The Love Bug (1997 film)

Plot

The narrator, Jim Douglas, recounts the story of Herbie the Volkswagen Beetle and their adventures together. In the present day, Herbie is owned by an egotistic race car driver and car dealer named Simon Moore III, who treats Herbie poorly. During a race, Simon insults Herbie, calling it a piece of junk, causing Herbie to rebel and finish last. Simon discards Herbie in a junkyard.

Meanwhile, Hank Cooper, an ex-racing driver and former rival of Moore, works as a small-town mechanic. His boss, Chuck, enters Hank into a junk-car race where participants select a jalopy to repair and race. Hank gets last choice and is forced to take the broken-down Herbie. With help from his spiritually enlightened but goofy artist friend Roddy, Hank gets Herbie started just before being towed off the track.

In appreciation, Herbie wins the one-lap race, restoring Hank's confidence. The judges—Donny Shotz, an auto customizer; Alex, an automotive journalist and Hank's former girlfriend; and Moore—are astonished. Alex challenges Hank to prove he used no tricks, and Hank takes her for a ride, showing Herbie's speed, rekindling their relationship as Herbie drives them to an isolated area and locks its doors. Roddy tells Hank he believes Herbie is special, but Hank resents Herbie due to his failed racing career.

Roddy takes Herbie to an automotive art show, where Alex and Hank discuss their relationship and Herbie. Simon sees Herbie and investigates why the car that failed him led Hank to victory. He discovers Herbie was built by German engineer Dr. Gustav Stumpfel shortly after World War II, when a photograph of his wife fell into the metal vat used to create Herbie, giving it life. Simon asks Dr. Stumpfel to repeat the process, using a picture of Simon and Herbie's stolen key, resulting in a black Volkswagen Beetle named Horace, the Hate Bug—Herbie's evil counterpart.