Dennis Nicholls
Senior HTF Member
I think your father's memory is somewhat hazy. I had a 1971 Karman Ghia and it only got about 28 mpg highway - and I recall specifically that it got better mileage than a bug because the bug had much much worse aerodynamics. Hitler's people's car was designed after all for farmers to drive at low speeds on country roads.My father tells me that the 72VW beetle we had got around 50 MPG in New Jersey traffic.
The best car I had for mileage was my 1959 Austin-Healey "Bugeye" Sprite. With 1275 cc engine and taller rear end it once got 46 mpg on a trip from San Jose CA to Mt. Hood OR and back.