This 1302 Super Beetle is one of just 1,000 Baja Champion Special Editions built for 1972
May 12, 2025 at 09:57
- A classic Volkswagen Beetle with only 104 miles on the clock has come up for auction.
- The 1972 Baja Champions special commemorates success in the off-road race.
- Based on the 1302, it features that model’s McPherson struts and 1.6-liter engine.
It’s easy to forget the colossal impact VW’s Beetle had on the US car market, so try this stat for size: at its peak in the late 1960s and early 1970s the Type 1 Bug notched up around 400,000 annual sales – more than the modern VW of America sold across its entire lineup in 2024.
But Beetles were built to be used, not locked away like priceless supercars, so despite the huge number sold, most surviving classic Bugs in 2025 are either well-worn or comprehensively restored. Almost none are as original as this example, which has covered only 104 miles (167 km) from new and is now up for grabs through an online auction site.
Related: This VW Beetle Is Secretly A Modern Porsche Under Its Skin
It’s a 1972 Baja Champions Special Edition, one of 1,000 Beetles built to commemorate the model’s success in off-road racing between 1967 and is based on the European-spec Marathon Beetle that celebrated the production of the 15 millionth car. Both versions got the same Marathon Blue paint, black leatherette seats and 15-inch Lemmerz pressed-steel sports wheels, but the US version added “Baja” lettering and stripes, a set of driving lights on the frunk lid and a special commemorative Baja plaque.
Underneath the SE glitz, it’s a 1302 Super Beetle, which was VW’s attempt to update the by-now very elderly Bug in response to flagging sales and the arrival of Detroit-built import fighters like the AMC Gremlin, Ford Pinto, and Chevy Vega, and Japanese rivals such as the Toyota Corolla. McPherson struts replaced torsion bars, the fuel tank and frunk were bigger, and twin-port heads bumped power to 60 hp (61 PS) in the US.
Photos BaT
The original window sticker reveals the Baja SE package contributed $65 to the total sticker price of $2,261, which equates to just $17,298 – the least expensive VW on sale in 2025 in the US, in case you were wondering, is the $23,720 (including destination) Jetta S. But this Baja was never destined to find a buyer, instead being retained by Chick Iverson VW of Newport Beach, CA, until 1996 when it was snapped up by the late owner of VW parts specialist West Coast Metric.
Seventies Beetles don’t have the charm of the earlier Bugs, but opportunities to buy what is essentially a brand new Beetle don’t come along every day. You can check out the full auction listing at Bring A Trailer here.
Photos BaT
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