Guess what! It’s time for a new series that I very likely will forget about before you finish reading this! It’s called Conspiracy Theory Thursday, and in this series we will highlight automotive ideas or concepts or whatevers that we can’t exactly “prove” with “evidence” because whatever we’re talking about may not be “true.”
But why should “truth” get in the way of something potentially fascinating? Normally, we at The Autopian strive to be as truthful as possible, and everything we assert needs to be backed up with actual evidence. Except here! Here we’re free to speculate and guess, without the burden of accuracy. So with that in mind, allow me to tell you my first Automotive Conspiracy Theory:
The mascot for the 1974 Volkswagen Beetle Special Edition known as the Sun Bug was meant to suggest the famous Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson.
Yes, you read that right: for reasons I can only (and will) guess at, the funny little cartoon mascot ladybug that VW used on the 1974 Special Edition Sun Bug was, in fact, based on a famous illustration of Gonzo journalist and drug-enjoyer Hunter S. Thompson.
This seems improbable, I realize – why would Volkswagen choose to badge their special edition car with such a polarizing figure as Hunter S. Thompson? The Sun Bug, was, after all, a very un-cynical and freespirited special edition car, a Super Beetle (1303, with the MacPherson front suspension and big windshield) painted in Harvesthold-Metallic paint and having either a sunroof or a full convertible top.
In addition to the paint and a bunch of other options, including
Special velvet cord faced upholstery 41U Nussbraun (43U Braun) loop pile carpeting, inertia reel seat belts, wood veneer dashboard trim, vinyl padded Petri AG steering wheel with alu-silver trim detailing, M 976 4½J x15 (ET41) (Lemmerz “GT”) sports wheels , M560 Steel sliding roof and North American conformity package options.
… the Sun Bug also had a special dealer-installed rear deck lid badge that replaced the standard VOLKSWAGEN badges, usually plastic (though some were cast in metal), which looked like this:
Now, there’s something about that mascot, that ladybug with That Hat and Those Sunglasses, and walking sort of hunched in That Way that looks a hell of a lot like this Ralph Steadman illustration of Hunter S. Thompson from his 1971 book Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas:
(illustration: Ralph Steadman)
It’s not just the superficial similarities of headgear and glasses, there’s something about the tiptoe, hunched gait, and overall tone that just feels the same. That Sun Bug feels like what the result would be if Hunter S. Thompson had some kind of Kafka Metamorphosis experience.
Look at the people in that ad. Tell me they’re not high on ether! This is prime Hunter S. Thompson stuff, at least beneath the surface.
Can I prove that some VW designer had a copy of Fear and Loathing laying around while they were designing this badge? No. Not in any way that makes rational sense.
Do I believe that this Sun Bug is a twisted version of the great Dr.Gonzo anyway? Hell yeah I do.
And now, I hope, you do, too. Spread the word! That’s how good conspiracy theories work!
Torch, don’t be hard on yourself. You kept that “World’s Worst/Most Interesting Cars” thing going for THREE WHOLE WEEKS.
There he was, by God – a puffy, drink-ravaged, disease-ridden caricature…like an awful cartoon version of an old snapshot in some once-proud mother’s family photo album. It was the face we had been looking for – and it was, of course, my own.”
What perfect timing to remind us of H.S. Thompson, who would be in his element like at no time since 1968~72.
Well it is dealer install not factory so maybe a few Las Vegas/Arizona dealerships did it? Also we are swapping Hunter S with Hunter S as described by his editors and hunter S the movie. Use dates to define when introduced. Hunter S was big on over the top V8 and drugs so not CHEAP VW CRAP. IMHO.
It’s the illustration! Which was not in the movie, of course. I thought that was pretty clear?
As a dedicated conspiracy believer, Hunter would’ve approved of your theory. Too bad the bug didn’t have a cigarette holder clenched in its jaw. That would remove all doubt. Or, if the artist wanted to be more subtle, perhaps a stem of grass. I recommend Thompson’s multiple volume memoirs to anyone looking for a deeper picture of a great American iconoclast.
That’s not a big block Impala convertible, but it’s totally believable.
A good metal Golde sunroof is still the best for bat country, that would be my choice.
Holy crap, I almost bought one of these in high school that was dead in my neighbors driveway. He (and I) had no idea what it was.
Also, what happened to the series defending cars from the worst car ever book? Bring it back torch!
How interesting the the Bugs in the ads themselves don’t have the special badge.
But no matter – I want one.
They seem more interesting than the later all-white Champagne Edition cars.
Tho the Rootbeer Brown and Blue Metallic Champagne Edition II Beetles were quite nice.