If you are in the market for a Volkswagen Super Beetle convertible, beware of ads that make claims that they are either "rare", "special edition" or a "Champagne Edition".

The VW Beetle convertibles were manufactured at the Karmann plant in Osnabruck, Germany.  Karmann was a coachworks company before the advent of the horseless carriage and specialized in hand-made custom motorized vehicles.  Volkswagen contracted them to make several unique cars based on the standard beetle chassis, including the Beetle convertibles, Type III, Thing, and the low profile "Ghia" sports car.  Some sellers will occasionally make the mistake of listing a beetle as a "Karmann Ghia Convertible" because of the Karmann badge that is present on the front right quarter panel and the popularity of the Ghia. 

There are three levels of trim that were offered on the VW Super Beetle convertibles.  The first is the "Standard" model.  These have a plain black dash board, plain steel rim wheels (with steel hub caps), basket-weave seat covering, and a white or black convertible top.

 
(Standard model convertible.  Steel rims w/ hub caps, white or black vinyl top)

(Standard model interior - Plain black dash, no clock, plain epoxy steering wheel and all-black horn pad.)

        (Basket Weave vinyl)     

The second trim level is the "deluxe" model.  These have faux wood panel inserts in the dash board, an analog clock, ribbon weave or smooth vinyl seat covers, a leather wrapped steering wheel with silver lined horn pad and the lemmertz sport rims (black plastic center cap and lug nut covers). 

(Deluxe model interior - Faux rosewood dash inserts, leather wrapped steering wheel, silver lined horn pad. Carpet is non-stock upgrade - originally salt-and-pepper felt)

 (Square/Ribbon Weave vinyl)   

The third trim level was the "special edition".  The special editions had the same trim level as the deluxe model, but also employed special color combinations.  In 1974, a gold convertible with black top was sold as the "Sun Bug".  From 1977 through 1979, the "Triple White" edition had Alpine white paint, a white convertible top, and smooth Opal seat covers.  In 1979, there was an "Epilogue" or "Triple Black" edition with black paint, black convertible top, and black interior - paying homage to the first beetle sedans which were all-black. 

In 1977 and 1978, VW issued one "Champagne Edition" convertible to each US dealership, also known as a "Special US Sales Campaign" model S723.  This was essentially a "Triple White" convertible, but used a sand colored convertible top and had a set of four gold stripes running along the bottom of the doors and rear quarter panels.  The 1977 model had faux burled elm dash inserts and the 1978 had faux rosewood dash inserts.  Both had Opal colored vinyl seat (ribbon weave) and door panel coverings.  Approximately 1000 total triple white S723 convertibles were sold in the US. 

 
(S723 convertible - Alpine white paint, tan top, lemmertz rims, gold stripes)

In 1978, VW issued the "Champagne Edition II" on demand at dealerships.  Instead of the white paint with gold stripes, this model came in a solid peach metallic red or ancona metallic blue body paint, a sand colored convertible top, and Opal interior coverings.  No exact numbers are available, but there were probably one or two thousand Champagne II models sold in 1978, out of a total of 18,511 beetle convertibles imported that year.

(1978 Champagne II - peach metallic red paint, sand colored top.  Rims are non-stock "Western" aftermarket upgrades.)

(1978 Champagne II - ancona metallic blue paint, sand colored top, lemmertz sport rims.)

(Champagne II stock interior - rosewood dash, wrapped steering wheel, silver lined horn pad, analog clock, Opal seats and door panels)

Most VW convertibles that can be bought today have been painted at least once or twice in their service life.  Unfortunately, most body shops carelessly sanded off the gold stripes instead of attempting to preserve or replace them. 

Others had the car painted an entirely different color from the original offering.  If you are looking at a 1977 or 1978 convertible that has the "Triple White" trim level, it may or may not have been a Champagne model.  If there are stripe remnants in the door pillars or the seller can produce paperwork that shows that it was a model "S723" convertible, then you can know that it is a genuine Champagne model.  If it is a 1978 with the red peach or ancona blue paint and has the deluxe trim level, then it is also likely a Champagne II edition.  "Sand colored" pinpoint vinyl is not a common replacement convertible top.  If it has had its top replaced within the last 26 years, it may have a white pinpoint vinyl cover (or some other non-stock color) installed.

Identification Checklist. Champagne Editions will have: 1) The correct paint color (white on 77, 78, peach or blue on 78); gold stripes or documentation showing S723 on white model; 2) Lemmertz sport rims; 3) Wood paneling on dash board with analog clock. 4) Sand colored convertible top;  5) Opal colored vinyl interior.

Champagne Editions will NOT have: 1) A plain black dash board; 2) Standard steel rims with hubcaps; 3) Basket weave seat covers; 4) Other stock (red, green, yellow, silver) or exotic (cyber green, metallic pearl) body paint colors ; 5) Canvas or non-white convertible tops.

The Champagnes were rare editions of the VW Super Beetle Convertibles.  70,000 super beetle convertibles were imported between 1975 and January 1980.  Of these, only 3,000 were champagne editions.  Maintaining the correct color scheme and trim level is necessary to present it as such in car show competitions and public viewings.  As fewer of them survive, the value of your car will only increase as long as you maintain it to the original color design.  Too often, you will see cars up for auction that are listed as a "champagne edition" or "rare VW convertible" when they are either a basic trim level or deluxe model.  Arm yourself with this information and be skeptical if the "Champagne" car in the ad does not meet the criteria listed herein.