Honda Cars : Herbie Goes to Spain with a Special Edition Version of New Volkswagen Beetle | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Special or limited editions are a speedy and cost efficient way for automakers to create some marketing buzz around one of their models and increase sales.

More often than not, all it takes is a few cosmetic touches and added equipment features, and presto; your special edition is served. 
 
One such example is the new Volkswagen Beetle Edition 53, a special edition model made exclusively for Spain that pays tribute to Walt Disney Pictures' "Herbie" character, which first appeared on film in 1968 with "The Love Bug" that spawned several sequels over the years. 
 
VW's real life Herbie gets a white paint job accentuated by red and blue stripes on the doors, the hood and the rear tailgate along with the number "53" on the bonnet and the "Escarabajo" (Spanish for Beetle) logo on the tailgate. 
 
Additional standard features include Park Pilot parking assist sensor, a tire pressure monitor and 17-inch wheels. 
 
Customers in Spain can choose from four powertrain options ranging from the 105PS 1.2-liter TSI petrol to the 140PS 2.0-liter TDI linked to a 6-speed DSG transmission, with prices starting from €22,090 (US$28,400).
Story References: VW via es.Autbolog
Thanks to Bruno R. for the tip! 

Source;
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2012/11/herbie-goes-to-spain-with-special.html 

Honda Cars : Volkswagen reveals 2013 Beetle Convertible ahead of LA debut | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Volkswagen peeled the digital covers on the latest addition to the current Beetle: the all-new 2013 Beetle Convertible ahead of its world debut at the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show.

The new 2013 Beetle Convertible follows a long standing tradition of being one of the longest automobiles to ever be in production in history. That said, it has some pretty big cult shoes to fill.
Powering the base 2013 Volkswagen Beetle is Volkswagen’s common 2.5L five-banger good for 170hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, which is mated to a six-speed automatic. But that’s not all, as Volkswagen’s latest 2.0L TDI turbodiesel four-pot good for 140hp and 236 lb-ft of torque is also available as an option. Either a six-speed DSG or manual are available. And topping out the range is a 2.0L TSI turbocharged four-cylinder, which is good for 200hp and 207 lb-ft of torque and available with either a six-speed DSG or manual cog swapper.

Pricing has yet to be announced, but Volkswagen said that we could expect that near the end of 2012…should we all still be alive.

For full details, check out the press release after the jump.

VOLKSWAGEN UNVEILS THE NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE
Volkswagen reveals images of the latest version of its iconic convertible ahead of the
2012 Los Angeles Auto Show
Herndon, VA, October 3 – Today, Volkswagen unveils the latest Beetle Convertible, the
third-generation of the iconic VW ragtop. Like its predecessors-the type 15 from 1949 and
the 2003 New Beetle Convertible-the curvaceous convertible offers the perfect combination
of practicality and fun for four.
In creating the latest version of the Beetle Convertible, Volkswagen has reinterpreted the
Beetle Convertible’s timeless design with a sportier and more dynamic silhouette, just as it did with the latest Beetle coupe. The combination of a flatter roofline and a more upright
windshield gives the car a shape that’s more closely aligned with the first generation of Beetle convertibles.
Volkswagen decided to stick with a traditional soft-top rather than incorporate a folding
hardtop on the car. When the top is down, it lies flat, giving good rear visibility. Although the top looks compact when furled, it’s actually wide and long when in place, an action that takes a little over 10 seconds at the touch of a button.
Inside, the Beetle Convertible retains the design cues that have made the latest Beetle such a
hit with consumers, such as the body-color dashboard and the stylish gauges and trim. The
spacious cabin has space for four full-size adults and is able to carry plenty of luggage: a
fold-down split rear bench seat increases the practicality even further.
In any Volkswagen, safety is paramount and to that end, the company has developed an
Automatic Rollover Support System. Two roll-over bars are concealed behind the back of the
rear bench seat, activated by the computer that deploys the airbags in the case of a crash.
Along with the fixed A-pillars, they provide effective protection for the occupants of all four seats within milliseconds. Driver and front passenger combined head-thorax airbags are also among the standard equipment.
The new Beetle Convertible will be available in the United States with three engine options. The entry-level powerplant is the familiar 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that makes 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Volkswagen’s fuel-efficient 2.0-liter TDI® Clean Diesel four-cylinder engine makes 140 hp and 236 lb-ft, but just as importantly delivers an EPA estimated fuel economy figure of 41 mpg on the highway with the six-speed manual transmission. (A six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic is also available with this engine.) Finally, the 2.0-liter turbocharged TSI® four-cylinder, which makes 200 hp and 207 lb-ft, can be ordered with either a six-speed manual or DSG automatic.
Beetle Convertible pricing for the U.S. will be announced closer to launch, which occurs in the last quarter of 2012.
About Volkswagen of America, Inc.
Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. Volkswagen’s operations in the United States include research and development, parts and vehicle processing, parts distribution centers, sales, marketing and service offices, financial service centers, and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Beetle, Eos, Golf, Golf R, GTI, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat, CC, Tiguan, Touareg and Routan vehicles through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers. Visit Volkswagen of America online at www.vw.com or media.vw.com to learn more.

