 About 
Memorabilia, odds and ends
Volkswagen produced a few promotional items for the Last Edition Beetles, including flags and
descriptive boards to allow dealers to spruce up their showroom displays and explain the significance
of the model. Very few of these items have survived, but we know a couple of owners who've got examples
lovingly preserved. If anyone out there can provide us with some better photos or scans of any of these
articles to display on the website, they'll be gratefully received.
Original promotional material
Showroom display
 This is our only photo of a Last Edition Beetle in an original showroom display.
It shows LEB
number 194, and was taken at Martins-Cartune Ltd of Ormesby Rd, Middlesborough on 10th January 1978.
Display board
 Here's one of the descriptive boards from a showroom display, modelled by LEB
number 81. This magnificent example of the
copywriter's art reads as follows: This is
one of the last gallant 600 in Britain. First created over 40 years ago, the Beetle has become a
legend in the history of the motor car. Loveable and ever reliable, the Beetle is a breed apart.
Your very last chance to buy a part of motoring history. The Last Edition.
Flag
  Like any self-respecting tribe, we have our own standard. The LEB flag was included
in the promotional material supplied to dealers when the cars were new, but very few examples have survived.
We only know of two, and they're both shown here. The one on the left is depicted during one of its very
few encounters with daylight, when it made an appearance at Tatton Park in 1993. The one on the right is Julie's,
purchased from a mystery man who found her at the LEB Register display at Stanford Hall in 2005. He'd been
harbouring it for many years, and was very pleased to exchange it for a sizeable wad of beer vouchers.
25th anniversary plaques
 In 2003, we decided to mark the 25th anniversary of the Last Edition
Beetles with the production of a limited edition of commemorative
plaques. These were designed to be very similar to the original numbered plaques supplied with (some of) the
cars, but at the same time readily distinguishable so as to prevent any confusion. The new ones are shinier
(stainless steel), slightly heavier gauge, and the lettering is embossed and filled rather than just
painted on. They should outlast most other LEB components ! We took care only to
supply the anniversary plaques to bonafide LEB owners, and we've now completely sold out.
Last Edition Beetle model car
There aren't many of these about. Jim McLachlan celebrated the 21st birthday of his Last Edition Beetle,
number 91, with the production of a limited edition of just 21
model cars. These 1:43 scale models are based on the Corgi Toys 'Motoring Memories' Beetle. |
