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New New Beetle Pictures and article
Craig S - April 19th, 2011 at 10:47 AM

http://smh.drive.com.au/motor-news/new-vw-beetle-drops-cute-image-20110419-1d...

olkswagen has redesigned the iconic Beetle for the 21st century, and dropped the "flower power" styling.

This is the new, more masculine Volkswagen Beetle. Gone is the cutesy dash with its hippy vase and in its place is a more conventional and modern cabin.

In the first substantial remake of the icon since Volkswagen revived the classic Bug in 1998, the new Beetle sits lower to the ground and has a wider stance, with a longer bonnet and a more streamlined profile - Herbie on steroids.

The new design is an answer to criticism of the 1998 remake, which many thought was too cute and abandoned the practicality and working class roots of the original. The new design has a bigger boot and VW says the rear seats feel less cramped.
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The new car is 84mm wider, 12mm lower to the ground and 152mm longer, with a wider track (the distance between the left and right wheels) and wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels).

The car has a more square-jawed front end, with straight lines replacing curves. There is a wider front intake, a more chiselled front bumper and pumped up haunches housing bigger wheels that fill up the arches. LED daytime running lights complete the transformation.

From the side, the glass area is narrower and the belt-line is higher. The bulbous rear-end of the 1998 version has been replaced by a more streamlined, sporty look that includes squarer tail-lights, twin exhausts and a spoiler on sporty variants.

The cabin of the old car was criticised for its deep dashboard, which gave it a utilitarian rather than sporty feel, and the new one is more like the popular Golf. The car revealed to the world simultaneously at the Shanghai and New York motor shows has a flat-bottomed steering wheel, carbon fibre highlights, a prominent satellite navigation screen and a row of three sports-car-style dials sitting prominently on the top of the dash.

Headroom has been sacrificed for the new sleeker design but bootspace is improved from a miserly 209 litres to a more useable 310 litres. There's also a new panoramic sunroof that Volkswagen says is 80 per cent larger than the original.

The Beetle has also dropped the "new" from its title, but the latest iteration will be available in three models, "Beetle", "Design" and "Sport".

In a nod to the original Beetle's "hippy" roots, the car has a sound system developed in conjunction with renowned rock amplifier and guitar maker Fender, weapon of choice for Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton.

Engines include 77kW and 103kW diesels and three forced induction four-cylinders; a 77kW 1.2-litre turbo, a 118kW 1.4-litre turbo and supercharged engine and a 147kW version of the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in the Golf GTI. Conventional autos, manual and twin-clutch automated manual transmissions are available.

The car will be launched in Europe in October and should arrive in Australia in the first quarter of 2012.

The original Beetle debuted in 1938 and more than 21 million were built. The "New" Beetle debuted in 1998 and sold roughly one million units.

Craig S - April 19th, 2011 at 10:48 AM

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Paulc1964au - April 19th, 2011 at 05:14 PM

Looks great the issue will be price considering a Golf R costs $34000 in the USA and around $65000 here. If the price was around $35000 I would consider one and trade the SV6 since it is only the wife and I these days

jeremyluke - April 19th, 2011 at 06:37 PM

Some more photos including the red version

http://www.caradvice.com.au/115401/2012-volkswagen-beetle-unveiled-at-auto-sh...

Paulc1964au - April 19th, 2011 at 10:35 PM

red looks great i wonder if it will come out in the blue like the golf R

waveman1500 - April 19th, 2011 at 10:47 PM

The interior looks really nice, but I find the exterior to be quite awkward and ill-proportioned. Give me a Golf any day!

blutopless2 - April 20th, 2011 at 11:59 AM

I love some of the bs they put in the press releases...

BiX - April 20th, 2011 at 12:33 PM

actually looks more beetle like than the last version. Has very similar shape to the super bug. No rear arse on it, roof line flows to the rear bumper...

azzatron - April 20th, 2011 at 01:13 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by waveman1500
The interior looks really nice, but I find the exterior to be quite awkward and ill-proportioned. Give me a Golf any day!


I agree. But really don't like the colour seat inserts, they always date really quickly I think.
To me it seems like the car has bit of identity crisis. Has some very "tough" lines and details mixed in with some quirky and light hearted styling features. What is it trying to achieve? What car is it? Can't really tell by looking at it.

Craig S - April 20th, 2011 at 01:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by azzatron
What is it trying to achieve? What car is it? Can't really tell by looking at it.


I think therein lies the problem. What is the purpose of this car? Given that it is a golf with a different body, why wouldn't you buy the golf? I think the Golf boot is bigger, so really there is no advantage in getting the Beetle, unless you are totally committed to the styling. Certainly if you're totally committed to a Beetle, then you should buy an original.

I know that VW created the New Beetle to attract customers in the US, which is the only market it was a success in, but do they really need to do it again?

That said, I think the styling is pretty good, and certainly much better than the first attempt, but if I was to wander into my local VW dealer I'd choose the Golf over it every day of the week.

azzatron - April 20th, 2011 at 01:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Craig S
Quote:
Originally posted by azzatron
What is it trying to achieve? What car is it? Can't really tell by looking at it.


I think therein lies the problem. What is the purpose of this car? Given that it is a golf with a different body, why wouldn't you buy the golf? I think the Golf boot is bigger, so really there is no advantage in getting the Beetle, unless you are totally committed to the styling. Certainly if you're totally committed to a Beetle, then you should buy an original.

