Launched in 1998, Volkswagen's "New Beetle" was a solid hit– despite woefully inefficient interior packaging, a range of meh engines fitted in the wrong (right?) place (the front) and distinctly non-German provenance (hecho en Mexico). In the intervening nine years, nada mas, save the introduction of another meh engine in the thirsty and slow I5. Our resident photochopper Avarvarii sends news that J. Mays' retro homage to the iconic original is finally set for a redesign. Mr. A advises us to look closely at his artistry for the changes, which center on improved interior space and a strange desire to ape the new Scion xB's gangsta-style chop top. Yes, yes. Very nice, in a Yo! Yo! kind of way. Let's hope it sits on something a bit more modern than Ye Olde Golf Mk IV platform. And where's the damn diesel? Fit an oil burner into this empty nester's cutesy tootsy nostalgia-mobile and THEN Bug sales will reignite.
[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here.]
The latest issue of Automobile stated that VW was thinking of putting the new Bug on the same RWD platform as the new Up city car, keeping it cheap, affordable, and true to its roots. Let’s see if they actually pull that off.
Why not make the Up city car the new bug? It’s actually cuter than the original Bug II.
But a diesel engine will make this one of those Hillarymobiles you feared and despised in your previous news item, wouldn’t it? Might not make 60 mph in 6 seconds, and that’s what’s vital, right? I agree with you about the chop-top look, though. Once you toughen up the Beetle’s wide-open, friendly styling, there’s little reason left to make this car at all.
The Real (Old) Beetle was built to be practical while thumbing its nose at the fashion of the day. The New Beetle was designed to be a totally impractical fashion statement. If VW really wants the thing to really sell, they need to give the car some new practicality (see Paul Niedermeyer on the xB, somewhere on this site).
I agree, the (Old) Beetle was all about practicality. VW should focus on the basics and not waste their efforts on trying to make a vehicle something it isn’t. Give it a solid base and let the aftermarket industry make it something different.
David Holzman: “The Real (Old) Beetle was built to be practical while thumbing its nose at the fashion of the day.”
Strictly speaking, when the original Beetle was designed in the mid 1930’s, it was at the forefront of auto design, being an early adopter of aerodynamic styling, which very much was the hot new fashion of the day. It’s just that they kept making it unchanged, while fashion changed. Nobody would have the guts to do that anymore.
Paul Niedermeyer: “It’s just that they kept making it unchanged, while fashion changed. Nobody would have the guts to do that anymore.”
Isn’t that what we spend half our time at this site criticizing Ford & GM for doing – not changing their vehicles in forever? (Crown Vic, Ranger, etc)
FreeMan: Depends on the car. I can argue that a simple box, like the gen1 Scion xB, could have been built with minor improvements for a long time.
Re “not changing a design for decades”: It probably helped that the original Beetle was a sharp, charismatic design with a good combo of organic aesthetics and tight practicality. You can’t really say that about the Crown Vic, Ranger, or other domestic holdovers that were never really that good to begin with.
“I can argue that a simple box, like the gen1 Scion xB, could have been built with minor improvements for a long time.”
Volvo 240, and it’s cornfed cousin the Checker.
Ulramike, I knew the Old Beetle and, thank God Crown Vic and Ranger are no Old Beetles! The Old Beetle was crap!
How much heat do you get in that Hitler’s Hoax each winter? How about ventilation the rest of the year? How about noise levels-interior and exterior–Old Beetle vs. Ranger?
My Ranger still doesn’t burn or leak oil after 10 years use/ 120K miles. I have never heard of a VW engine with that kind of reliability.