Volkswagen ends production of its iconic Beetle car after 8 decades

The Volkswagen Beetle is taking a bow, after its return and restyle in 2011 (and earlier rebirth in 1997 — the one with the built-in flower vase). The last of the most recent generation of Beetles has already come off the production line, and will be put on display at the Volkswagen museum in Puebla near the plant that produced it.

Volkswagen’s 2011 Beetle redesign did away with much of the hippy throw-back appeal of the 1998 model year New Beetle, though it kept many of its curves and vaguely bug-like look that earned it its name to begin with. The U.S. run of the original Beetle ended in 1979, so it was nearly 20 years before it got its second life — and it’s been 21 years now that both revised versions have been on sale.

Volkswagen’s Beetle production officially came to an end after over eight decades as the last Beetles produced rolled off the assembly line in Puebla, Mexico on Wednesday. A special ceremony at factory marked the end of production. The last Beetles will be sold on Amazon in a move symbolising Volkswagen’s embrace of the future, Volkswagen Mexico CEO Steffen Reiche said.