Volkswagen at 75: Classic print adverts for VW's bestselling cars

1956 : A best selling car loved by many, the Beetle, as it came to be known, has a dark past. Volkswagen (literally, "people's car") was Hitler's pet project. In 1945, with Germany defeated, the British military government took temporary charge of the car plant. Photograph: Guardian

1962: Reliability was often a key message in VW adverts Photograph: Guardian

1972: The Devon Motor Caravan promised to take you places you've never been, and in comfort you never dreamed possible. Photograph: Guardian

1972: Not all British motorists wanted to own a Volkswagen. The K70 came with a promise that it looked like a "normal, civilised car" Photograph: Guardian

1975: This advert came out after Volkswagen almost went bankrupt, and showed VW's new direction in designing sportier models, among them the Golf. Later Golf variations included the Golf GTI, described in the motoring press as a 'hot hatch' Photograph: Guardian

1978: The Polo had to live in the shadow of the hugely successful Golf, but the small hatchback was still a bestseller Photograph: Guardian

1980: It's the fuel economy, stupid! Photograph: Guardian

1982: This advert preceded the law change making British drivers belt up in 1983. Seat belt use in the back became law for children in 1989; extended to adults in 1991 Photograph: Guardian

1986: Driving isn't just about getting from A to B Photograph: Guardian

1991: In the caring nineties, greed was bad - unless you were looking for a bigger slice of the car market. Photograph: Guardian

2000: Presumably to illustrate how close to the floor VW's prices were, they used a Dalek from the science fiction series, Dr Who, in this advert Photograph: Guardian