On this day in 2003, the last classic VW Beetle also known as the Volkswagen Type 1, rolled off the assembly line. A total of 21.5 million Beetles were produced between 1938 and 2003. although early production was interrupted by World War II. The Type 1 was initially marketed simply as “the Volkswagen,” and was not officially named the beetle until 1968.

The Beetle was the idea of Adolf Hitler, who in 1934, saw the need for a “people’s car” — simple, inexpensive and mass produced. He insisted on car that could accommodate two adults and three children and get the equivalent of 33 mpg on the autobahn. The design is often credited to Ferdinand Porsche, who was responsible for the final design, however the concept traces back to work by Béla Barény and others in the 1920’s. As one would expect, the Beetle changed a lot during its 65 years of production, but one thing that never changed was its distinctive beetle shape.