It has been said that production of the classic Volkswagen Beetle is to end next year. This iconic car that we see so often on Goa’s roads could very well be a thing of the past soon. But this is believed to be happening next year and until then, Goa still has the VolksWeekend to look forward to.
Classic Volkswagen Beetles on display at Panjim Gymkhana
This is the second year that this event is happening. VolksWeekend was held for the first time in November 2017 last year. The event was the creation of two car enthusiasts who decided to share the love for these popular cars with the public. This year, Panjim Gymkhana will see over 70 classic Volkswagen Beetles zoom onto their grounds and be displayed to all car lovers. These will come from all over India, including Goa.
Last year’s VolksWeekend was organized by Dheep Caldeira and Jeevan Joy. It was a two-day event held in Anjuna. “We expected something small, but it turned into a meet with over 30 Beetles, a Bus and even a Karmann Ghia,” said Caldeira.
This edition of the event promises to be even bigger. “This year we expect over 70 vehicles from around India all the way from 1952 to 1992. We expect every type of air-cooled VW, even a Kubelwagen and a Thing!” says Caldeira. He said that last year, it wasn’t possible to display these cars properly but this year, the public will get to view all of them. The event also includes a car rally that will have all these Volkswagen cars driving along the main road from Panjim Gymkhana to the Abba de Faria statue, a turnaround towards the Miramar circle, ending at the Gymkhana.
An event for all Volkswagen car lovers
The event is open to all. While Volkswagen cars have been around for a while, they didn’t seem to be as popular until they were brought to Goa in the 1950’s. And now, if the stories about Volkswagen shutting down production of their most sought-after product, people will probably start restoring their own Beetles, if they have any of the older models.
The event is being organized by the Folks India group, a social media group started by Joy, to share everything and anything related to classic VWs’. Caldeira along with Ryan Braganca are the main guys coordinating from Goa, together with Joy and Byas Nambisan.
Head on to Panjim Gymkhana on the 4th of November and check out these classic cars on display.
Information credit
ItsGoa/OCT/KDGP
