Volkswagen’s unique construction keeps dampness out.

For years there have been rumors about floating Volkswagens. The photographer claims this one stayed up for about 42 minutes. Why not? The bottom of the VW isn’t like ordinary car bottoms. A sheet of flat steel runs under the car, sealing the bottom fore and aft.

That’s not done to make a bad boat out of it, just a better car. The sealed bottom protects a VW from water, dirt and salt. All the nasty things on the road that eventually eat up a car. The top part of a Volkswagen is also very seaworthy. It’s practically airtight. So airtight that it’s hard to close the door without rolling down the window a little bit.

But there’s still one thing to keep in mind if you own a Volkswagen. Even if it could definitely float, it couldn’t float indefinitely. So drive around the big puddles. Especially if they’re big enough to have names.

– Bill Bernbach (1966)