Forget cupholders, the 1959 Volkswagen Beetle could be fitted with a coffee machine

Mixing hot water with a moving vehicle is probably not the smartest idea ever, but that didn’t deter German company Hertella from producing and marketing a coffee machine specifically designed for the Volkswagen Beetle.

The Hertella-Auto Kaffeemaschine could be mounted straight onto the dash of a ’59 Beetle, providing occupants with a steaming hot cup of coffee as and when they desired.

Little known is of the Hertella coffee maker, only that it was available in either 6- or 12-volt versions and that it cost DM65 (Deutschmarks). For context, the price of a new Beetle in 1959 was DM3790.

Not many Beetle buyers it seems, took up the option of having coffee on the go, the Hertella-Auto Kaffeemaschine only available briefly before fading into the corners of ‘good ideas that time forgot’.

A quick search of the internet today reveals little about the revolutionary product, only that it remains rare. Whether that’s because not many buyers took up the option in 1959 or because the ephemeral nature of the product has dwindled its numbers in the intervening 62 years remains unclear.

One internet forum user, Dave, recently found an original Hertella-Auto-Kaffeemaschine which he promptly installed into his ’59 Beetle. Dave describes the Kaffeemaschine as having no on/off switch. Instead, the Hertella, which features a beautifully-designed silver percolator that can be removed for easy cleaning, plugs straight into the Beetle’s cigarette lighter.

When ready, the coffee dispenses straight into a porcelain cup fitted with a metal base that attaches magnetically to the Kaffeemaschine helping to keep things secure and safe.

Dave has yet to get his Hertella to work, and as best he can make out, water is poured into the percolator while the coffee is added into a filter-like section, brewing the coffee much like you would a cup of tea.

There are no contemporary reports as to the quality of the coffee the Hertella made but it’s probably safe to assume it wasn’t great. A contemporary advertisement for the machine did proclaim it could also be used to brew tea and hot lemon water, or even broth, if that was your preferred hot tipple.

While it would be easy to dismiss the idea of an inbuilt coffeemaker in cars as gimmicky, remember Fiat offered the same as recently as 2013 with the then new Fiat 500L, the longer version of the popular 500. It came with the option of an integrated Lavazza espresso machine, complete with cups, spoons and a sugar container.

It’s probably for the best the idea never caught on. As drivers, we have enough distractions on our roads and increasingly, inside our cars. Adding 'making coffee' to the already busy mix that is modern driving can only end badly. For those who simply must imbibe the perfect brew while driving, grab a takeaway and embrace the convenience that is the modern cupholder.

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