Herbie



Herbie is a sentient, anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, a character that is featured in several Disney motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film The Love Bug. He has a mind of his own, is capable of driving himself and has been a serious contender in auto racing competitions.

Throughout most of the franchise, Herbie is distinguished by red, white and blue racing stripes from front to back bumper, a racing-style number "53" on the front trunk lid, doors, and engine lid, and a yellow-on-black '63 California license plate that says, "OFP 857". One exception to this is his introduction in The Love Bug, where he initially appears as a nondescript white vehicle with a gray colored fabric sunroof (a.k.a. "ragtop"), the style of sunroof offered on VW Beetles made through 1963.

personality
Herbie is cheerful, energetic, has a sense of humor and likes to play practical jokes on people. No one knows exactly how he is alive, but it doesn't really seem all that important to them. Despite being incapable of verbal speech, there is appearent commuication between him and humans or, at times, other cars.

He is, for the most part good-natured, but he'll also show a dark side, when prvoked. Although aggressive and competitive, he is nevertheless sensitive to the feelings of the humans he drives and will not comply with them if abused. Herbie was named by Tennesse Steinmetz after being reminded of his Uncle Herb. As his nickname indicates, he has a knack for matchmaking.