
Long live the Beetle.
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