The basis of the Höfler company was laid in 1923 when the 3 Höfler brothers, Johann, Georg and Leonhard, started a company for production of metal products in Fürth. In the 1930’s, Johan decided to build his own toy company, named "Metallspielwarenfabrik Johann Höfler". He produced cheap penny toys, like cars, planes, figurines, trains, etc. In the early forties, the company was forced to produce for warfare. In 1954, his son in law, Ernst Bettag, took over the company. Ernst Bettag was one of the first to recognize the importance of plastic and –as one of the first- he started in 1957 with the production of plastic toys and in 1958 the company was renamed into "Johann Höfler Metall- und Plastikspielwarenfabrik". In 1960 they changed the name again into "BIG Plastic, Johann Höfler" and in 1962 "BIG Spielwaren Fabrik Dipl.-Ing. Ernst A. Bettag". They also used the JEAN brand starting from the early 1960's for cheap plastic toys.
This tin plate VW Cabrio has a colorful, top down, lithographed body design without wheel wells. The design appears to be of a two seater and is similar to the Hebmüller VW Type 14A but the details reflect more of a Karmann VW Type 15A of the time period. The body has an attached tin windshield with wind wings. The tin chassis has a friction motor with rubber tires. License plate is H-2003 and MADE IN WESTERN GERMANY is printed above the rear license plate. The body and chassis are attached with a crimp what goes all around the toy car. This VW Cabrio was part of a six car set sold in Germany.
The six car set was later produced in France, by WAMOO (Walther & Moheng), without a friction motor and the MADE IN WESTERN GERMANY lettering removed.
