Back in the 1960’s, the Beetle was a car at the bottom of the automotive food chain. If one wanted a cheap and reliable car the Beetle was an obvious choice. Problem was, the Beetle offered very few comfort and convenience features. VW replaced the Beetle with the highly successful Golf (known for a time as the Rabbit in the States). When the New Beetle hit the roads in the late 1990’s it was fully modern in features and retro in style. Problem was, it wasn’t the most manly of cars. VW decided to replace the New Beetle with a more macho car, one that had finally grown up. Indeed, this car is far more civilized and comfortable than any of its forbearers. The question remains, has it improved enough in the last decade and a half to remain relevant? Read more…
We have to admit we were expecting a more extreme conversion to the off-road adventure-themed Beetle that was the star of this year’s Volkswagen press conference, but it turns out the Dune concept is just a sandy hill away from dealer showrooms. Or at least it looks that way. The Beetle uses the production 2.0-liter turbo four for power and packs an all wheel drive system but it’s been raised 2 inches for more ground clearance over the, well, presumably sand dunes, and the wheel/tire package is a bit more aggressive. Other than that we’re looking at a Beetle with a kyack rack and some extra lights. Would it sell? We doubt it, but the soft-roading crossover phase is reaching new heights everyday, so maybe VW already has this penciled into showrooms sometime in the next year.
To put it bluntly; the average guy was about as likely to purchase a previous-gen Volkswagen Beetle as he was to schedule a mani-pedi and DVR The View. Volkswagen knew this and as a result has done a commendable job at injecting some testosterone into the 2012 Beetle Turbo that we recently sampled. Of course we like the 2.0-liter turbo that is rated at 200 hp in this application, but we especially like the cooperative 6-speed manual, 19” wheels and sensitive brake pedal. This Beetle is a joy to motor around town in and far more skilled than its predecessor at managing coiled back roads. The body rolls a bit more than we’d like when pushed, but the suspension takes a nice set in the corners and the ride is one of best in the $25k class. The interior is a monumental improvement over the New Beetle and we like the fake carbon fiber accented dash and moderately bolstered seats. Rear headroom and cargo capacity are never going to be the Bug’s strengths but if you like the new look—and we do—you’ll enjoy driving the Beetle enough that jabs from your buddies won’t even bother you. Read more…
In 1994 VW showed a concept car that was immediately recognizable as drawing its inspiration from the vintage Beetle. Originally ‘dubbed the Concept One (pun intended), the car would be modified into the production New Beetle. While a successful design in many regards, this reborn Beetle failed to fully capture the spirit of the original. Now facing its final model year after 13 long years of production, the New Beetle looks as aged as any of its contemporaries from 1998. Read more…
Everybody loves the Beetle; it’s just such a happy vehicle. I think it has something to do with the smiles. I mean, just look at the thing. It smiles coming at you and it smiles going away. I don’t know how anybody could be upset with a face like that looking back at you. Implied emotions aside, guess who wound up at the mercy of the little car quota again. At least the Beetle is well received by the female half of the species. This could turn out all right after all. Read more…
