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Volkswagen New Beetle kindles the spirit and fun of original
Bob Plunkett
Date Posted: 5/10/2005
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CONYERS, Ga. -- In 1994 at the Detroit International Auto Show, Volkswagen of Germany unveiled a snazzy little design study called Concept I. Round on top with a roly-poly profile, this 2-door show car looked like a shapely modern expression of Volkswagen's Beetle, the German "people's car" which through 59 years of production became the best-selling automobile in history.
Officials from Volkswagen were quick to announce at the Detroit show that Concept I was merely a design exercise and there were no plans to produce the vehicle.
Yet public reaction to this modern version of the old Beetle was overwhelmingly positive -- some even sent checks to the company as down-payment on a future Beetle.
Such strong public support for a new Beetle prompted product planners at Volkswagen to rethink the company's position about its concept car. Eventually, a decision was made to build a modern Beetle interpretation using as platform Volkswagen's subcompact Golf, current worldly best-seller produced in a network of assembly plants scattered across the globe.
Finally, the design study from 1994 becomes a reality as a 1999 Volkswagen model, reaching the United States through the curious route of Mexico, site of VW's North American production facility.
Called New Beetle, the car's as cute as a ladybug.
Yellow, red and silver bubble-top prototype editions spread across a vast arena at the Olympic Equestrian Center in Conyers, venue for the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, which for one day last February was converted to a gigantic parking lot for the car's international media introduction.
This metallic sea of coupes, a smorgasbord of colorful variations outfitted with both the standard gasoline and an optional turbo diesel engine, served as one tester's first chance to drive New Beetle -- and also witness public reaction to its presence on American roads in rural Georgia.
Even from a passing glance, the New Beetle looks remarkably like the original, with the circular profile matched by round wheelwells and stubby nose and tail.
Closer examination of the exterior reveals far more sophistication in the design, however, with sleek sculptural transitions between body elements and a series of dramatic flat canted strips capping and paralleling all curves to set up some stunning reflective surfaces.
Front and rear bumpers, integrated with body and matching the body's color, are composed of special dent-resistant plastic. From head-on view or from the rear, bumpers scoop down and seem to duplicate lines and shapes, creating an overall impression that New Beetle looks the same whether coming or going, except for the telltale color of clear polycarbonate lenses covering twin projector-beam front headlamps or the red taillights in back.
The design, so sleek and smooth and simple, catches the eye and stands apart from the shape of any other vehicle on street or parking lot.
And it merits a lot of smiles and thumbs-up gestures from those who see it. To measure the appeal, I parked a New Beetle at the entrance to a Wal-Mart in Conyers, then stood back and watched the crowd gather. In five minutes, there must have been fifty people clustered around, and many asked to drive it around the block.
The interior matches the smooth and sophisticated look of the exterior.
Layout amounts to 2+2 seating, with front buckets and a small bench in the rear. Rear seatback folds to expand the rear cargo area, accessed by a back hatch.
Stylists brought to the interior the look and feel of high-tech German industrial design, with liberal applications of brushed aluminum, faux carbon-fiber and tactile rubber-coated metal. A deep strip on the interior side of each door sill matches body color and carries that flavor inside.
The steering wheel consists of a combination of the brushed aluminum and rubber coat, as does a thick industrial-strength floor-mounted emergency brake lever.
Instruments, in an arched cluster, include a large speedometer and tiny tachometer -- and lavender lighting.
Like the original, there's even a bud vase on the dash.
Unlike the original, the new car follows a modern path in terms of powertrain and mechanical components. Whereby old Beetle used an air-cooled engine set in back with rear-wheel-drive system, New Beetle puts a water-cooled motor in front and sends the torque to front wheels.
Suspension, fully independent, gets MacPherson struts in front and a rear track-correcting torsion beam axle.
Steering, a rack and pinion arrangement with power assistance, reacts quickly in linear fashion with responsive on-center feel. The tight turning radius allows driver to whip through traffic or cut a quick U-turn in a parking lot when desired.
Brakes, with disc at each wheel, add ABS optionally.
For power, a standard gasoline 2.0-liter in-line-4 plant with single overhead cam configuration hits 115 hp and earns fuel economy ratings up to 41 mpg.
Later in the first year's model cycle, a direct-injection turbo diesel will be offered optionally. Displacing 1.9-liters, it reaches 90 hp and scores as much as 48 mpg for highway driving.
Either a standard 5-speed manual or an electronic 4-speed automatic transmission works with these engines. The manual is decisive and notchy, but the automatic is very smooth and quiet, and not in the least obtrusive.
Acceleration with the 2.0-liter engine can only be described as frisky. It's not world-class fast, but lively and far more than you might expect from a 4-cylinder engine with horsepower capped at only 115.
On a freeway, it scoots.
Zipping through traffic, I realized how well New Beetle handles -- its agility rivals a sports car.
I loved the tight feel of the precise engineering features, the hum of that little engine, the respectable fuel economy figures it earns and the spacious interior quarters with that high-tech German industrial flavor.
New Beetle also brings with it a long list of standard features -- including front and side airbags, air conditioning, central locking and 6-speaker audio system -- for fair prices which begin at $15,700.
1999 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE COUPE
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| Vehicle Specifications: |
| 1999 VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE Specs |
| Description: |
Subcompact coupe |
| Model Options: |
Subcompact coupe |
| Wheelbase: |
98.9 inches |
| Overall Length: |
161.1 inches
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| Engine Size: |
SOHC 2.0-L I4
SOHC 1.9-L I4 TDI
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| Transmission: |
Manual/5, Auto/4 |
| Drive: |
Front |
| Braking: |
Power 4-disc/ABS opt. |
| Airbags: |
4 |
| Gas Mileage: |
2.0-L: 23/41 mpg
1.9-L: 29/48 mpg |
| Price: |
$ 15,700 to $ 20,000 |
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