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What are the NEW NEW Beetle called...??

68AutoBug - March 28th, 2013 at 10:34 PM

One of the locals has a new new beetle...

I didn't notice any badges??

LEE

stoker - March 29th, 2013 at 06:45 AM

i think they are called a volkswagen

MISS VDUB - March 29th, 2013 at 07:28 AM

They are marketed just as a Beetle, not new Beetle anymore

Yogie - March 29th, 2013 at 11:01 AM

You can option them with either a beetle badge or a volkswagen badge on the boot and also the door sill.

Yogie

65standard - March 29th, 2013 at 12:44 PM

Badges as options?????

They used to come Standard, even on my '65 Standard. Cheapskates!!!

Isola - March 29th, 2013 at 08:15 PM

They are actually called:

The Beetle.

It has a "the" in it this time. And no. There are no stock name badges on it, just vw logos. You can get little "beetle" or "bug" nickname logos from your dealer if you wish. I left mine without the badges though. I think it looks cleaner.

Nickster - March 30th, 2013 at 07:02 AM

That's kinda wrong isn't it... 'The' Beetle... we all know what the real Beetle is. This new one is a vast improvement over the last model but I reckon they should be known as 'The 21st century Beetle" just like the adverts and keep 'The' Beetle name for the original.

Isola - March 30th, 2013 at 09:38 AM

That's the same as saying they should never reuse any car name because the only "real" one is the first one. Mustang, Camaro, Fairlane, Charger, Challenger. Holden Cruze (now there was a big change in car designs). And under your logic it can't be "The 21st Century Beetle" either. Because the 9C Beetle was the first of the 21st Century Beetles.

And just for one more name reuse that is a bit closer to home for us here: Scirocco.

At the end of the day, does it really really really REALLY matter? It doesn't devalue or lessen our classic bugs in any way.

bajachris88 - March 30th, 2013 at 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Isola
That's the same as saying they should never reuse any car name because the only "real" one is the first one. Mustang, Camaro, Fairlane, Charger, Challenger. Holden Cruze (now there was a big change in car designs). And under your logic it can't be "The 21st Century Beetle" either. Because the 9C Beetle was the first of the 21st Century Beetles.

I think the grizzle is from the 'THE' beetle term, they didn't call it 'a' beetle, they called it 'the' beetle.

A neighbour up the road has one, even my partner liked it. Despite the name etc, still a completely different specimen compared to the traditional type 1. A name and a badge is about all they share in common.

I'd say the vw 'up' shares more in common with the type 1 than the new beetle, with the same fundamental purpose etc in providing cheap affordable transport as per Adolf's original intentions. But the Up is soooo lacking in cool factor that the type 1 now holds

Isola - March 30th, 2013 at 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajachris88

I think the grizzle is from the 'THE' beetle term, they didn't call it 'a' beetle, they called it 'the' beetle.

A neighbour up the road has one, even my partner liked it. Despite the name etc, still a completely different specimen compared to the traditional type 1. A name and a badge is about all they share in common.

I'd say the vw 'up' shares more in common with the type 1 than the new beetle, with the same fundamental purpose etc in providing cheap affordable transport as per Adolf's original intentions. But the Up is soooo lacking in cool factor that the type 1 now holds

I can understand people thinking that the "The" is a slap in the face to the original but I also think the "The" makes sense. It's the only Beetle they sell at dealers and the shape is universally recognised. Even people who didn't know VW were making a new Beetle have said to me "I could see it was a Beetle even though it's the first one I've seen."

Maybe it's just me, but I like every version of the Beetle that has ever been released and don't see why any one of them has any more or any less of a claim to being "THE" Beetle. They are as I say, the only one available from dealers at the time so that's what they have to promote. But there is no one at the dealership who didn't love my old girl sitting outside. They all had to have a look because they all know the heritage and history. But come on... who can look at any generation of Beetle and not know what it is?

And I agree completely on the Up! I was really keen to get one because it really was the new spirit of the original type one. But after driving it... it was so much like my 74 that I didn't see the point in buying it... I could have bought another T1. So I drove The Beetle, fell in love (just like when I drove my first type 1) and had to have it. They look amazing together and I drive them both and love them both.

