Facelifted 06 New Beetle

[ifcar]

Updated New Beetle Revealed

Get out your magnifying glass. You'll have to look closely to catch the many modest changes making up the 2006 version of Volkswagen's New Beetle. Start with new, squared off bumpers and fenders, with matching, angular running boards. The headlights have been elongated, and the taillights are larger, with new, integrated turn signals. To create an across-the-brand look, the '06 Beetle gets the new honeycomb grille found on other new VW products, such as the Jetta. A matching, small honeycomb grille has been integrated into the rear fascia, as well, which make it even harder to tell whether a Beetle is coming or going. Overall, explained product strategist David Koth, the goal was to give "a little more edge" to the otherwise spherical Bug. Under the hood, the Jetta's new 2.5-liter in-line five-cylinder engine replaces the old 1.8-liter powertrain. The new engine is mated to either a five-speed stick or six-speed automatic, and the 150-hp package is expected to deliver 0-60 times in the low 8-second range. Inside, VW has made a number of modest changes, including a new gauge cluster, and improved cupholders, which should address one of the most frequent complaints about the Beetle. The '06 model will debut in September. Koth said the automaker expects to sell about 40,000 two-doors and convertibles this year, about half the New Beetle's peak volume in 1999. Despite ongoing rumors of the car's demise, he insisted a final decision has not yet been made.  

[Secret Chimp]

That's it?
Whatever, who among us is ever going to buy one  :P  

[giant_mtb]

Wow!  That's so much different!    :P  

[ifcar]

Wow!  That's so much different!    :P

It's an excuse to re-market it, reminding people that it's still around.  

[giant_mtb]

Wow!  That's so much different!    :P

It's an excuse to re-market it, reminding people that it's still around.

I figured as much...what are the sales of the Beetles like, Ifcar?  Are they still making a profit or are the sales plummiting?

[mazda6er]

If you put them right next to each other, you can see the differences a little better.
It wouldn't be wise for VW to drastically change the Beetle anyway, because it would cease to be a Beetle.

[ifcar]

Wow!  That's so much different!    :P

It's an excuse to re-market it, reminding people that it's still around.

I figured as much...what are the sales of the Beetles like, Ifcar?  Are they still making a profit or are the sales plummiting?

VW and profit are becoming increasingly distant, and the New Beetle isn't doing much to bridge that gap.

[giant_mtb]

If you put them right next to each other, you can see the differences a little better.
It wouldn't be wise for VW to drastically change the Beetle anyway, because it would cease to be a Beetle.

The main difference is the wheels and the lower front fascia...that's pretty much it... (the yellow blinker is different, but that isn't all that significant)...

[giant_mtb]

Ifcar...do you think they might drop the Beetle altogether soon?  Since profits are falling and that car especially isn't doing so hot...what do you think?  Maybe they need to drop bad/unselling cars and make the better ones even better or something.

[ifcar]

The New Beetle hasn't really had to have much work done on it since 1998 (this facelift, the convertible introduction in 2003 (?), and the Turbo S introduction in 2001 (?) have been the only changes), so anything they sell now is profit, unless they sell them at a loss. I doubt they'll kill it anytime soon, but it will prove to be a difficult car to redesign, and I doubt they'd take the trouble. It'll be around for at least three more years IMO.  

[ifcar]

If you put them right next to each other, you can see the differences a little better.
It wouldn't be wise for VW to drastically change the Beetle anyway, because it would cease to be a Beetle.

The main difference is the wheels and the lower front fascia...that's pretty much it... (the yellow blinker is different, but that isn't all that significant)...

It was never intended to be an extensive modification.  

[giant_mtb]

The New Beetle hasn't really had to have much work done on it since 1998 (this facelift, the convertible introduction in 2003 (?), and the Turbo S introduction in 2001 (?) have been the only changes), so anything they sell now is profit, unless they sell them at a loss. I doubt they'll kill it anytime soon, but it will prove to be a difficult car to redesign, and I doubt they'd take the trouble. It'll be around for at least three more years IMO.

Yeah...I was thinking along those lines too...maybe another 3-5 years...I wonder what they'd do after that.  Another small car?

[ifcar]

The New Beetle hasn't really had to have much work done on it since 1998 (this facelift, the convertible introduction in 2003 (?), and the Turbo S introduction in 2001 (?) have been the only changes), so anything they sell now is profit, unless they sell them at a loss. I doubt they'll kill it anytime soon, but it will prove to be a difficult car to redesign, and I doubt they'd take the trouble. It'll be around for at least three more years IMO.

Yeah...I was thinking along those lines too...maybe another 3-5 years...I wonder what they'd do after that.  Another small car?

Nothing, I suppose. Outside of the US and Canada, VW has several smaller-than-Golf cars already, and they and the Golf could take over the New Beetle's small niche easily enough if they had to.  

[giant_mtb]

The New Beetle hasn't really had to have much work done on it since 1998 (this facelift, the convertible introduction in 2003 (?), and the Turbo S introduction in 2001 (?) have been the only changes), so anything they sell now is profit, unless they sell them at a loss. I doubt they'll kill it anytime soon, but it will prove to be a difficult car to redesign, and I doubt they'd take the trouble. It'll be around for at least three more years IMO.