- By: Chris Chin
Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2012/10/03/volkswagen-reveals-2013-beetle-convertible-ahead-of-la-debut/#more-166513

Honda Cars : 2012 VW Beetle | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

I've gotta say, I really like what they did with the backend....Source with write up; http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/18/2012-volkswagen-beetle-revealed/

Honda Cars : 2012 VW Beetle Spied | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Source w/writeup and more pics;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/spy-shots-2012-volkswagen-new-new-beetle-caught-undisguised/

Honda Cars : Road & Track: Next Gen VW Beetle Spied! | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Hmmm, not sure what to think of the 'normal' windshield rake....
Spy photographers have captured images of the next generation New Beetle coupe undergoing road testing in Germany. A lower roofline and re-profiled tail offer hints that Volkswagen is planning to boost the retro appeal of the next Beetle, while also providing a welcome increase in usability and rear passenger comfort.

The New Beetle has always been about nostalgia. Unfortunately, our complaints about the current model sound like we could be writing about the original Beetle, which lasted in the U.S. market until 1980. A cramped rear seat, dated chassis, limited cargo room, and recent sub-par safety ratings have seen the competition go flashing past VW’s retro machine during its 13 year production run.

That’s right, the New Beetle has been on sale (and virtually unchanged) since 1998. If you love the rounded looks and have loads of happy Beetle memories, this comes as great news. But if you’re looking for an economy car that is fun to drive and has a premium feel to it, there are many better choices out there. The Mini Cooper , Scion tC and even the latest version of the VW Golf all make the New Beetle feel its age.

At a glance, these spy images don’t look dramatically different from the current new Beetle. Take a closer look and you’ll spot a longer and lower greenhouse that is less rounded than before. This should offer a much needed increase in rear headroom. The test mule also appears to have a longer tail-end, the rear screen is more vertical than before and there is a noticeable increase in rear overhang.

The new tail treatment should be far more practical, especially when it comes to cargo room. The 2010 New Beetle offers a miserly 12 cubic-feet of luggage space. A 2010 VW Golf is only fractionally better (12.4 cu-ft), but its wide-opening hatch and squarer shape of the cargo space is more convenient to use.

Engines will come from the Golf, which means a 170-bhp 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine will be standard with a choice of 5-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission. At present, the New Beetle convertible is an automatic-only offering. We’ll see if that holds true when the newest New Beetle officially arrives early in 2011.

It will also be interesting to see if VW sticks to its recent ‘more for less’ pricing philosophy. The recently updated Jetta and next year’s New Midsize Sedan (most likely badged a Passat) are aggressively priced – in the case of the 2011 Jetta, the base model costs thousands less than the cheapest version of the outgoing model. The current New Beetle is priced at $19,440, a not insignificant sum for a car that puts a premium on form instead of function.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/spy-photos/spy-photos-of-next-generation-volkswagen-new-beetle

Honda Cars : Retro Take for 2012 New VW Beetle Design Study | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

Hmmph....I like it....
There's a lot of speculation going around about whether or not Volkswagen will introduce a second generation of the New Beetle. Either way, independent designers from all four-corners of the world are continuing to offer their take on how a 2012 New Beetle should look like.

This here design study for a New Beetle MkII was penned by our Brazilian friend Eduardo Oliveira, who you may remember from previous concepts like the 2012 Jetta, Hyundai i30 Sedan and Ford Thunderbird CC. Unlike David Cordoso's futuristic-looking proposal (see here) that we showed you back in May, Oliveira's design for the New/New Beetle is far more retro.

Source (with more pic's);
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/06/retro-take-for-2012-new-vw-beetle.html

Honda Cars : 2012 VW Beetle/Herbie | 2013 New Honda Car Reviews 0

I've always had a soft spot for Herbie....
Source;
http://www.burlappcars.com/2010/01/2012-vw-beetle.html