Classic Car Insurance: History of the VW Beetle

The history of the VW beetle goes back to 1924, and was actually an idea conceived by Adolf Hitler. While in prison following the failed revolt on the Federal German capital, he theorized that to solve Germany’s unemployment problem, the Government could build special roads, called autobahns, for motor vehicles, and mass-produce a car that the average man would be able to buy. Thus came the Volkswagen, also called “the people’s car”.

Work on these roads began in September of 1933, and the designs for the Volkswagen were not finalized until 1938, but the vehicle finally saw the light of day in 1939. Due to WWII, production was temporarily halted, but from 1945 on the Beetle was produced in significant numbers. The Beetle model was internally designated the Volkswagen Type 1 in 1945, and was marketed simply as the “Volkswagen”.

Later models were designated VW 1200, 1300, 100, 1302 or 1303. The first three model numbers indicated their engine displacement and the latter two were derived from the type number and not indicative of engine capacity. An interesting fact to note about the history of the VW beetle is that the same engine design has driven the through its lifetime.

The VW Beetle was designed to sustain high speeds on the autobahns. Eventually, the Beetle gave rise to variants, including the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia and the Volkswagen Type 2 bus. The Beetle marked a significant trend led by Volkswagen, Fiat, and Renault where the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout had increased form 2.6% of continental Western Europe’s car production in 1946 to 26.6% in 1956.

Although the VW Beetle has a rich and long history, manufacturing of the car ceased in Germany in 1980, and by 1981 Mexico was the only company that was still producing the vehicle. 65 years after its original launch, the last Type 1 VW Beetle rolled off the production line at Puebla, Mexico on July 30, 2003. This last Beetle, nicknamed “El Ray”, was delivered to the company’s museum in Wolfburg, Germany that year.

Whether you own an antique VW Beetle or any other type of classic or antique car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of insurance coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

The Case of a Hotel Valet and a Crashed Lamborghini

Earlier in July, at the Le Meridien Hotel in New Delhi, a hotel valet attempted to park a guest’s Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, however apparently was not an experienced enough driver to be behind the wheel of such a powerful car. As he accelerated, the vehicle veered out of the man’s control, through a crowd of people, and into a concrete barrier. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured in the incident, as the only injury sustained was to the driver himself and was minor.

Unfortunately however, the hotel simply calls this incident an “accident” and so far has taken no financial responsibility for the damaged specialty car. The car’s owner claims that the vehicle is worth nearly a half a million dollars, due to the high cost of importing it, and estimates that the damage done to the car comes to just over $330,000. In this case, the owner of the Lamborghini has filed a complaint against the valet, however if the hotel refuses to pay, this means that the owner is financially responsible for the damage done to his vehicle.

Although this type of case might have a different outcome here in the U.S., the scenario still shows how important it is to have the right type of insurance coverage for specialty, exotic, or classic cars. In addition, it should serve as an example of the importance of taking care of your exotic car; perhaps thinking twice about letting anyone else behind the driver’s seat, even if it is someone who should seemingly be an experienced driver.

Whether you own a Lamborghini or any other type of specialty or classic car, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of insurance coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Classic Cars: History of the Jaguar

The Jaguar brand wasn’t always the automobile legend we know it as today. It was actually a motorcycle sidecar manufacturer originally, and was founded under a different name, the Swallow Sidecar Company, in 1922. Co-founded by 21-year-old Billy Lyons and neighbor William Walmsley in Blackppol, Jaguar’s legacy has always been about style.

The Jaguar name was made relevant by the production of a series of eye-catching sports cars, such as the XK 120 of 1949, which was developed into the XK 140 and XK 150, and the E Type of 1961. These were all successful vehicles and were prime examples of Lyon’s motto of “value for money”.

The sales slogan for the Jaguar vehicles, which acquired the “Jaguar” name in 1935, was “Grace, Space, Pace”. The exact text of this slogan varied, but always included these three words, as this was what embodied a Jaguar vehicle. After WWII, Jaguar certainly made a name for itself as a producer of stylish, high-performance vehicles.

Although Jaguars were always about style, it wasn’t until the mid-1950’s that they were introduced as luxury vehicles. By then, jaguar cars were recognizable for their distinct styling cues, such as a chrome grill and the leaping jaguar emblem. Through the 50’s and 60’s, Jaguar luxury cars grew larger with each redesign, topping out at more than 200 inches in length by 1970.

The Jaguar brand has quite a distinct history, and is still going strong today. Currently, Jaguar produces 4 distinct models; the XK high-performance coupe and convertible, the XJ luxury model, the mid-size “executive” XF, and the X-Type which is among the upper tier of all luxury cars available today.

Whether you own a classic Jaguar or a modern one, Condon Skelly has the Insurance Policies to keep you financially protected. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading classic, antique, and specialty vehicle insurance since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.

Specialty Car Insurance: The Legacy of the McLaren Brand

McLaren Automotive is a British car manufacturer of high-performance vehicles, established in 1989 as a producer of road cars based on Formula One technology. Bruce McLaren, father of the McLaren brand of automobiles, started a racing career as a teenager in a modified 1929 Austin Ulter that had been given to him by his father. McLaren was just as talented of an engineer as he was a racer, and so in May of 1966 he developed his very own Formula One car. This vehicle debuted at Monaco and qualified in 10^th place with Bruce behind the wheel.

In early 1970, work began on the McLaren M6GT, with the plan to take an M6 Can-Am car and develop a couple body that would be competitive in long distance racing. McLaren had always wanted to build his own road car, but also have it be the fastest and quickest accelerating car in the world that translated the brand’s expertise on the race track. Together with chief designer Gordon Coppuck, Bruce McLaren planned to refine the prototype, eventually aiming to produce up to 250 cars per year. However, other than the original prototype that became his personal transportation, there was only one other M6GT ever built.

Enthusiasts speculate whether or not McLaren’s dream would have taken off. Tragically, on June 2^nd of 1970, Bruce McLaren was doing a test run at Goodwood when the tail section on his M8D lifted at 170mph. He spun off the track and was thrown from the vehicle, resulting in his untimely death at the age of 32.

While dreams of the fastest road car ever disappeared with Bruce McLaren, the brand lived on. In fact, the John Barnard designed McLaren MP4/1, developed in 1981, is said to be the most significant car in McLaren’s long history. The McLaren brand has continued to thrive, with its most recent model being the elegant McLaren P1, described as the “ultimate expression of aerodynamic expertise” by McLaren employees.

No matter what type of specialty car you own, it’s important to protect it financially with the right type of Specialty Car Insurance Coverage. At Condon Skelly, we know how exciting it can be to start a classic car collection. We’ve been helping our customers protect their classics with affordable, industry-leading insurance coverage since 1967. We’re a group of collectors, enthusiasts, and professionals who specialize in insuring all types of collector vehicles. For more information, please contact us today at (866) 291-5694.