1970 Volkswagen Beetle

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION WITHOUT RESERVE at RM Sothebys The Monterey Auction event, 13 - 15 August 2026.
Offered Without Reserve $75,000 - $125,000 USD

• A remarkable piece of rolling and fully drivable sculpture
• One of 23 examples known to have been constructed by Mexican artisan Rafael Esparza-Prieto
• Exquisite wrought iron craftsmanship throughout, including intricate peacock doors
• Created on a functional 1970 VW Beetle chassis
• Offered from the Lorenzo Pearson/West Coast Metric collection; previously owned by dealer Vasek Polak

It is common to refer to cars as rolling sculptures, almost to the point of clich. Yet the remarkable wrought iron Volkswagen Beetles of Mexican master blacksmith and artist Rafael Esparza-Prieto truly are running, drivable art on wheels. Commonly known as wedding cars due to their ornate appearance and with their countless curlicues and lace-like bodywork, they undeniably resemble a fairytale coach the story behind how Esparza-Prietos masterpieces came to be is fascinating in its own right.

Esparza-Prieto is said to have created his first wrought iron Beetle at the request of an auto parts store owner in Zacatecas, Mexico, who wanted something eye-catching to serve as a sign in front of the business. His intricately crafted Beetle bodywork was exactly that so much so that, in addition to attracting customers to the shop, it also captured the attention of some employees of the Volkswagen plant in Puebla. The plant had opened in 1964 and would eventually become the largest VW facility located outside of Germany; it would produce air-cooled Beetles until, incredibly, 2003, contributing mightily to the cars omnipresence in Mexico and its status as a cultural icon.

Thanks to this lucky confluence of time and place, so the story goes, VW commissioned Esparza-Prieto to make two more wrought iron Beetles to coincide with the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City. These, too, proved immensely popular, leading VW to request another, larger batch of 18 cars to be used for promotional purposes and dealership display worldwide. Esparza-Prieto later moved to the United States and produced two final cars, bringing the total to 23 known examples made by his skilled hands. Though other craftsmen have created cars in a similar vein, wrought iron Beetles by Esparza-Prieto are especially sought-after in the Volkswagen community.

As hand-crafted works, each of Esparza-Prietos cars were different. Built upon a 1970 Beetle chassis, this Bug features peacock doors, a particularly attractive and desirable feature found only on some chassis. It was acquired by important and influential California dealer Vasek Polak following its promotional duties, and in 1998, it was acquired from Vasek Polak Competition, Inc. by the late Lorenzo Pearson, founder of vintage Volkswagen supplier West Coast Metric of Harbor City, California. Pearson served as a fitting long-term steward of this special Beetle, displaying it alongside several other interesting and noteworthy examples of the model.

Ideal for parades and yes, even weddings or simply as an unbeatable conversation-starter in an air-cooled collection, this wrought iron Beetle is an incredible melding of traditional hand-craftsmanship with one of the 20th centurys most popular, and significant, automobiles. To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/mo26/.