It's hard to explain the huge cost increases ---- wouldn't Beetles also be made with cheaper labor than Germans now? Like in Mexico? Yet when they were made in a middle class country they were cheaper. Now that cars are made with $0.30 an hour wages they're much more expensive --- obviously cheap labor benefits someone --- but the savings aren't being passed down to the consumer.
Have you ever priced a '64 Beetle with airbag readiness, fasten safety belt, door ajar, charging system, low engine oil pressure, brake system/parking brake, check engine, overdrive off (automatic transmission), anti-lock brake system (optional), fuel filler door, low fuel and loose fuel cap warning lights?