1958 Volkswagen Beetle | Pirton, Hertfordshire

A 1958 Volkswagen Beetle, the rounded, rear-engined small car that grew from a people's car into a favourite of 1960s counter-culture. Its air-cooled flat-four sits at the back and drives the rear wheels, which gives the Beetle its upright, friendly stance. Beetles of this period have the one-piece oval rear window that replaced the split pane in 1953. This car is black with a blue interior, a pairing that gives the camera a strong outline outside and a cool colour within. It has the 1200 engine. It is left-hand drive: the driver sits on the kerb side, so the front passenger steps out on the road side, and the car has a continental look in shot. Its date and shape suit 1950s and 1960s film and TV and period advertising, as the compact, rounded body reads clearly as mid-century. Photographers and fashion and editorial teams get a blue interior that shows well through open doors, and music videos and events gain a continental look. Weddings and personal hires suit it too. The car is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire.