Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your New Beetle shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the New Beetle offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of New Beetle at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a New Beetle? Wrong! If the New Beetle is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about New Beetle then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling New Beetle? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about New Beetle and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your New Beetle wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your New Beetle then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the New Beetle site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about New Beetle, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your New Beetle, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
{{Infobox Automobile|image = |name = Volkswagen New Beetle|manufacturer = Volkswagen|body_style = 2-door [convertible
3-door
hatchback|engine=[Gasoline:
1.4L 75 hp
Straight-41.6L 102 hp Straight-4
1.8L Turbo 150 hp Straight-4
1.8L Turbo 180 hp (Turbo-S)
Straight-42.0L 115 hp Straight-4
2.5L 150 hp
Straight-53.2L 225 hp VR6
Diesel:
1.9L TDI 105 hp Straight-4|assembly=
Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
6-speed [automatic transmission
4-speed automatic transmission
6-speed
manual transmission-->
The
Volkswagen New Beetle is a
compact car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998, drawing heavily on the design cues of the original Volkswagen Beetle. Based on a
Volkswagen Golf, the "
retro" design proved to be more successful in some markets than in others. It is assembled at the VW
Puebla factory in Mexico.The big contrast between the New Beetle and the Classic Beetle is that, like most cars, the New Beetle has the
FF layout and storage in the back.
Concept 1
At the 1994 North American International Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled the
J Mays-penned "Concept 1", a cabriolet with lines heavy influenced by the original Beetle. It was equipped with "large diameter" 17 inch (43 cm) wheels (with the VW logo, just like the original Beetle hubcap) with low-profile tires. Also, in the concept car, there was a "zero emission" hybrid design.
New Beetle
Strong public reaction persuaded the company to move the car into production, and in 1998 Volkswagen launched the New Beetle, designed by J Mays and Freeman Thomas at the company's California design studio. The New Beetle is related to the original only in name and appearance (including the absence of a car emblem script with the exception of the VW logo): under the hood, it is a modern car in every way, based on the
Volkswagen A platform (Mark 4 Volkswagen Golf).
Still, it carried many design features related to the old Beetle: separate wings, vestigial running boards, sloping headlamps and large round tail lights, as well as a high rounded roofline that provides enough headroom for tall drivers.
In stark contrast to the original, the U.S. Insurance Institute of Highway Safety gave the New Beetle among the best safety ratings in its class at the time of its launch.
The car was a relatively slow seller in Europe, but it was a success in the
United States. There, marketing campaigns enhanced the continued goodwill towards the original, and helped the new model to inherit it. The Volkswagen New Beetle was
Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year for 1999. A convertible version of New Beetle started production two years after launch, after many buyers had aftermarket conversions.
In the United States the engines were the 2.0 liter inline-4, for the base model, and the 1.8 liter
turbo inline-4, for the
Sport Model wich included a sport suspension, and bigger wheels and tires.
For the 2006 model, the exterior was slightly redesigned with bigger bumpers and fitted with a 150hp 2.5L I5 20V base engine, as seen on the A5 Volkswagen Jetta and
Volkswagen Rabbit.
The New Beetle, like many other Volkswagen models, is assembled currently in Mexico. Houston, TX is the point of entry to the United States for all these vehicles.
The New Beetle RSi
Between 2001 and 2003 Volkswagen produced 250 limited edition New Beetles with the designation
RSi in Europe. The RSi was powered by a 225 hp 3.2 liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed gearbox and Volkswagen's all-wheel drive system 4motion. It had a Remus twin-pipe exhaust. The suspension was tuned by
Porsche, featuring a severely altered rear suspension geometry more geared to the race track and a rear cross member behind the rear seats. Visually, the RSI differed in its 80 mm wider fenders, unique front and rear bumpers, a rear diffuser, large rear wing, and 18x9 OZ Superturismo wheels with 235/40ZR-18 tires. Inside, it was trimmed in carbon fiber, billet aluminum, and bright orange leather. The front seats were Recaro racing shells. Notable disadvantages found were loud cabin noise and low rear tire life.Curiously, in Mexico, although being a country very attached to Volkswagen, there are RSIs that have not been sold since 2001. This is probably due to its United States dollar58,000 price tag.the Beetle RSi was designed by Riaz Sherazee, a UK national and graduate of Coventry Automotive Design School.
