The VW Beetle is a cult favorite here in the States, but in Germany, it's not so well loved. That could be part of the reason why Volkswagen has been slow to produce a successor to the new Beetle, but word from Motor Trend is that two models could be coming shortly. The first Beetle will be based off the Gen-VI Golf and will hit production in 2010 or 2011.
Word out of Wolfsburg is that a second Beetle could be on the way as well, but this one would be based off the up! minicar. That would give VW a sub-brand Beetle lineup, kind of like what Toyota has with Scion, but with an eye on MINI buyers. The smaller up!-based Beetle would also be more true to the original Bug, which was a cheap and efficient "People's Car" with the engine out back (supposedly). Quality problems and a weak dollar have lead VW to struggle in the U.S. over the past few years, but an inexpensive, reliable car with top-notch fuel economy would go a long way toward reversing that trend.
Click above for high-res gallery of the Volkswagen up!
Volkswagen's adorable little up! has the ambitious goal of becoming the next original Beetle, and new info on Auto Express seems to indicate that the Germans in Wolfsburg may be on to something. The up! will feature both gasoline and diesel-powered engines with a minuscule displacement of only .6 turbocharged liters, and a larger 1.2L three-cylinder engine may be planned, as well.
The up! will also be extremely fuel efficient, with U.S. fuel economy numbers near 80 mpg. Perhaps the most eye-catching bit of info is the base price of the handsome little micro: models will sell for as little as £4,500 in emerging markets and more richly equipped European models will start around £7,500. VW is also looking at making both a three- and five-door up! with the exact same wheelbase, as well a roomier MPV version and even a hybrid. VW also says that the 11 foot long up! will also feature the roomiest cabin in its class. Is it just us, or does the amazing little up! almost sound too good to be true? We'll find out for sure next year when the production up! is released to the public.
We've all had one of those bosses that at some point you just can't satisfy no matter what you do. No matter how hard you try, he always make you feel like a fool. When one of Chris Bangle's "master works" won't do, an S2000 has less torque than a weed-eater and the plastic in a Camaro makes a model car look good, what is a poor general to do? The one is this video after the jump is truly the boss from hell. Aside from Mel Brooks, it's not often that you get so many laughs from the Nazis, but someone has done a masterful job supplying new subtitles for a scene from Der Untergang (Downfall), a film about the final days of the Third Reich. The video clip after the jump is just shy of four minutes, but it's worth watching all the way through.
When Volkswagen reintroduced the Rabbit to the U.S., it claimed that it was drawing on enthusiasts' emotional connection with the Rabbit name, and it wants to draw on even more of that pop culture history with its latest advertising and marketing campaign. VW is referring to its new campaign as "DAS AUTO", or literally as "the car." A black 1964 Beetle called Max will be the star of the campaign as he it converses with such varied celebrities as Heidi Klum, David Hasselhoff (!) and Leonard Nimoy, among others.
According to Tim Ellis, the newly-appointed vice president of marketing at Volkswagen of America, "Max personifies Volkswagen's American consumers and lets them know how Volkswagen understands and responds to what the people want." Were people asking for talking VW Beetles? We're not sure, but we'll soon be finding out; Max and the DAS AUTO campaign will begin in earnest starting very soon, kicking off five new model launches: the Tiguan compact SUV, Routan minivan, CC, clean diesel Jetta TDI and Jetta SportsWagen.
This isn't exactly what the recording industry had in mind when The Beatles went gold for the first time. But then, who would have predicted back then that the Iron Curtain would fall and that Eastern Europe would grow into one of the world's largest markets for tasteless luxury items.
This 1968 Volkswagen Beetle, unveiled at this year's Luxury Show in Bucharest, Romania, is covered in tiles made of glass and 18-karat gold. We'd say if you have to ask, you can't afford it, but it strikes us that the whole point of building or buying something this perversely ostentatious is to flaunt to the world just how much it's worth. In this case, the figure is actually just $88,000.
If you're thinking that eighty-eight grand will buy you a well-equipped Porsche 911, we're not far behind you. But then, whoever would even consider buying something this ridiculous probably has a couple of "ordinary" Porsches lying around the grounds already.
