Volkswagen to stop making iconic Beetle next summer

DETROIT, Michigan -- Volkswagen says it will stop making its iconic Beetle in July of next year.

Volkswagen of America on Thursday announced the end of production of the third-generation Beetle by introducing two final special editions.

The Beetle was developed in Nazi Germany in 1938 and came to the U.S. 11 years later. It sold for about 30 years before production ceased.

The company revived it in 1998 and revamped it for the 2012 model year in an effort to help it attract more male buyers.

The car got a flatter roof, less bulbous shape, a bigger trunk and a navigation system.

Volkswagen of America didn't rule out bringing the bug back in the future but says it has no plans at this time.

"The loss of the Beetle after three generations, over nearly seven decades, will evoke a host of emotions from the Beetle's many devoted fans," said Hinrich J. Woebcken, President and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. "As we move to being a full-line, family-focused automaker in the U.S. and ramp up our electrification strategy with the MEB platform, there are no immediate plans to replace it. But as we have seen with the I.D. BUZZ-which is the modern and practical interpretation of the legendary Bus-I would also say, 'Never say never.' We're excited to kick off a year of celebrating one of the true icons of the automotive world, with a series of events that will culminate in the end of production in Puebla in July 2019."

Take a look at the full statement from the company here.