The Ragster Concept
.
At the 2005 North American International Auto Show, the
Volkswagen New Beetle Ragster concept car was introduced. It was supposed to be a preview of the future design of the New Beetle. The base of the Ragster (a ragster is the cross between a ragtop and a speedster) was a regular New Beetle Convertible. They made some changes, such as chopping the top, penning a new U-shaped roof, and creating a unique paint job with silver double stripes. The interior differs from the original New Beetle, being a 2+2 and having distinctive control dials. Another item of interest is that the Ragster's rear-view mirror is mounted on its dashboard (a retro feature, reminiscent of the first
Volkswagen Beetle). The Ragster's profile is lower than that of the prior New Beetle.
Dune
In 2000 an offroad prototype named Dune was created. It was based on the Baja Bug, which was an Old Beetle modified for use in the
Baja 1000 race.
Trivia
- The car achieved 4 stars in the EuroNCAP tests scoring 25 points out of 33.
- In 2000, two new colors for the New Beetle (Vapor Blue and Reflex Yellow) were introduced in limited quantities. They were tied to a unique marketing campaign that made the new colors only available by ordering online. Although not all of the cars were ultimately sold online, the campaign was successful in driving people to VW's web site.
- In 2006, a "Barbie" limited edition of thirteen cars were sold in Mexico; the exterior color scheme was pink with Barbie decals, and the interior featured pink color accents.
Other Concepts
Other designs on the New Beetle include:
Specifications
These specifications relate to the 2.0 litre petrol (
gasoline) engine. While the non engine-related specifications generally apply to other motorizations as well, variations may occur with engine type.
- Engine: Transverse-mounted water cooled I4; 1984 cc; fuel injection (available in both petrol and diesel version)
- Max power: 85 kW (115 hp) at 5,200 rpm
- Max torque: 122 foot pound force (165 newton metre) at 2,600 rpm
- Transmission (mechanics): 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic
- Brakes: disc brake on all four wheels
- Dimension:
- Length: 4089 mm (161 in)
- Width: 1724 mm (68 in)
- Height: 1511 mm (59 in)
- Wheelbase: 2512 mm (100 in)
- Curb weight: 1230 kg (2711 lb)
- Max speed: 177 km/h (110 mph)
- Acceleration (0-96 km/h | 0-60 mph): 13.2 s
- Fuel consumption: 7.3 l/100 km (32.22 mpg)
Pop culture
- The sighting of a VW Beetle is cause for violent fun in the car-sighting game known as Punch Buggy. In the American south, the game is also known as "doodle bug punch" or "Slug Bug".
- In the 1999 film Fight Club (film), the narrator (Edward Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) spot a black New Beetle and deploy its airbags by whacking its front bumper with baseball bats.
- In the 1999 music video for "Candy (Mandy Moore song)" by Mandy Moore.
- In the 1999 music video for "Call and Answer" by Barenaked Ladies. The video has many of them, and the band tried to get [product placement money from Volkswagen to do another edit. The company declined, saying they had no trouble selling the cars.
- In the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, a New Beetle is used as a time machine.
- In the 1999 video game Beetle Adventure Racing for the Nintendo 64, every playable car is a New Beetle that varies by color and specifications.
- In the 1999 film Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, every passenger car feature in the film, which took place in 2049, was a Volkswagen New Beetle.
- In the 1999 film Superstar (film), every car in the movie is a Volkswagen New Beetle.
- In the 2000 film Bring It On, Eliza Dushku's character drives a New Beetle to and from Compton.
- In the 2000 film The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, Piper Perabo's character drives a bright yellow Beetle convertible at the beginning, and a pink one at the end.
- In the 2001 music video for "Upside Down" by A*Teens.
- In the 2003 film Anger Management, a new beetle is seen in the airport parking lot.
- In the 2004 film The Girl Next Door, Elisha Cuthbert's character Danielle drives an aquarius blue Beetle Convertible.
- In the 2004 film A Cinderella Story, the two 'evil step-sisters' are seen to each drive their own Beetles, shown in different colours.
