HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VW CAR IN THE WORLD
(according to the Germans)

Senor Schiemann and Rudolf Leiding *, two of VW most dynamic leaders in the 1970s, started a project to design a VW sports car in 1970. Late in that year, the stylists working in the project completed a full-scale plaster model of the new car.

Leiding approved the design and a running car was built for display at a German Trade Show in march 1971. It attracted so much attention, that the German magazine Hobby labeled the SP2 the "The most beautiful Volkswagen in the world".

As a result of its success at the Frankfurt show, VW started production of the car in its factory in São Paulo, Brazil.

Coincidence or not, Leiding was promoted as VW's CEO shortly after the SP2's launch.

(*) Don't miss Stuart Mentiply's stories and pictures of Rudolf Leiding

Some suggest that it comes from the German "Sport-Prototyp". Others suggest it is a celebration for the State of São Paulo in Brazil where Senor Schiemann under Rudolf Leiding first envisaged, designed, and built the SP2.

The first SP produced was named SP1 with a 1600cc engine. A few months later VW fitted the car with a more powerful 1700cc engine and named it SP2.

Production ended in February 1976 for a total of 10,205 cars.

A Lotus White exemplar of the SP2 is prominently displayed at the VW’s museum in Wolfsburg, Germany.