Filed under: Convertibles, Coupes, Volkswagen
2010 VW Beetle to be 'more mature'
When it was first unveiled, the Volkswagen New Beetle's only mission in life was to emulate and modernize the look of the classic air-cooled Bug that was so popular in America during the '60s and '70s. The New Beetle's first restyling was so minor that you'd be forgiven for not even knowing it had been changed. Not so for the next update, a hardtop of which is due for the 2010 model year with a convertible following one year later. Such ergonomic deficiencies as a huge expanse between the driver and the windshield were acceptable in order to get the look right the first time around, but not any longer. Therefore, expect to see some radical changes for the cute little Bugger that will make what Volkswagen's own Walter De' Silva calls "a much more mature product." The word "mature" doesn't quite jive with the current New Beetle, so we're pretty interested to see how far this redesign will go.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd, Photo by Tim in Sydney | Creative Commons 2.0]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Kumail 5:35PM (9/29/2008)
vw beetle + maturity = scirocco
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Duke 6:05PM (9/29/2008)
VW Beetle + Maturity + Performance = Porsche 911
c. 11:20PM (12/22/2008)
If the beetle got AWD, I'd buy it in a heartbeat!
k.w.a 5:52PM (9/29/2008)
did they really come with those fake flowers? is that an option on the new beetle?
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Galley 7:35AM (9/30/2008)
I believe it's always been "BYOF".
Torrent 5:55PM (9/29/2008)
beetles are cute, but I agree- it's time for a redesign. But not too major, still needs to reserve some styling cues- like the cute little headlights....
wow am I a girl or what?
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Rocketboy 9:09AM (9/30/2008)
I don't know, are you?
CarlosMC 11:02AM (9/30/2008)
Don't worry, considering how girly it is, it will surely come with it's own makeup kit, eyeliner included :)
B 5:56PM (9/29/2008)
I part of owning a beetle, except for a few exceptions, is rather immature, dont get me wrong, i would own one. But I wouldnt want a "mature" beetle
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Duke 6:04PM (9/29/2008)
VW Beetle + Maturity + Performance = Porsche 911
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Falcom 6:19PM (9/29/2008)
vw beetle + maturity != vw beetle
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UhOh 6:25PM (9/29/2008)
Mature beetles are aircooled...
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Max 6:38PM (9/29/2008)
I never understood the complaint about the windshield. It gives a feeling of huge space and would otherwise just be the hood, so what's the problem?
And no, flowers weren't stock. The plastic vase was.
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Rich 7:25PM (9/29/2008)
1. Engine access painfully (literally) limited.
2. Rear seat headroom painfully (literally) limited.
3. Sun visor barely usable in front, utterly pointless at side.
4. Roofline is too hunched forward.
By fixing #4, nos. 1-3 would be fixed. The 911's grandaddy had a less dimwitted stance.
The body detail was lost on the New Beetle, too. Those symmetrical indentations in the front and rear panels should return. And not as decals.
You can probably tell I have some pretty strong ideas about how a New Beetle should look in a front-engined configuration. Almost everything about the New Beetle up until now has been a disappointment, except for the way it handles, which is just plain Golf-ness.
Flower pots? They belong in the bus.
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Cardude 8:11PM (9/29/2008)
The New Beetle is just fine the cute way it is. Taking the cuteness out of the car is defeating the whole purpose! This is not just any compact, this is an icon, an emotional icon. Turn it more Golf like and you lose that. The Golf is the rational one, let the Beetle be the Beetle VW! Please reconsider.
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Kotse 10:45PM (9/29/2008)
A mature Bug...I'd like to see a "chopped top" look.
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Chris 12:02AM (9/30/2008)
I always thought the Audi TT (especially the 1st gen) looked like a more mature Beetle.
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c. 11:27PM (12/22/2008)
I agree with you about the Audi TT looking like a "mature" Beetle....which is why I wish the new Beetle has AWD, and a convertible top option. I currently have the Audi TT Roaster, and other than the LeGrande Bug I had in 1973, its the nbest car Ive ever had. However, what I REALLY liked about my Beetle is that when there was "big snow", I could just lift my Bug out of the snowdrift and drive off. I never got stuck. The Audi people, on the other hand, havent been all that great, when it comes to fixing a problem they created, and it has soured me on Audi. I love thte look tho!
Perry 12:12AM (9/30/2008)
If VW would make the next beetle a hybrid prius fighter they could capture a tremendous amount of market share.
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Pedro IX 7:16AM (9/30/2008)
They need to make the next one look more
like the Original, la Fiat 500. I think it
could look totally different than the current
model and potentially be a sales hit. Try
to make it a bit cheaper and make it
customizable like a mini (and add
accesories like split rear windshield kit,
chrome package, etc...).
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