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A second generation of Volkswagen’s reborn Beetle will be launched next year with more focus on dynamics and less on retro styling.

To be previewed as a concept at the Los Angeles motor show in November, the production Beetle will go on sale in the UK in May 2011. A cabriolet will follow about a year later.

See autocar.co.uk's artist's impression of the next VW Beetle

As with t...Read the full article

How long before they crush all the MkII's and use them to colour smarties?

 

(Cochineal)

 

I hope this is good. It looks like a dung beetle.

Interestingly you failed to mention where this rubbish will be "assembled"....at Volkswagen's plant in Puebla Mexico

If I was VW I would just continue selling the current Beetle but with less equipment, their 1.2 engine, and maybe 2-tone paint schemes, for a cheap price like £8k, I bet they would sell like hot cakes. Im sure it would be protitable at that price as there would be no development cost, just the ongoing cost of raw materials.

 

roverfan1984:

If I was VW I would just continue selling the current Beetle but with less equipment, their 1.2 engine, and maybe 2-tone paint schemes, for a cheap price like £8k

Maybe, but would you buy one? Were either this Beetle or the "Mini" to spontaneously combust, I would make for the gents. Having relieved myself, I would probably then see how little of the £8k I could spend on the Autotrader site. Given the general paucity of excitement in most manufacturers current offerings, I don't think that people not buying new cars can wholly attributed to the credit crunch.

judah777:

Interestingly you failed to mention where this rubbish will be "assembled"....at Volkswagen's plant in Puebla Mexico

 

yeah - they hid it well in the 'As with today’s Beetle, the car will be assembled at VW’s Puebla plant in Mexico, alongside the next Jetta. The two cars share their front-drive underpinnings and some driveline combinations.' sentence.

The new beetle has been a joke of a car. And always will be. It only sells because there are idiots out there that know nothing about cars and think they are cool.

inthebin:

The new beetle has been a joke of a car. And always will be. It only sells because there are idiots out there that know nothing about cars and think they are cool.

   i couldnt have said it better myself   there are no features about this car that make it worth buying infact i'm surprised vw have not scrapped the whole idea

I'm not usually a fan of retro cars, but I like this. Its a really good piece of design, with good proportions, a square stance, and some chunky details. I particularly like the swages along the flanks, and the low-rider roof look. I look forward to seeing a few on the road. It will make a change from the bland econoboxes and executive wannabes out there. A Golf GTi engine would be good to lift it's image a little though.

noluddite:

I'm not usually a fan of retro cars, but I like this. Its a really good piece of design, with good proportions, a square stance, and some chunky details. I particularly like the swages along the flanks, and the low-rider roof look. I look forward to seeing a few on the road. It will make a change from the bland econoboxes and executive wannabes out there. A Golf GTi engine would be good to lift it's image a little though.

agreed. Looks great. The usual chimps are out flinging their faeces - so it's bound to be a runaway success. All that's missing so far is some Clarkson-like slime-deweller to say anyone who buys it must be gayer than Graham Norton and the convertible version will make anyone in the rear look like a Nazi dictator.

Generally I hate retro design, but this one looks terrific.

VW would be well advised to employ the services of Autocar's artist. I'd be surprised if the official version looks half as good...

Its difficult to tell how good it is from those pics....

 Its not my cup of tea, but that's not the point. It'll sell well, I think