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Beetle, even last year, outsold the vast majority of PHEV/EV models. There are hybrid/electrics selling in the SINGLE DIGITS monthly right now. Not every vehicle business case has to work if the parent company is solidly profitable. I'm in no way a potential customer, but JEERS to VW if they Pull the Plug on the Bug.

VW (somehow) made $5 billion profit in 2016. They should keep the Beetle going just as an icon/symbol.

Not really my thing, but they were 2drs and had character...not generic enough in today's market, alas.

New addition to the hood..

A '55 McCormack, a fiberglas body kit marketed out of California. You could get a primer-finished body, hung doors, a steel tube frame, the hardtop & the grilles for $1100 (assembly required). This example was found in a small Pennsylvania junkyard. Someone had posted online a video of a winter walk-thru of this yard about 8 years ago, and the camera did pan across the McCormack. I spotted this car in the video right off, and apparently a guy who's prime directive is to find & rescue fiberglass cars did too, as it was pulled from said yard in 2012 & is awaiting future restoration. Screen shot from the video : In happier times. Design is a little screwy at the rear fender/C-pillar but otherwise- a neat little scooter.

Thanks for the update, very cool info!

Major update to the opening post.

Makes me a bit sad...always thought they were kinda cool...

Cool history on the company here though. http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1809.html Cool Info here with sales data back to 1998 https://www.statisticbrain.com/general-motors-statistics/ Nice History of GM here also, though focused on Canada. http://www.gm.ca/gm/english/corporate/about/ourhistory/detail Also love this 95 years of Chevy Trucks story. http://news.pickuptrucks.com/2012/10/95-years-of-chevy-pickup-history.html

My '75-82 Chilton's says the diesel 350 ran from '77-82 (don't know offhand if it ran later than that. Interesting in that it was rated for 285 TRQ while the gas Chevy 350 was rated at 270 TRQ- no discernible bump. In '79-80, Olds added a 260 V8 diesel, but there was only the 350 for '81. In '82, a 263 V6 diesel appeared.

Agree with you on the Olds Gas conversion to Diesel engine sell. That was the start of death for them. My dad had an auto repair business and I cannot tell you how many Olds Diesel auto's with less than 30K miles had blown and people paid to have the motor replaced with a gas motor as Olds had all kinds of excuses of why it was the owners fault and would not honor the warranty of an engine replacement. Old shot themselves big time with this mess.

...6 inches wider & 21-inches taller. But the USPS has released specs a few years ago of what they're looking for in a replacement, and it's much LARGER than what they have now; 85-in wide, 230-in long and 106-in in height. Current mail trucks were based on the S-10 chassis, but those specs are too great for that tier of truck, nevermind a Bolt-esque vehicle. Frankly, I don't see such a hulking postal vehicle being necc, as more & more mailing goes electronic... tho I'm also surprised the package overflow has shippers contracting with USPS trucks for Sunday deliveries.

They should be pitching some version of this to the Post Office for the new delivery vehicle. I was thinking a Transit Connect would be good since it comes in right hand drive and has the cargo space. But the Bolt could be even better because I doubt any postal route is over 100 miles, let alone 200, and the vehicles can charge at night.

CUV is King and the Bug's time has come to die. Lifestyle makes the bug not desirable by people and that shows in the sales numbers. Hail the New King, CUV!