Volkswagen beetle cars’ owners cherish iconic vehicle in driving tours

AMMAN — Unlike his peers who were fascinated by modern vehicles, Mohammad Al Shanti has always been in awe of the vintage Volkswagen beetles. He recalled being “over the moon” when he finally managed to purchase one.

When the young Ammani bought this iconic car, it revived his family’s old memories. 

“My father used to own a vehicle like this and he decided to sell it, but we remained very attached to this car and its memories. I decided to buy one to bring back our good memories,” the young carpenter told The Jordan Times, sitting next to his car.

Shanti is among 80 Volkswagen beetle drivers who frequently go out in an all-beetle cars tour around Amman as part of a group dubbed “Talaat Foxat” (Volkswagen tour).

Mohammad Al Shaweesh, founder of the group, said he first used to go out with two other friends and drive around in their beetles.

“Gradually, the group expanded to reach 80 drivers thanks to the word of mouth and social media networks. The idea was to help beetle drivers get acquainted with more details related to their cars and, most importantly, to do a beautiful tour that gathers the Jordanian public who come to take pictures of the cars,” he told The Jordan Times.

Abdullah Jaber, another member of the group, said he has been fascinated by classic cars since he was a child.

“Since I was a kid, I have been playing with classic cars and finally had the chance to buy one. It gives you the feeling that you have an item of traditional significance,” he explained. 

Jaber said that, in order to preserve his favourite vehicle, he does not ride it frequently.

“I cannot describe my feeling when I go out with it. I always learn new details about these types of cars when I join these tours with my peers,” he added.

Samer Al Shourman, a member of Classic Cars of Jordan, said any classic car driver cannot feel the beauty and greatness of his/her car unless he/she joins a similar group.

“People need to look after these cars because the spare parts and the cars themselves will be rare in the future. These cars are like a national treasure because the public feels excited whenever they see these cars,” he added.

Shaweesh said their idea is not only a matter of fun, as officials could take advantage of their group to make the touristic experience of visitors to Jordan more exciting.

“I learned that similar ideas have been implemented in Europe. Our tour can be used as part of a touristic programme,” he suggested.