Yeah...I was thinking along those lines too...maybe another 3-5 years...I wonder what they'd do after that.  Another small car?

Nothing, I suppose. Outside of the US and Canada, VW has several smaller-than-Golf cars already, and they and the Golf could take over the New Beetle's small niche easily enough if they had to.

Yeah...and if they don't spend the millions of dollars it takes to design and produce a new car that could help their financial situation as well as taking off one of the cars altogether and losing some of the debt-creating vehicles...(Beetle)

[ifcar]

The New Beetle hasn't really had to have much work done on it since 1998 (this facelift, the convertible introduction in 2003 (?), and the Turbo S introduction in 2001 (?) have been the only changes), so anything they sell now is profit, unless they sell them at a loss. I doubt they'll kill it anytime soon, but it will prove to be a difficult car to redesign, and I doubt they'd take the trouble. It'll be around for at least three more years IMO.

Yeah...I was thinking along those lines too...maybe another 3-5 years...I wonder what they'd do after that.  Another small car?

Nothing, I suppose. Outside of the US and Canada, VW has several smaller-than-Golf cars already, and they and the Golf could take over the New Beetle's small niche easily enough if they had to.

Yeah...and if they don't spend the millions of dollars it takes to design and produce a new car that could help their financial situation as well as taking off one of the cars altogether and losing some of the debt-creating vehicles...(Beetle)

Continuing to sell the current New Beetle wouldn't put them deeper in debt, unless it got to the point where it sold so poorly that it was too much trouble to sell it, or unless they sell them at a loss (which would make no sense). And I doubt it will get to that stage soon.  

[BMWDave]

When is an all new Beetle, if there will be one, due to come out?

[ifcar]

When is an all new Beetle, if there will be one, due to come out?

If there is one, I wouldn't expect to see it for at least three years.  

[Fire It Up]

Why dont they move it downmarket to the Scion area and make it more (I forget the word, but thats what some people call the Aztek and Scions; no not ugly) and cheaper?

[giant_mtb]

Why dont they move it downmarket to the Scion area and make it more (I forget the word, but thats what some people call the Aztek and Scions; no not ugly) and cheaper?

the word you're looking for could be..."different"..."revolutionary"...

[Fire It Up]

Why dont they move it downmarket to the Scion area and make it more (I forget the word, but thats what some people call the Aztek and Scions; no not ugly) and cheaper?

the word you're looking for could be..."different"..."revolutionary"...

No, it means it can haul-OH, practical.  

[280Z Turbo]

Why not just get a roomier Golf instead? The only reason is the styling, but as we saw with the Prowler and T-Bird, styling doesn't sell cars.

Take away the rear mounted air cooled engine and RWD from the Beetle and all you're left with is a useless bubble car.

[giant_mtb]

The beetle has taken on the "cute car" brand...

[BMWDave]

Why not just get a roomier Golf instead? The only reason is the styling, but as we saw with the Prowler and T-Bird, styling doesn't sell cars.

Take away the rear mounted air cooled engine and RWD from the Beetle and all you're left with is a useless bubble car.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe the new Beetle has its engine in the front.

[BMWDave]

The beetle has taken on the "cute car" brand...

They are trying to make it less cute with this redesign.

[280Z Turbo]

Why not just get a roomier Golf instead? The only reason is the styling, but as we saw with the Prowler and T-Bird, styling doesn't sell cars.

Take away the rear mounted air cooled engine and RWD from the Beetle and all you're left with is a useless bubble car.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe the new Beetle has its engine in the front.

That's what I implied with my post. I think the new one is a useless bubble car.

[Fire It Up]

Why not just get a roomier Golf instead? The only reason is the styling, but as we saw with the Prowler and T-Bird, styling doesn't sell cars.

Take away the rear mounted air cooled engine and RWD from the Beetle and all you're left with is a useless bubble car.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe the new Beetle has its engine in the front.

You're not absolutely sure?    

[mazda6er]

Why not just get a roomier Golf instead? The only reason is the styling, but as we saw with the Prowler and T-Bird, styling doesn't sell cars.

Take away the rear mounted air cooled engine and RWD from the Beetle and all you're left with is a useless bubble car.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe the new Beetle has its engine in the front.

You're not absolutely sure?  

He was being cautious.    

[ifcar]

Why not just get a roomier Golf instead? The only reason is the styling, but as we saw with the Prowler and T-Bird, styling doesn't sell cars.

Take away the rear mounted air cooled engine and RWD from the Beetle and all you're left with is a useless bubble car.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe the new Beetle has its engine in the front.

You're not absolutely sure?  

Good catch.    

[giant_mtb]

The beetle has taken on the "cute car" brand...

They are trying to make it less cute with this redesign.

<_<   Changing the front fascia isn't gonna change the look of the car all that much...    

[BMWDave]

The beetle has taken on the "cute car" brand...

They are trying to make it less cute with this redesign.

<_<   Changing the front fascia isn't gonna change the look of the car all that much...  

I didnt say they were making it not cute...they were making it less cute.