I feel that if you give them a chance, you'll find that there is some Beetle... magic... in them after all

68AutoBug - March 30th, 2013 at 12:13 PM

Well "the Beetle" is a very nice car now..
well designed..
and naturally it isn't anything like the New Beetle or the type 1 beetles.. lol IMHO...

More like a Golf in another body... lol

I have never really even looked at a new beetle... lol

but a badge would have been good.. lol

maybe VW want people to ask "what car is that"? lol

LEE

Phil74Camper - April 1st, 2013 at 06:44 PM

Lee a Golf with another body is exactly what it is. Except it uses the old Golf 6 platform, not the new high-tech MQB platform of the new Golf 7.

It comes with a very prominent VW logo badge on the nose and tail, as does every current Volkswagen model. Who says it needs a 'Beetle' badge as well? The original air-cooled Beetle only ever had one VW 'logo' badge, on the front bonnet, and no 'name' badge at all until the 'VW 1300' rear badge in 1966. Later models dropped the front bonnet badge, and the last Aussie model in 1976 - the only model ever officially sold as the 'Beetle' - didn't have ANY VW badges at all. The only VW logos were stamped into the hubcaps.

MYTH! The original Beetle was NEVER 'cheap affordable transport' in Australia - that's an American thing. In Australia the original Beetle was more expensive than similar small cars from Morris, Austin, Simca, Vauxhall and so on - go find a Wheels or Modern Motor from the late '50s or early '60s and see for yourself. The Deluxe Beetle, at 950 pounds (later $1890), was almost as dear as a basic 6-cylinder Holden. The Standard was an attempt at a cheaper model but was a sales failure. Likewise Kombis, especially after 1976, were much dearer than Japanese vans, and the first Golfs and Passats were way overpriced in Australia.

There will be plenty of people who will buy a new VW Beetle as they feel an emotional attachment to it. Same thing when the New Beetle was released in 2000. But it will never be a big-selling mainstream model like the Golf, Polo or Passat.

You can download the VW Australian brochure here:

http://www.volkswagen.com.au/en/models/beetle/models.html

68AutoBug - April 1st, 2013 at 11:09 PM

Is it still made in Mexico Phil?

Local car is white and looks great with the white dashboard...

rear seat is very narrow and looks like it may only have two seat belts??

apart from the dash...
it really looks like a late model Porsche than a beetle.. lol

IMHO

LEE

Isola - April 2nd, 2013 at 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 68AutoBug
Is it still made in Mexico Phil?

Local car is white and looks great with the white dashboard...

rear seat is very narrow and looks like it may only have two seat belts??

apart from the dash...
it really looks like a late model Porsche than a beetle.. lol

IMHO

LEE

As far as I'm aware, they are made in Puebla. And yes, they only have two seats in the back.

Phil74Camper - April 2nd, 2013 at 07:36 AM

Hi Lee, yes the 2012 Beetle is made in Mexico. You can confirm by looking at the VIN, easily spotted from the outside, at the bottom of the windscreen on the passenger side. Look at the 11th digit - it will be 'M' for Mexico. The 11th digit always tells you where a modern VW was made. Golfs are usually 'W' for Wolfsburg, 'P' for Mosel, or 'M' for Mexico (wagons). Transporters are 'H' for Hanover, Passats are 'E' for Emden, while Polos are mostly 'U' for South Africa (Uitenhage). There are many more, which you can browse at http://www.clubvw.org.au/vwvin

Interestingly, the 2012 Beetle has a VW model code of '16' - digits 7 and 8 of the VIN. The previous New Beetle was 9C for Australian-sale models (1C for US market). This is an unusual example of VW reusing a model code - '16' was previously used for the Mk1 Jetta and some of the early Mk2 Jettas. So being a '16' you could still say, without stretching the truth too much, that the 2012 Beetle is still a 'Type' 1. But then the Golf is a 1K, so it is too.

VW boss Anke Koeckler has already said that they expect Beetle sales to taper off after the initial enthusiasm wears off. That's why they'll introduce the 'Fender' edition later this year to keep the interest going, and probably the 'R' model next year. Other limited edition models such as the black and yellow GSR version could also be on the cards later. I'm not sure about the Cabrio version yet; maybe next year.