Herbie may be out of fashion today, but hippy buses still find takers

The Beetle, also known as the Type 1, may be dying out, but the counter-cultural spirit of the Type 2 - the VW camper - is set to live on

Volkswagen’s decision to end production of the Beetle from next year will make readers of a certain age feel a touch nostalgic. Few, though, will be surprised that the vehicle that captured hearts in the movie “Love Bug” has met its demise.

VW’s North American arm sold just 15,000 of the mass-market model last year — a derisory number for a vehicle that was created to be the “People’s Car.” Indeed, with the hippy generation now entering retirement, “Think Small” appears to have had its day and soulless, gas-guzzling SUVs are taking over the roads.

Happily, though, that’s not the whole story.