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VW Celebrates da Vinci’s Birthday by Showcasing Five Artfully Decorated Cars

To celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s birthday, Volkswagen had the brilliant idea of showcasing five unique, artfully decorated models from around the world. Let’s meet them and uncover their interesting stories.
The Wedding Beetle 6 photos
Photo: Volkswagen AG
The VocholThe ‘Million Dollar’ SciroccoThe Wedding BeetleWoodstock’s ‘Light’ BusVW Golf Alltrack 'Mountainous Masterpiece'
We’re going through some difficult times because of the ongoing health crisis. As a consequence, many museums and art galleries remain closed to the general public. But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the life and work of the brilliant Leonardo da Vinci.

Thanks to the limitless opportunities presented by the internet and the creative spirit of the German automaker’s marketing department, car enthusiasts who also appreciate art are given the opportunity to view five uniquely adorned VW models.

From beads to creative paintwork, these vehicles stand out from the crowd in a stylish manner. Let’s check out each one and learn more about their captivating stories.

The Vochol

The Vochol
Photo: Asociación de Amigos del Museo de Arte Popular, A.C.
The brainchild of Ferdinand Porsche and a resentful man with a toothbrush mustache, the car affectionately known as Käfer (beetle in German) was produced from 1938 until 2003 in more than 21.5 million units.

It was extremely popular worldwide, including Mexico, the country where this particular Beetle got a creative makeover.

It gets its name from a combination of the words "vocho," a common term for these models in Mexico, and Huichol, another name for the Wixarika indigenous group of the Nayarit and Jalisco regions.

Eleven years ago, a team of Huichol artists decorated its interior and chassis, the latter receiving over 2.2 million beads applied by hand in elaborate patterns that pay homage to the group’s traditions.

Woodstock’s ‘Light’ Bus

Woodstock’s ‘Light’ Bus
Photo: VW AG. -
This Volkswagen Type 2’s unique paintwork was commissioned in 1968 by Bob Grimm, a musician in the Baltimore-based group Light. The man in charge of the psychedelic design was artist Robert “Dr. Bob” Hieronimus, who spent six months working on the project.

One year later, the Grimm and his band drove it to Woodstock, where it was photographed by reporters covering the event, becoming a counter-culture icon.

Unfortunately, the faith of the original 1963 bus is unknown as it seemingly disappeared despite extensive efforts to trace it.

In 2018, Hieronimus, along with a team of restoration experts, created a replica that features every little detail of the original van to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary festival.

The Wedding Beetle

The Wedding Beetle
Photo: VW AG. -
The second Beetle on this list is a masterpiece that also comes from Mexico. It was created in the 1960s by Rafael Esparza-Prieto, a welder and blacksmith from the country’s capital city.

The artist completely removed the original body and replaced it with an amazing skeleton-like structure made from white wrought iron. He artistically filled in the gaps with floral patterns and decorative twirls, leaving the underpinnings and interior completely exposed.

As its name suggests, it was loaned out for many years to young couples looking for a unique vehicle to mark that special occasion. For those of you who are wondering, yes, the doors open, and it's drivable.

The ‘Million Dollar’ Scirocco

The ‘Million Dollar’ Scirocco
Photo: VW AG. - Photo courtesy of Rotiform
This 1980 Volkswagen Scirocco S belongs to Jason Whipple, a Volkswagen fanatic and collector who took apart and rebuilt it from scratch as a side project.

The car features a hand-built 2.0-liter capable of delivering 180 hp, a high-performance engine management system, and a modified transmission. It was given this name because the owner felt like he was spending a million dollars on the project, replacing most of the stock parts with custom, high-performance variants.

In 2018, Whipple met British graphic artist and fellow VW enthusiasts Nicolai Sclater who decorated the rabbit Scirocco with a rainbow motif and wild graphics. It also features social commentary with phrases like, “The future is our fault,” and “Things won’t change until we do.

The hand-built and hand-painted car was subsequently unveiled at that year’s SEMA Auto Show, where it was met with dropped jaws by both automotive enthusiasts and artists.

A Mountainous Masterpiece

VW Golf Alltrack 'Mountainous Masterpiece'
Photo: VW AG. -
We wrap up this virtual gallery with a Golf Alltrack, which is part of a fleet that also includes a Tiguan and Atlas. Volkswagen offered these cars to the Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (PSIA-AASI).

Artist Mimi Kvinge gave the fleet a creative makeover, painting a mountainous landscape against a blue sky on each of the vehicles. They can be seen at major ski and snowboard resorts where they help promote PSIA-AASI’s educational training seminars for instructors across the country.
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About the author: Vlad Radu
Vlad Radu profile photo

Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times.
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