New-New Beetle

[cawimmer430]

German Engineering at it's best! H&H

Actually the heritage and cult following of the last "New Beetle" is a major reason of why it sold so well in Europe. The same goes for the MINI. Both these cars weren't exactly cheap in Europe.

History and Heritage & Cult Status means you can overprice cars and sell them and people will buy them. 

[Galaxy]

Actually the heritage and cult following of the last "New Beetle" is a major reason of why it sold so well in Europe.

Did it? If I recall correctly the New Beetle was essentially a flop in Europe.

[cawimmer430]

Did it? If I recall correctly the New Beetle was essentially a flop in Europe.

It was a "flop" overall, but early on its sales figures were high indicating that people wanted one. The current MINI is probably a much better example. Very expensive, yet it sells.

[hotrodalex]

Well the Mini is also a great car. The New Beetle, eh, not so much.

[Onslaught]

Actually the heritage and cult following of the last "New Beetle" is a major reason of why it sold so well in Europe. The same goes for the MINI. Both these cars weren't exactly cheap in Europe.

History and Heritage & Cult Status means you can overprice cars and sell them and people will buy them. 

Yes, dumb people.

But the Mini is a good car so it's not that big a deal for it.

[sportyaccordy]

Actually the heritage and cult following of the last "New Beetle" is a major reason of why it sold so well in Europe. The same goes for the MINI. Both these cars weren't exactly cheap in Europe.

History and Heritage & Cult Status means you can overprice cars and sell them and people will buy them. 

No offense but if this is really true (which I don't think it is) you Europeans are really dumb

[SVT666]

No offense but if this is really true (which I don't think it is) you Europeans are really dumb

It's true everywhere.

[68_427]

Link?

Wonder if the US will get the Beetle R, but not the Golf R

Beetle + Golf can't occupy the same space, somehow it makes sense to me to position the Beetle above the Golf

Or no? Am I nots?

We are getting the Golf R

[the Teuton]

Well the Mini is also a great car. The New Beetle, eh, not so much.

Have you driven the New Beetle? I'm not saying I'd DD one, but I would hardly call it a bad car just because it is almost 100% pure estrogen in the styling.

[NomisR]

Have you driven the New Beetle? I'm not saying I'd DD one, but I would hardly call it a bad car just because it is almost 100% pure estrogen in the styling.

Engine is in the wrong place. 

[hotrodalex]

Have you driven the New Beetle? I'm not saying I'd DD one, but I would hardly call it a bad car just because it is almost 100% pure estrogen in the styling.

Didn't say it was a bad car, but it's not on the same level as the Mini.

[68_427]

Funny you mention the Mini, as that's the target price point for the VW.

[omicron]

More like this

http://www.maultech.com/chrislott/blog/20100327_vwbatt.html

[Mustangfan2003]

Yeah that is the look I had when I tried to change one.  VW would've been better off putting that thing in the back.  I would never change another one again. 

[the Teuton]

Didn't say it was a bad car, but it's not on the same level as the Mini.

The MINI also came out in 2007 whereas the Beetle has been around since 1998. I think that makes a difference.

[Galaxy]

It was a "flop" overall, but early on its sales figures were high indicating that people wanted one. The current MINI is probably a much better example. Very expensive, yet it sells.

What I meant is that, if memory serves, the majority of Beetles were sold in America. Part of the reason is probably that in the late 90s the Beetle was one of the few small cars sold in America that was not low rent.

That the Beetle did not sell well in later years is not really an issue. VW had at the time more important issues to spend R&D on. That Beetle sales would suffer was taken into consideration.

[hotrodalex]

Teuton, the Mini was introduced in 2000

[Northlands]

Listen closely. You can hear administrative assistants and hair dressers cheering across the country. 

It's not bad looking though.

[2o6]

Teuton, the Mini was introduced in 2000

It also had a redesign in 2006-2007 IIRC. The Beetle has only had a minor facelift and an engine change.

[Morris Minor]

I never thought the 1998 New Beetle looked quite right. I think this is a much better execution of the retro Old Beetle idea