Herbie fetches 57 lakh at an auction

One of the most iconic cars in history, Herbie the Love Bug was the star of several films for Disney. The little VW Beetle, one of the stunt cars used in the film ‘Herbie goes to Monte Carlo,’ was put up for auction in what appears to be largely the original state of the car. The vehicle is a 1963 VW Beetle chassis number 5156863 and was extensively modified to be used as one of the invisible driver stunt cars. 

After being lost for several decades, the iconic Beetle was discovered in a warehouse in Florida a few years ago as it remains in a largely unaltered condition.  It was installed with a series of sprockets and pulleys connected to a second steering column installed under the front seat to allow the driver to control the car from the back. The mechanism was installed specifically to give Herbie the required invisible impression. 

Following the massive moolah that it recently fetched, Herbie is now believed to be the most expensive Volkswagen Beetle ever sold at an auction. Interestingly, the car was sold on eBay less than a year ago for $55,200 (Rs 36 lakh approx). It turned out to be a very wise investment as the owner has now managed to make a substantial profit of over Rs 20 lakh on this vintage Beetle.