2012 Volkswagen Beetle: Playtime’s over
The world premiere of the new Beetle took place this morning in New York, and this newcomer likes to think of itself as more efficient and capable than the car it’s replacing. To make it so, the famous Beetle shape had to be modified. Those responsible for developing the new Volkswagen Beetle had a hard time finding the right solution. Sure, the second generation’s silhouette was very stylish, but it was almost cartoonish, and its shape forced VW engineers to make several concessions in order to respect this very unique look. And, sure, it was successful, but the time had come to move in another direction.
While the New Beetle targeted North American buyers, the third generation has its sights on the global market. To that end, the world premiere of this car took place simultaneously in Shanghai, Berlin and New York. Oh, and they’re not calling it the New Beetle anymore. Now it’s just the Beetle.
Make way for the real thing
I haven’t yet driven this newcomer yet, but I’m convinced that it will be more fun to drive since, this time, the designers who modified the silhouette made it a priority to make it a better car, over preserving its cartoonish shape. For those of you who care, the little dashboard-mounted flower pot is now a thing of the past. The dashboard is now modern, more efficient and distinct from the other VW dashboards.
This new Beetle is longer, wider and lower, which means it won’t please fans of the second generation, but should help it move on to more serious matters. According to the VW brass that we met during the unveiling, emphasis was placed on fun, handling and roominess. This time, the driver isn’t seated right in the middle of the car and he’s not staring at a seemingly endless dashboard.
The buyer will have a choice of three engines. The basic engine is a 2.5-litre five-cylinder producing 170 horsepower paired with a five-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. As one would expect, a 2.0-litre 140-hp turbo diesel is also offered. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission, but you can opt for the DSG dual clutch automatic. The most powerful engine offered on this 21st century Beetle is the 2.0-litre turbo that features 200 horses, which will offer the same transmission choices as the diesel version.
This time, the hood is less rounded and longer, thus helping harmonize the passenger compartment and making the baggage hold bigger. Note that the passenger compartment is much better than on the previous model, both in terms of quality of materials as well as the layout of the various components. Interestingly, the audio system comes equipped with a Fender amplifier, which is very original for a car.
Many will surely miss the previous version’s nice shape, but the newcomer is a lot more practical. Plus, it promises to be more fun to drive as it offers better handling than the version it’s replacing. This car will be sold on all continents where Volkswagen is present and all Beetles will be manufactured at the plant in Puebla, Mexico.
