History : Info on the Concept 1 Developement

["George Achorn" <coolidge@tidalwave.net>]

	I picked up a copy of Graphis issue # 311 at Border's today and may go
back and pick up another. At $19 it ain't cheap, but it contains a
tremendously interesting article on the developement of Concept 1. Did you
know that it was designed by an Audi design team at the VW/Audi Design
Center in Simi Valley, CA? It was the idea of one of the designers and they
kept it a secret calling it only "Concept 1" since the word Beetle would
have surely meant its downfall. Old School VW brass were not positive in
any way on the revival of the Beetle. But then Ferdinand Piech became head
of VWAG and Helmut Warkuss was sent up to be head of design (the concept 1
was being developed under his knowlege). So they were able to show it to
Piech who okayed it for use at the '94 Detroit show. Even upon introduction
at the show, their head of developement was old school and the first thing
he said was that they would not be building the car, but using it to show
VW was still interested in the US market. Unfortunately for him and the
rest, the car was a hit and will go on sale in February. The article is
tremendously interesting.
	Graphis is printed in very high quality thick card pages and print quality
photos. When tired of reading the article there are 3 separate pages
depicting 1 a Concept 1 Wheel, 2 a Concept 1 dash, and 3 close up front 3/4
shot of the front tip of a concept 1. These are all of the yellow '94
showcar version and very high quality. The reason I am thinking of buying
another is to have them matted three abreast with border in between and
framed for hanging in my office.
	Later-G