Track Down Your Car’s Story with VW’s History Dept.

Volkswagen’s history department aims to help enthusiasts by taking some of the guesswork out of the meticulous process of tracing down a classic car’s history.

Volkswagen owners interested in finding out more about their car’s origins can send their VIN number to history@volkswagen.de. They need to include a proof of ownership (such as a copy of a title or a registration document) to ensure that they’re authorized to inquire about the car. Upon receiving the request, someone in Wolfsburg will scour Volkswagen’s vast archives – the company has over three kilometers’ worth of files! – and send back basic information about the car’s earliest days.

The VIN research service came in handy when I was piecing together the history of my 1972 1302, a model better known as the “Super Beetle.” I knew virtually nothing about the car, because it was modified during the 1990s and it’s no longer wearing its original registration number. And while I could tell that it was originally dark green, I didn’t know whether I owned a 1302 or a 1302 L until I contacted Volkswagen, because my car is fitted with parts from both models.

Volkswagen’s archives department got back to me fewer than 24 hours after receiving my VIN number. I learned that my Beetle is a base 1302, not an L, and that it left the factory painted Sumatra Green with off-white vinyl upholstery on the seats and on the door panels. It must have been quite a head-turner back in the ‘70s.

Interestingly, my Beetle is not technically a German car. In fact, I’m not sure that it’s ever spun a wheel on German soil. That’s because it was built on February 7, 1972, in Belgium and shipped to a dealership in France the very next day.

Air-cooled Volkswagens often have a murky past, so the VIN research tool is invaluable if you’re tracing the history of your car, either for the sake of curiosity or, like me, to bring it back to its original condition. Owners of newer models can ask Volkswagen for information, too, as long as the car is at least ten-years old.

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