<Tr> <Th> Occupation </Th> <Td> Racing car </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Nationality </Th> <Td> German American </Td> </Tr> <P> Herbie the Love Bug is a sentient anthropomorphic 1963 Volkswagen Beetle, a character that is featured in several Walt Disney motion pictures starting with the 1968 feature film The Love Bug . He has a mind of his own and is capable of driving himself, and is also 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 luggage compartment lid, doors, and engine lid, and a yellow - on - black' 63 California license plate with the registration OFP 857 . </P> <P> Herbie's origins are firmly established in The Love Bug (1968). Before the events of the film, he was bought from Peter Thorndyke's (David Tomlinson) showroom by San Francisco socialite Mrs. Van Luit for her upstairs maid, but returned shortly afterwards due to reliability problems . He was then purchased by race - driver Jim Douglas (Dean Jones), who had earlier stood up for him against the pompous Thorndyke (David Tomlinson). Tennessee Steinmetz (Buddy Hackett), Jim's best friend and housemate, names the car "Herbie" after his uncle Herb, a middleweight boxer whose broken nose greatly resembled the trunk lid of a Volkswagen Beetle . </P>

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