- In "Charmed", Rose McGowan's character Paige Matthews has 2002, 1998, and 2004 Beetles during the five seasons she's in.
- The New Beetle was featured in Bewitched (film). It was a light yellow convertible.
- In the TV series "One Tree Hill (TV series)", Sophia Bush's character Brooke Davis drives an aquarius blue Beetle Convertible.
- In the TV Series "Smallville (TV Series)", character Chloe Sullivan has a red Beetle Convertible
- In the TV Series "Scrubs (TV series)", there is a red Beetle coupe on the parking lot and on the episode "My Mirror Image".
- In the 2002 film The Hot Chick, Rachel McAdams' character has a yellow Beetle Convertible.
- In the 2005 film Herbie: Fully Loaded, Herbie flirts with a yellow new Beetle. Maggie tells him, "She's too young for you."
- In the 2005 film Man of the House (2005 comedy film), Tommy Lee Jones drives the green Beetle convertible of one of the teenagers he is protecting to chase after a criminal.
- A yellow New Beetle made an appearance in the "Haru" season of the anime Maria Watches Over Us. Sei Sato drove Yumi Fukuzawa to their mansion using this car.
- The Toukichis in the anime Princess Comet has a New Beetle in their garage as a family car.
- In the Super Sentai series (the shows the Power Rangers are on based on) Mahou Sentai Magiranger (the show that was adapted into Power Rangers: Mystic Force) in Stage 8 Houka Ozu transforms into a pink 2005 New Beetle with the Fairy logo on her hood and eye lashes on the headlights similar to Herbie the Love Bug to drive her sister Urara to a movie audition.
- In the 2006 film Bring It On: All or Nothing Hayden Panettiere's character drives the 2006 model Volkswagen Beetle.
References
- Volkswagen UK's New Beetle Ragster Page
External links
- Italian New Beetle Forum
- New Beetle Puerto Rico
- FR New Beetle Forum
- UK New Beetle Owners Club and Forum
- The UK New Beetle Club and Forum
- New Beetle News
- New Beetle Enthusiasts
- French New Beetle Tribe
- New Beetle Forum
- Flemisch New Beetle Forum
- New Beetle Tuner
- Spanish New Beetle Forum
- 2006 Barbie limited edition
{{Infobox Automobile|image = |name = Volkswagen New Beetle|manufacturer = Volkswagen|body_style = 2-door [convertible
3-door
hatchback|engine=[Gasoline:
1.4L 75 hp
Straight-41.6L 102 hp
Straight-4 1.8L Turbo 150 hp
Straight-4 1.8L Turbo 180 hp (Turbo-S)
Straight-42.0L 115 hp Straight-4
2.5L 150 hp Straight-5
3.2L 225 hp
VR6Diesel:
1.9L TDI 105 hp
Straight-4|assembly=
Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
6-speed [automatic transmission
4-speed
automatic transmission6-speed
manual transmission-->
The
Volkswagen New Beetle is a
compact car introduced by Volkswagen in 1998, drawing heavily on the design cues of the original Volkswagen Beetle. Based on a Volkswagen Golf, the "retro" design proved to be more successful in some markets than in others. It is assembled at the VW
Puebla factory in
Mexico.The big contrast between the New Beetle and the Classic Beetle is that, like most cars, the New Beetle has the FF layout and storage in the back.
Concept 1
At the 1994 North American International Auto Show, Volkswagen unveiled the
J Mays-penned "Concept 1", a cabriolet with lines heavy influenced by the original Beetle. It was equipped with "large diameter" 17 inch (43 cm) wheels (with the VW logo, just like the original Beetle hubcap) with low-profile tires. Also, in the concept car, there was a "zero emission" hybrid design.
New Beetle
Strong public reaction persuaded the company to move the car into production, and in 1998 Volkswagen launched the New Beetle, designed by J Mays and
Freeman Thomas at the company's
California design studio. The New Beetle is related to the original only in name and appearance (including the absence of a car emblem script with the exception of the VW logo): under the hood, it is a modern car in every way, based on the
Volkswagen A platform (Mark 4 Volkswagen Golf).
Still, it carried many design features related to the old Beetle: separate wings, vestigial running boards, sloping headlamps and large round tail lights, as well as a high rounded roofline that provides enough headroom for tall drivers.
