New(ish) "old" Beetles

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Wed 8 Dec 2004 12:12
New(ish) "old" Beetles - MarkSmith
Some time ago I saw an "old" (original style) VW Beetle on a P-plate (P at the front, as in 1997, not 1977). It was going the other way so I thought perhaps I'd just misread it.

On Sunday I saw another, on an R plate. I was walking, it was parked, I got a good look. Definitely R, standard 1997/8 (whatever) plate.

Can anyone explain this?

Built back in the 70s, forgotten for 20 years and late registered? My car was manufactured in 95 but registered in 98 - still I have to have an N plate, not S.

Just interested really.

Ta,
Mark
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Wed 8 Dec 2004 12:16
New(ish) "old" Beetles - Garethj
They were built in Mexico until last year and available as personal imports so they had the current registration when brought over here.
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Wed 8 Dec 2004 12:17
New(ish) "old" Beetles - daveyjp
The original Beetles were still made in Mexico until not that long ago and there are companies out there who will import one for you. No doubt the ones you saw were imports.
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Wed 8 Dec 2004 12:49
New(ish) "old" Beetles - mrmole
I had a new "old" Beetle that I bought in 2001 on an X plate from BeetlesUK in Bristol. All up to UK safty spec etc... eccept mine was LHD as I was more used to LHD cars at the time. Great car, pitty I had to sell.

You can still buy them on a 54 plate, but as they stopped making them last year then there have been sitting around for a bit.
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Wed 8 Dec 2004 13:11
New(ish) "old" Beetles - MarkSmith
Mystery solved, thanks chaps!
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