The Volkswagen New Beetle was simply not fun enough

What did the start-up process look like?

The beginning of the New Beetle’s career needs some explanation. In the 1990s, the retro phenomenon was all the rage, also in the car world. Volkswagen capitalized on this with the launch of the New Beetle and announced its arrival in 1993 with the Concept One. Beetle is of course English for beetle and that is how the idea was born to relaunch the Volkswagen Beetle, but as a somewhat fashionable fun car. The fun then mainly focused on the appearance. The New Beetle has the lines of the original Beetle, but then a bit rounder and thicker. More happened in this area in the car world: the new Mini (2001) was set up in exactly the same way. Very recognizable, but with a modern touch. In 2007, Fiat launched a new 500. Completely new, but emphatically with a nod to the past, was the Chrysler PT Cruiser (2000), for example. Speaking of icons: what about ‘the new Duck’? For example, we could even welcome the Citroën C3 Concept, which resembled the iconic 2CV. What they all have in common is that they are not particularly practical. That should make up for the look.

Just how revolutionary was the New Beetle?

Not, except that Volkswagen actually dared to act crazy once. It was also quite remarkable that Wolfsburg decided to drape the New Beetle coach over the chassis of a Golf IV. From the outside it worked out very nicely, but you paid the price in the interior. Due to the inefficient shape of the coach, the three-door New Beetle turned out to be very clumsy in practice, with space where you didn’t need it (dashboard) and lack of volume where it was desirable (rear seat and trunk). The technology was simply from the Gulf. Fine, but not revolutionary. Driving didn’t leave a big impression either. “He doesn’t drive sporty at all,” we wrote. “Precisely with a remarkably smooth suspension that is tailored to American wishes.” Interior and equipment could not really appeal to us either. “The back seat is not really spacious. In particular, the round roof hangs too low to provide sufficient headroom for adults. Due to the unfavorable body shape, there is not a lot of luggage space available under the tailgate.” You had to be able to overlook many practical disadvantages, such as the poor clarity of the bodywork.

Volkswagen New Beetle, simply based on the Golf IV.

How was he received?

Pretty hot, because it was world news that the Beetle came back. The build-up to that warm welcome was spectacular and global. The Volkswagen Concept 1, which appeared at the Detroit Auto Show in the early 1990s, was the first sign of life for the New Beetle. “The car designed by VW’s American styling studio clearly evokes memories of the Beetle”, we wrote in 1993. “Of course a lot has changed, because the Concept 1 descendant is based on a Golf IV and therefore simply has the engine in the front and drive on the front wheels.” The public could marvel at details that clearly winked at Volkswagen’s old success number. “Typical Beetle features, such as the large wheels and separate mudguards, connected by a running board, are present again. The dashboard simply has one big clock”, we continued to exult. At the time, we just thought we were dealing with a stock market joke. “If the friendly-smiling car ever goes into production, we will probably be living quite close to the year 2000.” The yellow Concept 1 managed to get the hands of the public together in Detroit. Volkswagen continued the project and showed a red Concept 1 without a roof at the Geneva Motor Show in 1994. Another year later, in 1995, the Tokyo Motor Show showed a black concept car that looked suspiciously like the final production model. And our prognosis? That was correct, because in 1998 the reincarnation of the Beetle was seen driving on Dutch roads for the first time.

What were the choices during the market launch?

At launch in 1998, there was a choice of a 2.0-litre 115PS petrol engine and a 90PS 1.9 TDI. Only later did other engines arrive, such as stronger versions of the 1.9 TDI and a 1.6 petrol (102 hp) and a 1.8 Turbo (150 hp) and a VR5 (170 hp). Towards the end of the life of the original New Beetle, before the 2005 facelift, another 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine was added to the range. It had no less than 75 hp to forgive! With the introduction of the New Beetle, the importer sent out a solid price list, plus an ambitious pre-registration process to reserve a car. He quickly returned to that. Incidentally, only a closed, two-door New Beetle was available in 1998; the Cabriolet took a while to arrive.

