A Mexico City neighborhood keeps the iconic Volkswagen Beetle alive

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MEXICO CITY (AP) — Janet Navarro's 1996 Volkswagen Beetle roars as she crests a steep hill overlooking concrete homes stacked like boxes on the outskirts of Mexico City.

She presses her foot to the pedal, passing a Beetle in lime green like hers, then a distinctive red and yellow one, then another painted bright navy blue.

“No other car gets here,” she said. “Only Fuzhou.”

The Volkswagen Beetle, or “Fucho” as it's known in Mexico, may have been born in Germany, but in this mountainous neighborhood on the outskirts of Mexico City, there's no doubt about it: the “Bug” is king.

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The Beetle has a long history in the country's sprawling capital. Old-school models like these – once driven as taxis – have been dotting city blocks as their exotic appearance captured the fascination of many around the world. It has long been known as “the people's car.”

But after older models were discontinued in Mexico in 2003, and newer versions in 2019, the number of insects in the metro area of ​​23 million people is dwindling. But in Coatepec's northern neighborhood, classic Beetles still line the streets — so much so that the area has been dubbed “Vocholandia.”

Taxi drivers like Navarro say they continue to use the Fuchos because the cars are inexpensive and the engine in the back of the car gives them more power to climb the neighborhood's steep hills.

Navarro started driving Beatles to work eight years ago as a way to feed her three children and put them through school.

“When they ask me what I do for work, I proudly say that I am a Fuchera (Fuzhou driver),” Navarro said a day before World Volkswagen Beetle Day on Saturday. “This job keeps me afloat…it's my passion and my love.”

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While some old cars are crumbling, the paint long faded after years of wear and tear, other drivers spruce up their cars, keeping them looking their best.

One driver named his bright blue car “Gualupita” after his wife, Guadalupe, and the underside is decorated with aluminum flames emanating from the Volkswagen logo. Another painted a Volkswagen pink and white, and glued pink cat eyes to the headlights.

However, mechanics in the area say driving the fooshos is a dying tradition. David Enochosa, an auto mechanic, said his family's small auto shop in the city sold parts and did maintenance mainly on Beetles. But since VW halted production five years ago, parts have become more difficult to obtain.

“With the current trend, it will disappear in two or three years,” Enochosa said, his hands blackened by car grease. “Before we had a lot of spare parts for Fuzhou, and now there are not enough…so they have to look for spare parts in repair shops or scrap yards.”

As he spoke, a customer came in carrying a worn-out bolt, looking for a replacement for his Volkswagen's clutch.

The customer, Jesús Becerra, was lucky: Enochosa walked out of his shop carrying a shiny new nail.

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Less fortunate drivers have to make drives around the neighborhood looking for specific parts. More cars are falling into disrepair and not passing emissions inspections.

But Becerra was among those who believed the Fochos would persist in his neighborhood.

“If you adapt it, you'll find a way to make it keep working,” he said. “You say, 'We'll do this, fix it, and let's go.'”

Others, like Joaquin Perez, say continuing to drive his white 1991 Herbie is a way to carry on his family tradition. He explained that he grew up near Bugs, while his car was shaking. His father was a taxi driver just like him and he learned how to drive in a Volkswagen.

Now, after 18 years as a driver, his dashboard is lined with trinkets from his family. A plastic duck from his son, a frog stuffed animal from his daughter, and a cloth from his wife.

“This area, always, always since I can remember, has been a place for Fuzhou,” he said. “This is the people's car.”

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