In stark contrast to the original, the U.S. Insurance Institute of Highway Safety gave the New Beetle among the best safety ratings in its class at the time of its launch.
The car was a relatively slow seller in Europe, but it was a success in the
United States. There, marketing campaigns enhanced the continued goodwill towards the original, and helped the new model to inherit it. The Volkswagen New Beetle was
Motor Trend's Import Car of the Year for 1999. A convertible version of New Beetle started production two years after launch, after many buyers had aftermarket conversions.
In the United States the engines were the 2.0 liter inline-4, for the base model, and the 1.8 liter
turbo inline-4, for the
Sport Model wich included a sport suspension, and bigger wheels and tires.
For the 2006 model, the exterior was slightly redesigned with bigger bumpers and fitted with a 150hp 2.5L I5 20V base engine, as seen on the A5 Volkswagen Jetta and
Volkswagen Rabbit.
The New Beetle, like many other Volkswagen models, is assembled currently in Mexico. Houston, TX is the point of entry to the United States for all these vehicles.
The New Beetle RSi
Between 2001 and 2003 Volkswagen produced 250 limited edition New Beetles with the designation
RSi in Europe. The RSi was powered by a 225 hp 3.2 liter V6 engine mated to a six-speed gearbox and Volkswagen's
all-wheel drive system 4motion. It had a Remus twin-pipe exhaust. The suspension was tuned by
Porsche, featuring a severely altered rear suspension geometry more geared to the race track and a rear cross member behind the rear seats. Visually, the RSI differed in its 80 mm wider fenders, unique front and rear bumpers, a rear diffuser, large rear wing, and 18x9 OZ Superturismo wheels with 235/40ZR-18 tires. Inside, it was trimmed in carbon fiber, billet aluminum, and bright orange leather. The front seats were
Recaro racing shells. Notable disadvantages found were loud cabin noise and low rear tire life.Curiously, in Mexico, although being a country very attached to Volkswagen, there are RSIs that have not been sold since 2001. This is probably due to its
United States dollar58,000 price tag.the Beetle RSi was designed by Riaz Sherazee, a UK national and graduate of Coventry Automotive Design School.
The Ragster Concept
.
At the 2005 North American International Auto Show, the
Volkswagen New Beetle Ragster concept car was introduced. It was supposed to be a preview of the future design of the New Beetle. The base of the Ragster (a ragster is the cross between a ragtop and a speedster) was a regular New Beetle Convertible. They made some changes, such as chopping the top, penning a new U-shaped roof, and creating a unique paint job with silver double stripes. The interior differs from the original New Beetle, being a 2+2 and having distinctive control dials. Another item of interest is that the Ragster's rear-view mirror is mounted on its dashboard (a retro feature, reminiscent of the first
Volkswagen Beetle). The Ragster's profile is lower than that of the prior New Beetle.
Dune
In 2000 an offroad prototype named Dune was created. It was based on the Baja Bug, which was an Old Beetle modified for use in the
Baja 1000 race.
Trivia
- The car achieved 4 stars in the EuroNCAP tests scoring 25 points out of 33.
- In 2000, two new colors for the New Beetle (Vapor Blue and Reflex Yellow) were introduced in limited quantities. They were tied to a unique marketing campaign that made the new colors only available by ordering online. Although not all of the cars were ultimately sold online, the campaign was successful in driving people to VW's web site.
- In 2006, a "Barbie" limited edition of thirteen cars were sold in Mexico; the exterior color scheme was pink with Barbie decals, and the interior featured pink color accents.
Other Concepts
Other designs on the New Beetle include:
- EDAG Biwak — an estate (station wagon) Beetle.
Specifications
These specifications relate to the 2.0 litre petrol (gasoline) engine. While the non engine-related specifications generally apply to other motorizations as well, variations may occur with engine type.
