When you think of funeral cars, your mind probably goes immediately to traditional hearses. Companies such as Cadillac and Jaguar have long made funeral cars that have become ingrained in our collective unconscious. We know intellectually that before the age of the automobile, funeral cars were generally horse-drawn carriages. We know that at times trains and trolleys have been used in place of traditional funeral cars. We also know that in many parts of the world hearses are entirely different vehicles than they are here.
However, within the Western world, most of us have a certain expectation of what a funeral car “should” be. Nonetheless, times are changing and many of the old rules no longer apply. A company in the UK is now offering Volkswagen funeral cars in a variety of models. Volkswagen Funerals focuses on the belief that a funeral service should be as unique as the person whose life is being celebrated.
Among their unique funeral cars are VW Beetles, VW campers and VW buses. They are painted white in testament to peace, and bear a simple black flag that identifies them as funeral vehicles. The company will even arrange for Herbie the Love Bug to head the funeral procession if the family desires.
Such vehicles are also appropriate for eco-friendly green funerals, which are beginning to catch on in many places. The VW Bug has long been a sign of environmentalism, dating to the days of the 1970s gas crisis, and certainly appropriate today.
Funeral rituals have come a long way since the Victorian era. While many families continue to prefer traditional funerals, an increasing number are now changing traditions in many ways. The purpose of a funeral is ultimately to bring peace and comfort to the family and friends, and whatever rituals are best for them are the ones that should be used.