1979-80 Triple Black Convertible

Country and/or Category: [ Dealer Option ], Europe, USA | VIN range: 159 202 9000 - 159 204 4099 | S-code(s): |
Extras/Options M-code(s): not known

The Triple Black Convertible was available for the regular sales price of $7140 by virtue of special order Black paint (L41) becoming available which which was an extra charge item of $195 and price listed from January 28, 1979. With a Black top and Black Basket Weave seats (9001LL) this gave it the distinct appearance of a triple black. As with all US Convertibles from 1979 on the Triple Black and Triple White featured 165 SR 15 whitewall tires, GT (Lemmerz) Sport wheels, cigarette lighter, quartz crystal clock, dual outside mirrors, heated rear window, Leatherette covered sport steering wheel and woodgrain dash applique as standard.

Contemporary information officially circulated within the VWoA Dealership network leads SEBeetles to conclude that the Triple White, Triple Black and Wolfsburg editions were all special order paint finish models rather than Special Editions in their own right.

The status of the Triple White in particular as a Special Edition has been the subject of erroneous misunderstanding brought about by confusion with it and the preceding Bicentennial Convertible and Champagne Editions. This mistaken association of the Triple White as a Special Edition has been further compounded retrospectively by popular culture and inference thanks to a succession of “white on white” limited and special edition production runs at Wilhelm Karmann GmbH.

It was partly through the 1979 model Triple White and to a much lesser extent the Triple Black models being very prominent on the assembly lines in the closing days of production that they became cult models almost overnight. With the clamour of enthusiasts to purchase new 1978 and 1979 model year Beetle Cabriolets the various white based US specification versions became as much sought after in Europe as they were in the USA and Canada.

This engendered a fashionable legacy in the early 1980s of Special Edition “white on white” models and prompting the production at Karmann of several similarly themed Editions – Rabbit Convertibles, subsequent equivalent Golf Cabriolets, Ford Escort Cabriolets and Scirocco coupés. This fashion was also embraced in Special Editions of the Polo and Golf saloon models – and by other manufactures notably Peugeot. A fashion legacy that retrospectively conferred a higher profile to the standing of the first ever Triple Whites – the 1303/Super Beetle ones.

The last Triple Black was built four days after the officially last Convertible (having a higher VIN) and came off the Karmann, Osnabruck production line on 10th January, 1980.

See also Triple White, Wolfsburg Edition.

Smaller Epilog pictures courtesy SuperBeetles.com


This page last modified: 2023-07-26