Autoblog

Volkswagen New Beetle still number one with the ladies

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:31:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Etc., Hatchback, Volkswagen

Volkswagen New Beetle - Click above for high-res image gallery

Men, take note: According to a new survey from research firm TrueCar, the Volkswagen New Beetle is (still) the ultimate car for women. Apparently, its combination of cute-as-a-button looks and affordable pricing make the reborn Bug a total hit with the fairer sex.

This data was determined not by some silly woman-on-the-street clipboard survey, but rather by looking at the registrations of more than 13 million vehicles over the past two years. We could have saved them quite a bit of work if they wanted to know that the New Beetle was a chick car, but whatever. There was some other interesting info gleaned from the research, including the revelation that 64% of all cars are registered by men despite the fact that there are more women (at 51% of the population, just a tad) than men in America.

Rounding out the top five vehicles that scored well with the mono-chromosomed gender were the Nissan Rogue, Hyundai Tucson, (saw this one coming) Volkswagen Eos and Volvo S40.

Gallery: 2009 Volkswagen New Beetle

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

Volkswagen New Beetle still number one with the ladies originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Jun 2010 19:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volkswagen reportedly taking final orders on New Beetle

Noah Joseph — Tue, 04 May 2010 18:32:00 EST

Filed under: Hatchback, Volkswagen, Australia

2010 Volkswagen New Beetle Final Edition - Click above for high-res image gallery

If you've got your eyes set on buying a Volkswagen New Beetle before it beeps its way off into the sunset, well... first of all, you've got us baffled. Secondly, this could be your last chance for the current-generation model before it ceases production. This according to the latest reports attributed to the German automaker's Australian arm.

The reports would ostensibly make sense, since previous ones indicated that Volkswagen was preparing to introduce a thorough revision of the quirky retro-mobile. Not to mention the end-of-the-line Final Edition which VW unveiled at the LA Auto Show last year. Tipped to place less emphasis on the cutesy factor and more on, you know... the car part, we're expecting to see the new New Beetle later this year, ahead of an anticipated market introduction early in 2011.

Gallery: LA 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Beetle

[Source: Volkswagen]

Volkswagen reportedly taking final orders on New Beetle originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 May 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Beetle pickup conversion can haul more flowers

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Truck, Etc., Volkswagen, Specialty

Volkswagen New Beetle Pickup Conversion - Click above for image gallery

Still bummed that Volkswagen isn't planning to bring the new Amarok pickup to the States? Perhaps there's another way to get your hands on a VW made for hauling: a New Beetle pickup conversion. Proving the old adage, "When there's a will, there's a way," Japanese body shop Hayashi has grafted the rear half of a pickup with the front half of a New Beetle. The results, um... speak for themselves, no?

We know that the new version of the ol' Bug is sometimes seen as a feminine vehicle, but we're not so sure converting one into a pickup truck is the right way to rectify that situation. At least there's plenty of room for more than just the lonely single flower in the dash-mounted plastic holder. See for yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Volkswagen New Beetle Pickup

[Source: Carscoop]

New Beetle pickup conversion can haul more flowers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next Volkswagen Beetle to use Jetta platform

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hatchback, Volkswagen

Time keeps on slippin' into the future, and cars keep on gettin' bigger. The Volkswagen New Beetle was shown at the LA Auto Show in various Final Edition guises, and the second word on the next edition is that it will be built on the Jetta platform. The first word was that Volkswagen wants the bubbleback's next design to be more masculine, which probably means - and this is just a guess - you can kiss that flower vase goodbye.

All of this rumormongering comes out of the UK's Autocar magazine, who opine that an increase in size would also help up the masculinity factor and make for more room in that Leprechaun-sized back seat. The current Jetta's wheelbase is 101.5 inches, whereas the New Beetle measures up at 98.80 inches. Those 2.7 inches don't sound like a lot of extra room to play with - especially when considering the New Beetle's rainbow canopy - but with some imaginative design and innovative packaging, a noticeable improvement doesn't seem out of reach.

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Next Volkswagen Beetle to use Jetta platform originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Funny Car Commercial of the Day: Politically Correct Edition

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Volkswagen, Humor

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.

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New details emerge about 2010 VW Beetle

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:41:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Budget, Volkswagen, Rendered Speculation

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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VW considering speedster, SUV variants of new New Beetle

Noah Joseph — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:20:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, SUV, Volkswagen

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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Rendered Speculation: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle, Cabriolet and Speedster

John Neff — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, Coupe, Volkswagen

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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Rendered Speculation: VW Porsche-fying next-gen New Beetle

Frank Filipponio — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:32:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Volkswagen

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.

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