In the 1980s, and not even in America but in Sweden, an interesting and expensive project was built that caught my attention. It was based on a 1955 Volkswagen Beetle.

The body was restored, rusty metal was replaced, and all new and modified body elements were made of metal. There was no plastic or filler involved, only metal and lead, totaling 3kg for the entire car. The doors were made in the style of the Mercedes 300SL’s “gullwing.” The 1500cc engine remained largely untouched, with the exception of aesthetic enhancements in the form of chrome.

In fact, everything in this car that wasn’t painted was covered in chrome. All four bucket seats were sculpted and could rotate 180 degrees. A Sony Betamax television with a video recorder was installed, and the floor was covered in velvet. There was a mini-bar between the rear seats, featuring a rotating crystal ball, a wine decanter, and glasses. It turned out to be quite an extravagant mobile lounge.

The steering column and wheel were chromed. The Lowrider Pink Lady was sold with a custom-made carpet on which it was displayed at all exhibitions, along with two video cassettes documenting its creation. The car received extensive coverage in various publications, such as “Lowrider Magazine.” Although this Beetle was technically drivable, it was never used on public roads and was primarily assembled for show purposes. In the early 2000s, it was seen for sale on eBay.com with a price tag of $40,000. Its current value is unknown, but its worth has undoubtedly increased over the years, as it has become a piece of history and a classic.

As one of my followers, tag32, wrote: “If we talk about the style in which this Beetle was built, it falls into the category of Euro Lowriders—a popular trend in the ’80s and ’90s. At that time, when American AA lowriders in California no longer surprised anyone, European cars were taken as a base, and the same techniques and materials used in building full-size lowriders in the ’70s were applied. The style is vividly reflected in the wheels—not the classic spoked wheels with a central nut, but the short-spoked ones without adapters and with a large center cap. Also, the rectangular headlights replaced the stock ones, which was a trendy modification among lowriders of that time.

However, the suspension remains classical for lowriders—hydraulic. Notice the two pumps (one per axle) for the hydraulic fluid in the trunk, multiple batteries for power supply, and chrome “teardrop” hydraulic accumulators near the wheels.

To be honest, I’m surprised that this Beetle was built in the Netherlands and not in California…”