Artist William Burge has found a way to artfully reattach all of the little pieces that have fallen off his 1968 Volkswagen Beetle. The results are far more impressive than the Bug's original and once-ubiquitous countenance. Actually, we counted all 21,000 gigashards of metal, and that's more metal than a '68 Type 1 contained, and even the steady diet of replacement parts doesn't account for the amount of cold-rolled whatever comprising this bodyshell. The car's exhibition at the Essen Motor Show is apropos on a whole bunch of levels.
The gargoyle-themed Volkswagen will fit right in among the cathedrals and castles in the city, which is a future European Capital of Culture for 2010. Being a cultural hub, the intricate suit of armor worn by Burge's once-humble Beetle will be understood for the masterpiece that it is, and the painstaking metal work that went into the car will not be lost on the home of the Krupp Iron Works. There's not much information to be found about the car, which Burge has named "Phantoms," though it's been on display in Essen from November 26th, and will be at the Motor Show until the 9th of December. We're dying for details, particularly how it was put together? What's the interior look like? Is it still being pushed around by a 1500? Can I borrow it to discourage parking in front of my house? One of you astute commenters out there must have more information; please share!
I like Bugs. I like Porsches. Not together. Taking a historical bent, you could draw a line from the Porsche 911 back to the Volkswagen Beetle without it having too many kinks and corners in it. The flip side of that relationship is that while there are some similarities in the broad-strokes sense, the two cars are more dissimilar than they are alike. How we wish we'd coined the name, but alas, Creative Cars (whoever they are) came up with the Porrera moniker when they started producing 911 retrofit kits. It's close, kind of, but not really. Maybe in that small area in the lower part of the rear quarter where the taillights meet the fender flares. Hm. No. All the nose jobs and fanny surgery in the world can't change the fact that this is, at its core, a 1970 Type I. The greenhouse is too bulbous (a proper chop job might help), the front overhangs are reminiscent of something penned by Matt Groening, and out back continues to chuffle a filthy 1300.
When people have a love of YouTube and a lot of free time on their hands, some pretty crazy things can happen. Someone with a spare first-generation VW Beetle and a car shredder decided to be creative in dismantling their hippie heirloom, so they slapped together a faux-comedy. The action saves this amateur video, though, as the helpless little bug is ruthlessly shredded in under two minutes. While we can't call this news, it's definitely entertaining, and you can watch it after the jump.
Due to its unique shape and low cost, the VW Beetle is perhaps the most recognizable vehicle ever to grace international roads. Since the original Bug faded away into history, the folks in Wolfsburg seem to have gotten away from budget wheels in favor of high-quality, but pricey, offerings. That's all about to change, however, as Volkswagen plans to unveil their blueprint for a new bargain VW at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The noble idea is to produce a vehicle for under €8,000 while retaining the look and feel that VW customers have come to expect. With the high cost of labor in Europe, the idea may seem like a pipe dream, but VW's plants in China and Mexico should be able to get the job done. We're probably not the only ones that hope V-dub can pull this one off.
Cars with 400hp are a lot more common than they were only a few years ago, but a VW Beetle with that kind of grunt doesn't come along every day. For the "buy it now" price of $29,900 you can get behind the wheel of this HPA Motorsports of Canada-built hot hatch with all the bells and whistles. The bug is a 1999 model with 38,592 miles and more mods than you can shake a stick at. The twin-intercooled, 2.8-liter engine is mated to a five-speed manual sending power to all four wheels, with stopping power supplied by Porsche calipers. Other modifications include updated rims and tires, body kit, enlarged front air dam, and Recaro seats.
Other than the balding tires and the prodigious torque-steer, we'd say this is one bad-ass little ride. Check out the 13 gallery images below.
When Volkswagen 
Due to its unique shape and low cost, the VW Beetle is perhaps the most recognizable vehicle ever to grace international roads. Since the original Bug faded away into history, the folks in Wolfsburg seem to have gotten away from budget wheels in favor of high-quality, but pricey, offerings. That's all about to change, however, as Volkswagen plans to unveil their blueprint for a new bargain VW at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The noble idea is to produce a vehicle for under €8,000 while retaining the look and feel that VW customers have come to expect. With the high cost of labor in Europe, the idea may seem like a pipe dream, but VW's plants in China and Mexico should be able to get the job done. We're probably not the only ones that hope V-dub can pull this one off.
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