How Much Is A Split-Window VW Beetle Worth Today?

Not to be confused with a split-window Volkswagen Bus, the split-window VW Beetle is a rare iteration of the beloved "people's car." This is the earliest style of the Volkswagen Beetle, produced between 1939 and 1952. Starting in 1953, these cars started to be outfitted with the oval back window, which was further enlarged for the 1958 version.

The Volkswagen Beetle is an automotive icon, with more than 23 million sold before the company retired the model in 2019. However, this old-school iteration is relatively hard to come by these days, meaning the ones that are available for purchase are pretty pricey. Beetles made before 1953 are considered collector's models. As such, they are often cherished by their owners and lovingly restored into a condition that rivals brand-new iterations. Restoring a classic VW Beetle is no easy task, and all of that work comes at a price. These split-window Beetles will likely set you back considerably more than later models, with Hagerty's Valuation Tool pegging 1952 examples in good condition at $37,500. That's almost $10,000 more than the earliest oval-window Beetles.

The price of a split-window Beetle will vary depending on what year it's from. For the most part, earlier Beetles are rarer and will therefore fetch higher prices. While the model does technically date to 1939, iterations prior to the late 1940s are harder to find because many were destroyed in World War II. As a result, these Beetles can command huge sums when they do come to market. Even post-WWII models can command high prices. One 1948 model, for instance, sold in a Swedish auction for about $140,000.

In the 1950s, as the split-window Beetles were being retired, Volkswagen started firing out more than 100,000 Beetles each year. Even so, restored models from those later years can still fetch heady prices. For example, this 1952 Beetle sold on Bring A Trailer in June 2025 for $95,959. One commenter on the platform pointed out details like the seats and fenders would have to be restored to get this iteration to fully match the original. Nevertheless, the winning bidder simply commented "happy wife, happy life," suggesting the price paid was easily justified by the presumed smile on their wife's face upon receiving the near-six-figure split-window Beetle.