FJ’s Top Five air-cooled classic cars

Air-cooled cars are few and far between, but most models that have relied on nature to stop blowing a gasket have generated plenty of noise in more ways than one. As well as their characteristic and distinctive sound, some of these cars are amongst the most popular and iconic models that the world has ever seen, shaping driving habits and introducing millions to the delights of motoring.

If you’d prefer to skip the hassle of checking or buying coolant and fancy a car that’s truly a classic, here’s our top five air-cooled cars to consider.

VW Beetle
There’s no denying it’s the obvious choice, but no air-cooled list is complete without the original ‘People’s Car’. Although the Beetle was developed as early as the 1930s, it wasn’t until the late 1940s that production for the civilian market started to hit significant numbers, with the Beetle reaching its most popular in the 1960s. Amazingly, and despite staying true to its original simplistic rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, the last incarnation of the air-cooled Beetle rolled off a Mexican production line in 2003. Over 21 million were produced, making the Beetle one of the world’s most popular cars. It’s still loved today, too, with specialists able to supply parts for all versions, whether it’s an early and desirable split oval rear-window car or a last-of-the-line disc-braked, 1.6-litre version.

Porsche 911
As well as helping the Volkswagen Beetle become reality, Ferdinand Porsche also had a hand in developing another automotive air-cooled icon – the Porsche 911. Unveiled at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Porsche 911 boasted a rear-mounted 130 hp, 2-litre engine and the outrageously pretty coupé soon had sports car fans swooning. It would become even more desirable in 1966 with the debut of the 911S, its arrival setting off an aggressive development cycle that over the next 28 years would see the classic 911 shape given the Targa, cabrio and ‘flatnose’ treatment and its motor enlarged to as much as 3.6 litres. In 1998, Porsche controversially killed off the 911’s air-cooled mechanicals, with many purists up in arms at the end of the ‘true’ 911.

Citroen 2CV
For any classic car fan that’s seeking charming, minimalist motoring, then little comes close to the Citroen 2CV. Conceived to give farmers a helping hand and designed to have enough suspension travel to iron out the bumps of a freshly ploughed field, the 2CV made its debut at the 1948 Paris Motor Show. Packing an air-cooled 375cc, 9hp motor and featuring a sparse, utilitarian design, the 2CV wasn’t exactly the last word in refinement or technology but, like the Volkswagen Beetle, it would mobilise thousands of people and stay in production for decades. Running changes included revised sheet metal, a larger 602cc motor and some natty special editions, but the 2CV stayed faithful to its original silhouette and front engine, rear-wheel drive layout right up until its demise in 1990.

Fiat 500
Borrowing the Volkswagen Beetle’s unorthodox rear-engine layout, the diminutive ‘Cinquecento’ was Fiat’s new-fangled follow-up to the aged 500 Topolino. Launched in 1957, the 500 measured under three metres long, but despite its tiny proportions it certainly made a big impression. Offering seating for four and a useful front trunk, its practicality belied its dimensions, although fully laden progress was a tad leisurely as it only had a 479cc two-cylinder, air-cooled engine. Production would last until 1975 with nearly four million made, the range having grown to incorporate the Giardiniera estate and feisty Abarth versions along the way. Later cars also benefited from the engine being punched out to 499cc or 594cc, while the ‘suicide doors’ were swapped for more conventional, front-hinged items.

Trabant 601
The original Trabant saw the light of day in 1957, but we’re here for the later 601, the version that would carry thousands of East German residents to the country’s West on the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Built from 1964 to 1990, it was the longest-running version of the Trabant and was the former East Germany’s most popular car, being affectionately known as the ‘Trabbi’ to its many admirers and offering cheap, affordable motoring. Beneath its reinforced plastic bodyshell, the Trabant had a transversely mounted, 594cc, two-stroke air-cooled engine driving the front wheels. It changed little during its 26-year production run, but it mattered not one iota to customers, with nearly three million sold and waiting times of 10 years for a new one.  

Is there an air-cooled classic that you think should be in our top five? Let us know in the comments!