SLIDESHOW
The longest-lived car engines
Bentley recently revealed that its W12 engine – which became a symbol of its successful rebirth under Volkswagen – will cease being made next year, after a production run of 100,000 over 20 years. But this is far from the longest-running engine ever made. Time, then, to salute the units whose character and class enabled them to endure across several decades.
DAVID FINLAY
Volkswagen Type 1 1938-2003 (65 years)
The Type 1 was the air-cooled flat-four engine designed for the original Volkswagen (nicknamed the Beetle, although never officially called that) and used for many years in other small VWs. It first appeared in 1938 as a 984cc unit with an output of 24bhp, giving the car a decent cruising speed of 60mph. It was reasonably simple to maintain and economical with it. The car and its engine didn’t stop being built until Mexican production of the Beetle ended in 2003. By this point, the Type 1 was a 1.6-litre unit with fuel injection, delivering 51bhp. The engine also saw service in the 1500/1600, 411/412, Karmann Ghia and Type 2 (Kombi/Microbus/Transporter).