2012 VW New Beetle to get More Interior Room

VW Beetle Up citycar artist rendering / Copyright by Larson

A big step forward

By Michael Gauthier
October 13, 2009 3:03 PM
Filed Under: German, Volkswagen

The president and CEO of Volkswagen America, Stefan Jacoby, has revealed new details about the 2012 Beetle.

During a German press event, Jacoby said the Beetle will be "more of a halo car" with improved packaging and additional interior room. He commented that number one complaint about the current model, besides the dated styling/platform, was the miniscule rear seat.

Jacoby also believes the redesigned Beetle has a "great opportunity" to surpass the limited sales-success of the current model (only 26,477 units were sold in the US last year). To this end, Walter de' Silva has promised the Beetle's styling "will be a big step" forward.

Source: autoweek

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Tags: New Beetle, Beetle, 2012 New Beetle, 2012 Beetle

Comments

archytype

October 13, 2009 3:11 PM

When your stigma is overly flamboyant and feminine, and both men and women prefer cars to have at least some aggression. The styling should follow the popular trend. This car while more modern, merely softens the ladybug design.

pscs

October 14, 2009 4:14 AM

So do you need another Hitler to design the new Beetle lol? The original Beetle was really popular... and was really cheap and compact. They just threw these two points out the window. The current Beetle is too big and heavy and it's way more expensive compared to the original. And looks like this one is getting even bigger.

mn07

October 13, 2009 3:20 PM

This looks like the fiat 500.

alessandro

October 13, 2009 3:31 PM

Yes it does. Same here.

serraxtrem

October 13, 2009 3:41 PM

Maybe they don't know about the Fiat 500 ... Poor germans are working too hard...

Max_Speed

October 13, 2009 8:34 PM

Max_Speed

October 13, 2009 8:35 PM

It's a rendering, not the official thing ...

nederina

October 13, 2009 3:25 PM

I guess the New New Beetle is going to be based on the next Golf or modified Polo platform. The rear engined rear wheel drive compact and spacious Mitsubishi i is close to the spiritual of the original Beetle than this. Maybe VW should build the original rear-engined Up! instead.

Bristol411S3

October 13, 2009 3:51 PM

I agree with nderina. I would MUCH rather see a Beetle based on a rear engined Up! Faced with the options of innovating or producing a slef proclaimed style icon, I fear they'll chicken and plump for the latter route though.

And what does de Silver mean, the new Beetle will be s big step forward? How can I be when this is a model that ONLY exists to draw parallels with the past? A big step forward would be binning the name and the plagiaristic styling and designing a People's Car that meets the needs of today, from the ground up.

alessandro

October 13, 2009 4:10 PM

That car should sell well in America. A strange place where part of resourceful people went to the real estate (immobility) sector to create economic bubbles and afford to Lexus. More self-confident incompetency was trying to remain in real economy and screw up something more mobile with(no)Chinese. Rest in between is about buying a Rabbit.

GHERNAS

October 13, 2009 4:29 PM

it is very nice car but it had vey high Co2 immession

andrewB

October 13, 2009 4:35 PM

Im glad im not the only one who saw the fiat 500 in it there has to be a end to the brought back models sometime soon before its too late

alessandro

October 13, 2009 4:50 PM

That rendering made outside the VW. So rest of the world drifting around in their Golfs anyway.

alamak

October 13, 2009 5:03 PM

haha.............New Beetle..........like I care!!

trailer

October 13, 2009 5:23 PM

If its gonna be rear engined, then they should get in touch with their new sister PORSCHE...

But like ALAMAK says " who cares"...

politz

October 13, 2009 8:04 PM

actually, the 'cute-cult-car' market was created (or recreated) altogether by this very own car. i don't think vw should try to make it more masculine, but instead, should try to make it more user-friendly, more spacious and a little more affordable.

theoldman

October 13, 2009 11:25 PM

Yes!!! At Long Last!!!!!!

ive been waiting for this moment for six years!!!!

AND IT's FINALLY COME!!!!

This heralds a new era for the bug!

jerry05cod4

October 13, 2009 11:35 PM

the problem with this car is its pricing 26-30k for this, come on.

alex_w115

October 14, 2009 2:54 AM

recent concept (& renderings) tred looks to be moving away from the 'gaping-grille' theme. Oh no, what is audi going to do!