- Engine: Transverse-mounted water cooled I4; 1984 cc; fuel injection (available in both petrol and diesel version)
- Transmission (mechanics): 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic
- Brakes: disc brake on all four wheels
- Dimension:
- Length: 4089 mm (161 in)
- Width: 1724 mm (68 in)
- Height: 1511 mm (59 in)
- Wheelbase: 2512 mm (100 in)
- Curb weight: 1230 kg (2711 lb)
- Max speed: 177 km/h (110 mph)
- Acceleration (0-96 km/h | 0-60 mph): 13.2 s
- Fuel consumption: 7.3 l/100 km (32.22 mpg)
Pop culture
- The sighting of a VW Beetle is cause for violent fun in the car-sighting game known as Punch Buggy. In the American south, the game is also known as "doodle bug punch" or "Slug Bug".
- In the 1999 film Fight Club (film), the narrator (Edward Norton) and Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt) spot a black New Beetle and deploy its airbags by whacking its front bumper with baseball bats.
- In the 1999 music video for "Candy (Mandy Moore song)" by Mandy Moore.
- In the 1999 music video for "Call and Answer" by Barenaked Ladies. The video has many of them, and the band tried to get [product placement money from Volkswagen to do another edit. The company declined, saying they had no trouble selling the cars.
- In the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, a New Beetle is used as a time machine.
- In the 1999 video game Beetle Adventure Racing for the Nintendo 64, every playable car is a New Beetle that varies by color and specifications.
- In the 1999 film Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century, every passenger car feature in the film, which took place in 2049, was a Volkswagen New Beetle.
- In the 1999 film Superstar (film), every car in the movie is a Volkswagen New Beetle.
- In the 2000 film Bring It On, Eliza Dushku's character drives a New Beetle to and from Compton.
- In the 2000 film The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle, Piper Perabo's character drives a bright yellow Beetle convertible at the beginning, and a pink one at the end.
- In the 2001 music video for "Upside Down" by A*Teens.
- In the 2003 film Anger Management, a new beetle is seen in the airport parking lot.
- In the 2004 film The Girl Next Door, Elisha Cuthbert's character Danielle drives an aquarius blue Beetle Convertible.
- In the 2004 film A Cinderella Story, the two 'evil step-sisters' are seen to each drive their own Beetles, shown in different colours.
- In "Charmed", Rose McGowan's character Paige Matthews has 2002, 1998, and 2004 Beetles during the five seasons she's in.
- The New Beetle was featured in Bewitched (film). It was a light yellow convertible.
- In the TV series "One Tree Hill (TV series)", Sophia Bush's character Brooke Davis drives an aquarius blue Beetle Convertible.
- In the TV Series "Smallville (TV Series)", character Chloe Sullivan has a red Beetle Convertible
- In the TV Series "Scrubs (TV series)", there is a red Beetle coupe on the parking lot and on the episode "My Mirror Image".
- In the 2002 film The Hot Chick, Rachel McAdams' character has a yellow Beetle Convertible.
- In the 2005 film Herbie: Fully Loaded, Herbie flirts with a yellow new Beetle. Maggie tells him, "She's too young for you."
- In the 2005 film Man of the House (2005 comedy film), Tommy Lee Jones drives the green Beetle convertible of one of the teenagers he is protecting to chase after a criminal.
- A yellow New Beetle made an appearance in the "Haru" season of the anime Maria Watches Over Us. Sei Sato drove Yumi Fukuzawa to their mansion using this car.
- The Toukichis in the anime Princess Comet has a New Beetle in their garage as a family car.
- In the Super Sentai series (the shows the Power Rangers are on based on) Mahou Sentai Magiranger (the show that was adapted into Power Rangers: Mystic Force) in Stage 8 Houka Ozu transforms into a pink 2005 New Beetle with the Fairy logo on her hood and eye lashes on the headlights similar to Herbie the Love Bug to drive her sister Urara to a movie audition.
- In the 2006 film Bring It On: All or Nothing Hayden Panettiere's character drives the 2006 model Volkswagen Beetle.
References
- Volkswagen UK's New Beetle Ragster Page
External links
- Italian New Beetle Forum
- New Beetle Puerto Rico
- FR New Beetle Forum
- UK New Beetle Owners Club and Forum
- The UK New Beetle Club and Forum
- New Beetle News
- New Beetle Enthusiasts
- French New Beetle Tribe
- New Beetle Forum
- Flemisch New Beetle Forum
- New Beetle Tuner
- Spanish New Beetle Forum
- 2006 Barbie limited edition