Here's How Much A Split-Window Volkswagen Beetle Is Worth Now
There have been hundreds of beautifully designed automobiles where master vehicle stylists and engineers create shapes and lines that have endured in the public consciousness. We all have an idea of what a beautiful car looks like. One vehicle has stood the test of time that not many may call "beautiful" — the Volkswagen Beetle.
This roundly shaped compact car spent over 80 years in production in various forms before finally being shuttered by Volkswagen in 2019. It's one of the most unforgettable vehicle designs of all time. However, there was one design element that was abandoned about 15 years into the car being manufactured. The early models of the VW Beetle featured a split rear window. This was replaced in 1953 by a full, single oval window, according to Vehicle History.
Although the split window may not be the most practical design when it comes to driver safety, the rarity of this vintage design has become something of a collector's item for some car enthusiasts, making what was once a modestly priced vehicle, relatively speaking, into something that could cost you quite a bit of money.
A big difference if it's maintained or not
Going back to 1950, when the split window configuration was the norm for the Volkswagen Beetle, a standard two-door model would cost you about $1,280, according to Hagerty. Adjusted for inflation, that amounts to over $16,000, which is a pretty good price for a brand-new vehicle. Those prices could increase if you purchased an upgraded model, such as the Sunroof Sedan or the Cabriolet, the top-priced iteration at $1,997 ($25,443 today).
For these cars today, you are looking at more than double the inflation-adjusted price to pick one of these up in good condition. You will most likely find a 1950 VW Beetle with split rear windows for sale somewhere in the 60 to 70-thousand-dollar range. Autotrader currently has two on the market that represent both sides of that range, and listings on The Samba also bear out similar numbers. At the higher end, they can even get close to $80,000.
Of course, there are also options of picking up poor-quality vehicles for far cheaper to fix them up yourself. You can find split-windowed VW Beetles utterly beaten by rust and age on The Samba for just £10,000 ($12,750), but some projects could run you up to $25,000, like on OldBugs.com. If you want to purchase a split-window Volkswagen Beetle, you will be spending a lot of money on it, whether upfront for a more ready-made experience or later to fix it up.