The Love Bug MG and a pearl white Volkswagen Beetle. The Volkswagen Beetle was chosen as it was the only one that elicited the crew to reach out and pet it. The Volkswagen brand name, logo or shield does not feature anywhere in the film, as the automaker did not permit Disney to use the name. The only logos can be briefly seen in at least two places, however. The first instance is on the brake pedals during the first scene where Herbie takes control with Jim inside (on the freeway when Herbie runs into Thorndyke's Rolls Royce), and it is shown in
History of Volkswagen in Ireland 1980, Beetle sales in Ireland averaged at 3,000 - 4,000 units per annum peaking in 1972 when 5,288 units were sold. In 1953, O'Flaherty acquired the Volkswagen franchise for the United Kingdom, which he sold to the Thomas Tilling group in 1957. In 1956, Volkswagen sales were high enough to cause concern in Dáil Éireann that it was adversely affecting the balance of payments. The Volkswagen Golf Mk1 was introduced in 1975 and the Beetle ceased to be sold in 1980. The rights to distribute the Audi brand were acquired in 1967 and the rights for Skoda acquired in 1993.