Imagine the scene: it’s 1985, and you find yourself in Würzburg, Bavaria, eagerly taking delivery of your freshly acquired E28 BMW M5. As you navigate through the gears of the manual gearbox, reveling in the sound of the powerful inline-six engine, a sudden surprise interrupts your joyride – flashing blue lights in the rearview mirror. However, this is Germany, not Hazzard County, and evading the authorities is strictly forbidden. You wait patiently, and it takes quite some time for the police to catch up.
The latest highlight on Bring a Trailer, a platform affiliated with Car and Driver under Hearst Autos, is a 1979 Volkswagen Beetle police car available for bidding until Thursday, December 14. Yes, you read that correctly – a 45-hp Beetle dressed in a police officer’s uniform. Tremble, Teutonic criminals, for this polizei-kaefer served on the force from 1978 to 1986, likely becoming the chosen vehicle for those who made significant investigative blunders or, perhaps, accidentally ran over the police commissioner’s dog.
This authentic police service unit comes equipped with all the expected accessories, including a flashing blue light, the distinctive two-tone European police siren, and a PA system imploring, “Pull over! Please! Wait up!” Additionally, a period-correct Telefunken police radio adds to its vintage charm.
Discovered after years in storage by comedian Jerry Seinfeld, the car was imported into the U.S. and featured on his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee show. Subsequently, it made appearances on Jay Leno’s Garage and Spike Feresten’s Car Matchmaker.
While the interior bears the marks of authentic wear and tear, such as burn holes from officers smoking on duty, the exterior received a repaint just over 15 years ago. Although it cannot be registered in California, this unique Beetle police car would make a prized addition to any VW collection elsewhere.
The no-reserve auction concludes on December 14. Visit Bring a Trailer for the opportunity to own the slowest yet nostalgically charming patrol vehicle.