VW will celebrate both the final year of the current-gen Beetle, as well as the 70th anninersary of the first Beetle sold in the U.S. at the Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance, which will host a special class for Beetle models with custom coachwork.

The Beetle chassis was a popular choice for coachbuilders in Europe thanks to its popularity and affordability, creating a wide range of unique vehicles. Even VW themselves used it to produce different classic cars like the original Dune Buggy and the Karmann Ghia.

Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance will showcase 12 custom-bodied VW vehicles: the 1950 Hebmueller Type 14A,1951 Rometsch Beeskow Coupe, 1951 Tempo Matador, 1953 Rometsch Taxi, 1953 Dannenhauer & Stauss Cabriolet, 1954 Dannenhauer & Stauss Coupe, 1954 Rometsch Beeskow Coupe, 1956 Beetle by Troutman and Barnes, 1957 Rometsch Lawrence Convertible, 1960 Rometsch Lawrence Coupe, 1965 Karmann-Ghia Type 1 concept, and the 1969 Beetle Wedding Car.

Karmann Ghia Type 1

This will be the first time so many coachbuilt Beetle-based vehicles are gathered in the same place in front of the public in the US. Cars like the Karmann Ghia Type 1 concept and the 1951 Rometch Beeskow Coupe have been shipped from Germany specifically for the occasion.

”We’re delighted that the Amelia Island Concours chose to host a class for the Beetle with custom coachwork,” said Klaus Bischoff, Head of Volkswagen Design. “While everyone knows the humble Beetle, it’s less well-known that the Beetle platform was used by a number of coachbuilders in Europe to produce the amazing, unique vehicles on show this weekend.”

“The Volkswagen with custom coachwork is the flipside of the Bug’s original American mission and message and thus the perfect fodder for an Amelia Concours special class,” said Bill Warner, Founder and Chairman of the event.