Autoblog

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]

In an effort to keep British consumers interested in the New Beetle, Volkswagen has unveiled a line of vinyl graphics dubbed 'Beetle Art' to offer buyers another way to personalize their Bugs.

VW is initially offering four designs of the decals, dubbed 'Mud Splats,' 'Taking Flight,' 'It's All Mine' and 'Chasing Rainbows,' each with a unique artist and story behind them. The company promises that the designs will last for three years, and can be removed without any paint damage.

No word yet on if VW's in-house art car options will cross the Pond.

Click on the link for VW's microsite on Beetle Art.

[Sources: Volkswagen UK; MotorTorque at AskaPrice.com]