Volkswagen global success was attributed to volume export sales, the first of which were seen in the UK in 1953. The success of the type 1 Beetle design allowed a whole family of cars and vans in the 50’s and 60’s but the era of the air cooled engine was over. Sales started to decline so VW were forced to develop a new range of conventional front engined water cooled cars. The last air cooled Volkswagen left the production line in 2006.