People's Car - Bernhard Rieger

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Résumé :
Rieger reveals how a car commissioned by Hitler and designed by Ferdinand Porsche became a global commodity on par with Coca-Cola. The Beetle's success hinged on its uncanny ability to capture the imaginations of executives, engineers, advertisers, car collectors, suburbanites, hippies, and everyday drivers across nations and cultures.

Biographie:
Bernhard Rieger is Professor of European History at the University of Leiden.

The People's Car by Bernhard Rieger chronicles the life of the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, from its 1930s origin as a propaganda tool for Germany's Third Reich through to the modern day, a run of popularity spanning a remarkable nine decades. Rieger's research details the car maker's obsessive pursuit for high-quality, low-maintenance and utterly dependable motoring, which were the treasured hallmarks of the Beetle through the middle part of the 20th century...While the meteoric postwar rise of the Beetle presents a chance to marvel at the model's simple appeal and outstanding longevity, the years before its manufacture began present the most fascinating reading...The People's Car is an exhaustive...and fascinating glimpse at a car that stood the test of time and of changing consumer tastes.--Steve ColquhounSydney Morning Herald (07/06/2013)