Kooky, Rare Volkswagen Thing for Sale in Rome

Want some attention on the road? You'll surely find it in this eye-catching Volkswagen for sale in Rome, New York.

Technically titled the Type 181, it's more widely known by its nickname: The Thing. Why is it called that? Well, just look at it. It's weird! It's ugly! It's cool! It's just... a Thing!

This particular Thing is listed for $25,500, which unfortunately is insane. Yes it's a rare care, but it's not the cure for cancer. You'll find them out there for WAY less. That's the "I don't really want to sell my car" price. But still, imagine how cool this would be to drive down the road in this.

A little history here: The Volkswagen Thing was first conceived as a utility vehicle for the German military during World War II, kind of like the German version of the Jeep.

After World War II came to a close, production of the Type 181 ceased, until the 1960s when Mexico started dabbling in the automobile industry. Plans for the Type 181 were dusted off and commercial versions started being manufactured. In Mexico, it was known as the Safari. In 1973, they started crawling into the United States, where it took on the nickname "Thing."

All Things are stick-shift transmission and house their engines in the rear. Like a Jeep, you can remove the doors, and you can even fold the windshield down. The modest four-cylinder engine can reach speeds of 55 mph, but anything beyond that is probably white-knuckle driving.

The Thing was only distributed in the U.S. for two years, making them rare and highly sought-after among a certain kind of auto enthusiast.

Want to overpay for a Volkswagen Thing? Check out the original listing here.