There’s been speculation for a little while, but a few days ago Volkswagen announced the official end of its beloved Beetle, as the brand moves to being a “full-line, family-focused automaker.” Yes, this announcement came from the US of A.

The Beetle had already been removed from Volkswagen’s British brochures, but the announcement from Volkswagen of America confirms the car’s passing worldwide.

“The loss of the Beetle after three generations, over nearly seven decades, will evoke a host of emotions from the Beetle’s many devoted fans,” said Hinrich J. Woebcken, boss of VW America.

Memories of free love and hippy living from the Seventies’ revamp overshadow the original 1938 design, created by request of Adolf Hitler (eek), and have stayed true to the model even into the latest generation, which arrived yielding a dashboard vase awaiting an obligatory plastic flower.

In memory of the Bug, Volkawagen is releasing one, US-only final model, unexpectedly titled the Final Edition. Available as a coupe and convertible, it will come in a selection of themed colours, including Harvest Moon Beige or Stonewashed Blue – time to dig those flares out. The Final Edition gets a 2.0-litre TSI engine with 174bhp and 250Nm, as well as Bi-Xenon headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, 6.3-inch touchscreen infotainment and part-leather seats. Pricing will start at $23,045 (RM95,300).

But we should take in the bigger picture, too, via a browse through the little Beetle gallery above. Will you miss the Bug, or is it about time it got squashed?