Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Politically Correct Edition]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/funny-car-commercial-of-the-day-politically-correct-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/funny-car-commercial-of-the-day-politically-correct-edition/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/11/11/funny-car-commercial-of-the-day-politically-correct-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Volkswagen loves everyone - Click above to watch the video after the break

Nowadays, being politically correct is of the utmost importance to companies the world over, and that includes automakers. Especially Volkswagen, apparently. Judging from the commercial pasted after the break, the German automaker - which just happens to have recently earned the title of World's Largest Automaker - wants you to know that everyone loves it cars, regardless of age, sex, race or color.

Volkswagen is also accepting of any sexual preference, and it doesn't care if you are right- or left-handed. Do you like to drive fast? Slow? It doesn't matter - the Volkswagen New Beetle is the perfect car for you. Or something like that. Click past the break to watch the video and visit veryfunnyads.com for more humorous car ads.

[Source: veryfunnyads.com]

Continue reading Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Politically Correct Edition

Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Politically Correct Edition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beetlefunny carfunny car adfunny car commercialfunny car commercial of the dayfunny commercialFunnyCarFunnyCarAdFunnyCarCommercialFunnyCarCommercialOfTheDayFunnyCommercialnew beetleNewBeetlepolitical correctnessPoliticalCorrectnesspolitically correctPoliticallyCorrectvery funnyvery funny advery funny adsVeryFunnyVeryFunnyAdVeryFunnyAdsVolkswagenvolkswagen adVolkswagenAdvw advw advertisingVW BeetleVW new beetleVwAdVwAdvertisingVwBeetleVwNewBeetleWed, 11 Nov 2009 16:56:00 EST<![CDATA[New details emerge about 2010 VW Beetle]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/20/new-details-emerge-about-2010-vw-beetle/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/20/new-details-emerge-about-2010-vw-beetle/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/20/new-details-emerge-about-2010-vw-beetle/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Click above for high-res renderings of a possible New Beetle

When designing a retro-style automobile like the revived MINI, Mustang or VW Beetle, the first generation is the easy one. The second go-round, on the other hand, is a tougher nut to crack, and the easy thing to do is to maintain the status quo. Volkswagen did just that when it revised its New Beetle back in 2006, but the third-generation of today's Bug is expected to ratchet things up a bit design-wise. We're expecting something more mature, perhaps along the lines of the Ragster concept from 2005, which emphasized its low-slung bodywork with a chopped top reminiscent of the Porsche Speedster. Flashier lights and more angular sheetmetal are also distinct possibilities.

Whatever the case, it won't be an easy redesign. VeeDub could stay the course by keeping the cute and charming nature of the current New Beetle intact or it could spice things up with something much more sporty. Could the German automaker do both? That's an option for the future, and current rumors indicate that VW has considered at least two separate Beetle models, one based on the Golf and another using the underpinnings from the yet-to-be-released Up! microcar. The current state of the economy, though, makes a plan like that much less likely to bear fruit.

Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle - renderings


[Source: Car Magazine]

New details emerge about 2010 VW Beetle originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Click above to view the VW Ragster concept in hi res

With retro rides - from the Fiat 500 to the Dodge Challenger - popping up left, right and center, it would be all to easy to forget the vehicle that started the trend: Volkswagen's New Beetle. Now with ten years on the road since introduction in 1998, the New Beetle is getting a little long in the tooth, but VW is preparing to launch its successor. However, while the current version is available only in two versions (coupe and cabrio), the next iteration may come with a few new twists in the lineup, mirroring the steadily-evolving range of variants of the MINI. That is, if the latest reports are to be believed.

Engineering is tipped to already be underway in Germany, with styling being carried out in California and production confirmed to continue in Mexico. Among the new body styles reportedly under consideration in Wolfsburg are a two-seat speedster version, as previewed by the Ragster concept from Detroit '05, and a potential SUV like the 2000 Beetle Dune concept. The next Beetle is tipped to be based on the current Mk5 Golf/Rabbit, rather than the upcoming sixth-generation platform.

Gallery: 2005 VW Ragster Concept


[Source: 4Car]

VW considering speedster, SUV variants of new New Beetle originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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click above image to view high-res gallery of VW New Beetle renderings

It's one of the hardest tricks for a designer to pull off: redesign a retro car that takes its styling cues from an iconic classic. Volkswagen has already refreshed the design of its New Beetle once, though the redo was kept to a minimum and included things like new headlights, slightly more creased fenders, and new taillights. The time will come, however, when the New Beetle needs a new look, and according to Brenda Priddy's illustration artist, the next-gen people's car will be inspired by VW's series of up! concepts that have been trotted out at recent auto shows around the world. And truly, doesn't it make sense? Adding the up! bumper to the New Beetle gives its face a cheery smile that one would expect from a car that comes standard with a flower vase in the dash. The same goes for the rear bumper that gives a grin to passerbys as if to say, "Make love, not war!". Even the new head and taillights in these renderings look more like actual eyeballs than on most cars. Whether or not these illustrations have a grain of truth to them remains to be seen, but the fact can't be denied that VW needs to somehow update the New Beetle's design without losing any of its inherent charm.

So far this year, the New Beetle coupe is down 9.8% in sales while the convertible is off -19.7%. What will help a redesign gain traction with buyers are new features being planned for the next-gen Bug, including availability of a DSG gearbox and even a speedster model that could hint at a performance variant. Hmmm... kind of looks like Walt Disney's version of a Porsche Boxster.

[Source: Brenda Priddy & Co.]

Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle - renderings

Continue reading Rendered Speculation: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle, Cabriolet and Speedster

Rendered Speculation: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle, Cabriolet and Speedster originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's a rendering of the new, new, New Beetle, courtesy of AutoBild. The 2009 edition of the remade icon still hasn't been shown in public, but that hasn't stopped artists and prognosticators from sharing images of a likely form for this most legendary people's car. In a sort of twist on the normal gameplan, it is believed that the cabrio will debut before the coupe this time around, and there's even a talk of a Microbus variant in the mix!

The Beetle should share the VW Golf VI platform, but the Microbus would likely use older Golf and Touran parts. Either way, the new look of the Beetle is sportier, with a hint of Porsche in the front fascia. Okay, more than a hint. Looking at the clipped pic at right, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a 997. The new Beetle should also share powertrains with the Golf VI, and therefore the Golf V, as most are expected to carry over from the current models. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Source: AutoBild via TheGermanCarBlog]

Rendered Speculation: VW Porsche-fying next-gen New Beetle originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>VW New BeetleVwNewBeetleTue, 31 Jul 2007 19:32:00 EST