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Volkswagen has unveiled the
latest generation Beetle in
Shanghai on the eve of the
city’s motor show, marking a new
era in this iconic car’s
history. The latest generation
moves away from design of the
New Beetle of 1998 and instead
draws on cues from the original
and Beetle Ragster concept shown
in Detroit in 2005. As such
it’s longer, wider and lower,
giving a more masculine and
dynamic appearance.
The Beetle now measures 4,278 mm
in length (+152 mm), 1,808 mm in
width (+84 mm) and 1,486 in
height (-12 mm). The track
width front and rear, as well as
the wheelbase at 2,537 mm, are
also increased. Overseen by
Walter de Silva (Volkswagen
Group) and Klaus Bischoff
(Volkswagen Brand), with Marc
Lichte the team leader for
exterior design, the car’s new
proportions mean the roof
extends back further, the
windscreen is shifted back and
the rear section is now more
akin to that of the original
Beetle. The boot capacity is a
practical 310 litres, up from
209 litres in the 1998 model.
The Beetle has four seats, with
a split-fold rear seat for added
versatility.
Inside the cabin, the Beetle’s
designers created a modern,
practical and distinctive
appearance with easy to identify
and ergonomic controls. Certain
features, such as the glovebox
and colour accent panels hark
back to the original.
Three trim levels will be
available – Beetle, Design and
Sport – and each will be endowed
with its own individual
character and features. A wide
range of innovative optional
equipment will also be
available, ranging from Keyless
Access through satellite
navigation systems and a
panoramic sunroof to bi-xenon
headlights and LED daytime
running lights – all of which
are available for the first time
on a Beetle.
In
the UK, a choice of four engines
will be offered: three petrol –
a 1.2-litre TSI 105 PS, a
1.4-litre TSI 160 PS and a
2.0-litre TSI 200 PS; and one
diesel – a 1.6-litre 105 PS with
BlueMotion Technology. Thanks
to the addition of Stop/Start
and battery regeneration systems
the Beetle 1.6-litre 105 PS is
estimated to have a combined
fuel consumption of 65.7 mpg and
carbon dioxide emissions of 112
g/km.
As
well as being economical and
environmentally sound, the
Beetle is also built to be one
of the safest cars on the road
thanks not only to features such
as standard ESP and six airbags
but also a laser-welded and
galvanised body structure which
has one of the highest torsional
rigidity values in the segment
at 26,000 Nm/˚. In addition the
range-topping engine, the
2.0-litre 200 PS, will feature
standard XDS electronic
differential lock as fitted to
the Golf GTI.
The new car will be available to
order in the UK in the summer,
with first cars arriving in
showrooms early in 2012. More
details will be available closer
to launch.
When the original was launched
in 1938, it was known simply as
‘the Volkswagen’, quickly
acquiring a raft of nicknames
from across the world. Whatever
the name, its popularity is not
in question, with 21.5 million
sold in the past 73 years.
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