I know that VW created the New Beetle to attract customers in the US, which is the only market it was a success in, but do they really need to do it again?

That said, I think the styling is pretty good, and certainly much better than the first attempt, but if I was to wander into my local VW dealer I'd choose the Golf over it every day of the week.

Yeah I know what you mean.
I always figured the previous shape was aimed more at the female market. A golf but with "cuter" more fun styling. This one though has more aggressive/masculine styling to me, so I don't know how it will appeal to the female market compared to the previous shape. I could be completely wrong though.

jeremyluke - April 20th, 2011 at 04:16 PM

Wonder what it would look like two tone on the exterior? Any one work photo shop ?

Sides - April 20th, 2011 at 08:05 PM

Hey cool... they've debuted it at the Shanghai show !!!

I'll have a few hours to there on Friday and Saturday... have to go check it out...

:D

DylanTheDubber - April 20th, 2011 at 08:19 PM

Yeah i reccon it looks like a modern L bug. i would buy one and pimp it and much rather this style than the 98 design new beetle. Although i would much rather put money into my 1972 Superbug = )

From Dylan

Joel - April 20th, 2011 at 09:06 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Craig S
Quote:
Originally posted by azzatron
What is it trying to achieve? What car is it? Can't really tell by looking at it.


I think therein lies the problem. What is the purpose of this car? Given that it is a golf with a different body, why wouldn't you buy the golf? I think the Golf boot is bigger, so really there is no advantage in getting the Beetle, unless you are totally committed to the styling. Certainly if you're totally committed to a Beetle, then you should buy an original.

I know that VW created the New Beetle to attract customers in the US, which is the only market it was a success in, but do they really need to do it again?

That said, I think the styling is pretty good, and certainly much better than the first attempt, but if I was to wander into my local VW dealer I'd choose the Golf over it every day of the week.


Well it's alot nicer styled than the first gen but its still exactly the same scenario as the first one.
They go against everything the original beetle did and I dont just mean the front engine.

Sorry to any new beetle fans out there but they are still just flashy gimmick, people buy them for the wank value not because they are nice to drive or practical to own.

A golf which is the same car underneath is still 100x nicer to drive than a new beetle as well as being far more practical/functional not to mention cheaper too.

My Aunt was a Westpac branch manager for years before she retired and had one of the westpac new beetles, she also found it as horrible to drive as I did :lol:

OldTimer - April 20th, 2011 at 10:23 PM

It all comes down to character and charm. And with the New Beetle, or even the New New Beetle, I'm just not seeing it.

Old Timer

Johnnie B - April 25th, 2011 at 12:03 PM

Funny how many people bitch about the new beetle and say how bad of a car it is. Do any of you actually own one?
I've been a Beetle guy ever since I can remember and have owned over 15 air cooled beetles and currently own a 66 and a 57.
When I started looking for a nice new car for my wife, I decided to check out the new beetle and ended up with a 2002 1.8 turbo. With a little tweaking of the computer, a good exhaust and intake it now pushes out 240hp.
Combine that with new Bilstein suspension and a set of 19" rims and we now own one of the best cars I have ever had. I get about 700km to a tank and I don't exactly drive in "nicely"
I live in Canada and with a good set of snow tyres on it, it goes better than my old SUV and can easily fit a couple of snowboards and all our gear in the back.
Best part is it gives my friends Dodge Viper a run for its money!
I can't wait for this new one to become available, I will be leasing one for my business straight away..... the 2.0 turbo six speed of cause!

wolfgang54 - April 25th, 2011 at 04:08 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Johnnie B
Funny how many people bitch about the new beetle and say how bad of a car it is. Do any of you actually own one?
I've been a Beetle guy ever since I can remember and have owned over 15 air cooled beetles and currently own a 66 and a 57.
When I started looking for a nice new car for my wife, I decided to check out the new beetle and ended up with a 2002 1.8 turbo. With a little tweaking of the computer, a good exhaust and intake it now pushes out 240hp.
Combine that with new Bilstein suspension and a set of 19" rims and we now own one of the best cars I have ever had. I get about 700km to a tank and I don't exactly drive in "nicely"
I live in Canada and with a good set of snow tyres on it, it goes better than my old SUV and can easily fit a couple of snowboards and all our gear in the back.
Best part is it gives my friends Dodge Viper a run for its money!
I can't wait for this new one to become available, I will be leasing one for my business straight away..... the 2.0 turbo six speed of cause!


nicely put, we have a 1.8 turbo, they are awesome cars and handle great thanks to the golf underpinnings. I am sure we will be buying a new new beetle.

beetleboyjeff - April 25th, 2011 at 04:18 PM

My daughter has a 1.8L Turbo NB as well, and it is a great car - goes hard, and it has all the safety gear and modern features.

She has just got a work car now, and unfortunately is looking at selling it. They still have her husband's Passat though.

Yogie - April 25th, 2011 at 10:12 PM

I love driving our New Beetle Cabrio. In fact, I choose that to drive more than our Benz SLK. It drives a lot better than the golfs I have driven. Much more solid and it handles the corners great. A bit more power from a turbo would be welcome but I am sure that would just bring more tickets and after nearly 200k over the last 6 years, it still brings a smile to my face. I doubt I would buy the new one though as I like the look of the model we have now. I do like the interior though.

Yogie