In what year was the first VW Beetle imported to the United States?

The first Volkswagen Beetle was imported through New York by Dutch businessman Ben Pon Sr. in 1949.

Ben Pon Sr was also the first official importer for the Volkswagen brand in the world. He was the first to officially bring the Volkswagen brand out of Germany to another country.

Only two Beetles were sold in the United States during the first year. By the 1950’s, Volkswagen had a dedicated sales office in the United States. Sales steadily grew reaching a peak of 570,000 Beetles in the 1970’s. The Beetle was discontinued in the United States in 1979 due to increasing safety and emissions standards. World wide production of the Beetle ceased in 2004. Until that time, you could purchase a brand new aircooled Beetle in Mexico. Today the Beetle is a favorite among enthusiasts and has a very strong aftermarket. Beetles are raced, and highly modified by enthusiasts the world over.