What the...? Volkswagen considering Beetle-based pickup?
Of all the wild-ass rumors we hear on a
The rationale behind this implausible idea stems from VW's goal to boost annual vehicle sales in the U.S. from its current 230,000 units to 1 million vehicle sales per year by 2018. Other derivatives of the new new Beetle could also include a crossover and a wagon.
Although the recently revealed VW Pickup Concept is only bound for markets outside the U.S. and Europe, a compelling case can be made for a light-duty truck for occasional haulers here in the States. But we somehow doubt that the U.S. consumers could warm up to a Beetle-based truck – nostalgia can only go so far.
[Source: Automotive News (sub. req.) via Pickuptrucks.com | Image: CargoFun]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Buffy 3:12PM (10/06/2008)
Very very late...
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hatchbacks are cool 3:39PM (10/06/2008)
Not for hatchback based pickup trucks .
flychinook 3:14PM (10/06/2008)
Call me crazy, but... I actually kinda like the way that looks. But for practicality, it doesn't look like it could carry anything that a hatchback couldn't handle.
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buffy 3:19PM (10/06/2008)
Or a wagon for that matter...
Buffy 3:46PM (10/06/2008)
Not for hatchback based pickups that is true. But this variant should have been thought of much earlier for the Beetles lineup.
Yar 3:18PM (10/06/2008)
It's like an El Camino, for gay people.
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s13hybrid 3:27PM (10/06/2008)
They should have just put a flower bed back there. The first pickup geared to Florists.
KK Hickey 3:54PM (10/06/2008)
The image shown in this article is very old. A Brazilian guy made it if I'm not mistaken. Of course I cant find the page when I'm looking for it..... I for one would be in line to get one if it looked anything like that light blue one but something tells me it wont. I'm still waiting for the Ragster that will never happen...That's life I guess.
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toronado455 4:26PM (10/06/2008)
http://www.truckblog.com/story-1138-friday_beerblog_vw_truck_in_da_haus
Reader 7:09PM (10/06/2008)
Goodness, that article has a link to something worse than 2 girls one cup:
http://www.truckblog.com/story-179-friday_beerblog_rangstang
TKE 3:24PM (10/06/2008)
Subaru Baja, only so much worse in every way.
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TJ 3:27PM (10/06/2008)
Someone in my area (South-Metro Denver) has an imported Saveiro with '07 R32 drivetrain, suspension, and bodywork. That thing is SWEET.
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TJ 4:08PM (10/06/2008)
Found it.... http://www.vwvortex.com/gallery/generated//Events/Enthusiast/Dubs%20Along%20The%20Rockies/2008/038__scaled_600.jpg
It's a VW Pointer, imported from Meeehiiiico.
montoym 5:50PM (10/06/2008)
Did that one have an R32 drivetrain? I recall seeing it last year at DATR and I thought it was stock. I didn't get a chance to look at it this year as I was busy working the show.
I think this would be a far better idea than a Bettle-based truck. Plus, it wouldn't be a big stretch for VW since they offered the Golf-based Caddys in the 80's.
Here's the Mexican VW page for that model, http://mx.volkswagen.com/vwcms_publish/vwcms/master_public/virtualmaster/es_mx/vehiculos_comerciales/pick_up.html
TJ 9:34AM (10/07/2008)
I have only seen it three times at ~540am... so no real good looks at it. I know its got some performance bits on it.. I suppose I assumed too much.
Cameron 3:36PM (10/06/2008)
The Red Bull Minis just got some new competition!
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Typesbad 5:14PM (10/06/2008)
Been there done that. This isn't mine, but my first car ended up almost exactly like this:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/10/06/what-the-volkswagen-considering-beetle-based-pickup/#comments
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brandon 3:40PM (10/06/2008)
Come on guys, I'm pretty sure they just mean based off of the beetle platform...
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skitch 3:49PM (10/06/2008)
please dont!
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garlinski 3:44PM (10/06/2008)
i think i just threw up in my mouth... wait... yes, yes i did.
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