What were its competitors?

We already mentioned the New Mini, the new Fiat 500 and the Chrysler PT Cruiser. All retro. But the New Beetle had no real direct competitors. The New Beetle stood for a retro look under the motto ‘act crazy, but historically sound’ and it had no competition in that area at launch. If you look at ‘a nice car’ at the time that did not necessarily have to be practical, then there were not very many for sale, although the sensational Audi TT was an interesting newcomer. Converted, the New Beetle with a two-liter engine left the showroom for €22,500 … Although the range of cars in 1998-1999 was fairly ‘average’, you could buy thick versions of calibrated models for the money of a New Beetle. The top 10 for 1999 was as follows: Astra, Golf, Focus, Corsa, 206, Passat, Scénic, Polo, Vectra, Mégane. So go crazy!

How was it received by consumers?

“You love him or you hate him.” Opinions differed quite widely. Winning the ‘Gay car of the year’ trophy twice was definitely an achievement, but it didn’t do very well with entire tribes. In a business sense, most owners/drivers endorsed the car’s (too) good-natured handling, mediocre performance, poor value for money equipment and finish and, of course, lack of space. The appearance, comfort and decoration of the interior were praised. And one owner liked the empty space in front of and above the driver and co-driver, because it gave such a pleasant spacious feeling. The engine hum was loved by one, but too prominent for the other.

Any details during his life?

Of course. A serious side point session in 2005 meant a change of course. In addition to an appealing, special appearance, the New Beetle was given a touch of sportiness. At first glance, the facelift seemed quite modest. The turn signals were slightly tightened, as was the air intake under the bumper. But there was more, like the shape of the revised fenders. These copies, which already appeared on the fierce Beetle RSi with VR6, a finger exercise for the Golf IV R32, had a larger flat surface than the original copies. This allowed VW to freshen up the side view. Newly arranged, clear light units appeared at the rear. The license plate dropped a bit. Another highlight: new exterior mirrors with integrated turn signals. This ‘change of course’ could not provide the New Beetle with the desired sales impulse, which was followed by a considerably more rigorous design intervention a few years later. That became the new Beetle, not to be confused with a new New Beetle.

Which version appeals the most to the imagination?

Of course the RSi is a nice and crazy thing, but we go for the Cabriolet, which sold better in the Netherlands and Germany than the closed New Beetle. Maybe because of the greater cuddliness? For the drive we choose the 1.8 Turbo of 150 hp. The arrival of the topless New Beetle in 2002 meant the (temporary) end of the successful Golf Cabriolet.

What has been the impact of the New beetle?

Being successful with retro design seems to be a matter of generating the maximum feeling of ‘cuddliness’. That prompts would-be buyers to get over impracticalities and pay more money for less car. But a very nice car! The New Beetle does not seem to succeed in this, despite that funny flower vase on the dashboard. Maybe that’s because a Beetle used to be a sensible car in the first place. Reliable, solid transport, not so much for pleasure. It seems like the Beetle just wasn’t fun enough for a truly successful retro adventure. Where the Mini and the Fiat 500 continue happily and have even been electrified, the New Beetle and its successor Beetle (2011-2018) have quietly disappeared from the scene.

How many were built and how many are left?

The New Beetle had its peak year in our country in 1999, when more than 1,500 units were newly registered. A total of 5,593 units left the showroom in the Netherlands between 1998 and 2011. The New Beetle has been in production for thirteen years, the counter stops at 1.1 million copies. The Cabriolet was on the market for a considerably shorter time at seven years. According to data from Vinacles, there are currently just over 6,600 New Beetles (including convertibles) in the Netherlands with an active license plate. That is more than were sold new, so many copies were imported afterwards. Below you can see how they are distributed over the years of construction.

Year of construction Number

1998 91

1999 1,038

2000 806

2001 450

2002 249

2003 1,250

2004 846

Convertible:

Year of construction Number

2005 663

2006 494

2007 305

2008 186

2009 134

2010 72

2011 20

source: vinacles