VW Bug or VW Beetle: what's the difference?

VW Bug vs VW Beetle: What’s the difference? Is there a difference? Well, let us explain.

The term “VW Beetle” was the name given to the Volkswagen Type 1 by the public. It was until the late sixties of last century that the term “VW Beetle” was adopted by the manufacturer (Volkswagen) for marketing and promotional purposes in the US market. Beetle is the official model name, aside from the whole logical reason of a beetle being a bug people just call it bug because it’s easier and faster to pronounce. So, there is no difference between the VW Beetle vs Bug.

In ’67, the year of the Summer of Love, the VW Beetle already populated American streets in its thousands. The unique and unconventional form and design of the VW Bug perfectly matched the new revolution and ensured that Peace, Love and Freedom found their way to even the remotest corners of the USA.

Personal freedom played a significant role at home in Germany, too. From here, countless ‘Käfers’ crossed the Alps. But the legend that took Europe by storm was not built around the Beetle’s ambitions as a tourist alone. It sparkled under the Spanish sun as the Escarabajo, in Portugal as the Carocha and, as the Maggiolino, enjoyed the Italian dolce vita.

VW Beetle vs Bug on the internet

If there has to be a slight difference between the VW Beetle vs Bug, then it is the way people search on the internet. Let us explain. In the United States of America, we can conclude that both Beetle and Bug are used frequently in the search engines (Google & Bing). The monthly search volume is 22.200 for Beetle, 14.800 for Bug.