New Beetle Final Edition

[1of130]

Originally Posted by SMG

"Volkswagen Group of America President, Stefan Jacoby, has confirmed that the next-gen New Beetle, due to hit North American as a 2012 model, will be offered with a clean diesel engine. The current New Beetle was last offered with a 1.9-liter TDI in 2006, but was discontinued the following year due to tougher emissions requirements."

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...312079964/1193

I also remember vwag giving the green light for the new bus. The sales projections were not what they expected...it was canned.
Are the NB's sales good?

[Pushing Fifty]

The NB's sales are miserable as of late. As of the end of November, they are down to a little over 13,000 units sold for 2009. In 2008, VW had sold over 24,000 NB's by this time. When they were first released in 1998, over 80,000 left the showroom. Since then, sales have steadily dropped. Passat, Eos, GTI/Rabbit (Golf), and Toureag sales are also in the toilet. However, sales of Jettas, Tiguans, CC's, and Routans have nearly compensated for these drops.

One must remember that the economy sucks and that nearly all carmakers will see sales drops for 2009. Also, with the exception of a few tweaks in 2006, when sales actually enjoyed a slight increase, the New Beetle is a 12-year-old design. Any car showing this much age will realize tanking sales. We can also thank the Mini Cooper for contributing to the decline. If a completely new, freshened Beetle with a diesel option indeed arrives in a couple of years, sales will climb again.

As for the Microbus, its price point was way too high when compared to other minivans. This in turn lowered the sales projections. If I remember correctly, they were to START at around $35,000, and a nicely-equipped one would have pushed the $50,000 mark. Had prices been set about $10,000 lower, it would have flown. In my humble opinion, this is exactly why the Toureag SUV sales have dropped so miserably. Crappy ratings from Consumer Reports haven't helped, either.

[T1KARMANN]

this must be the last beetle or why would they call it the final edition only to make a new new beetle later on

its not such a bad thing the NB was only made for 10 years and the vert 6 years a car with a short production life like this will surly be collectible in a few year

i will be holding on to mine for sure as i like the older body shape as it looks better IMO

[Pushing Fifty]

According to the above news article, the "Final Edition" is the last of the FIRST GENERATION of NB's, including the slightly facelifted 2006+ models. According to VW's CEO, a redesigned Beetle will arrive as a 2012 model. I assume the "New" label will be dropped, and it will simply be called a Beetle. Let's just hope it LOOKS like a Beetle!

[T1KARMANN]

that would make the new beetle not the new beetle anymore

and when people say they have a beetle people will think its a 1303-1303-split or even a oval

it would need a complete new name or VW has messed it all up by calling what we have now the new beetle

its like after the mark 1 golf if they called the next new model the new golf then were would they be now with the mark 6 golf the new new new new new new golf

[pritty123]

Very interesting posting shared. If you're already going to do something that a lot of people do to the car anyway, why not paint the dash peices like most of us do too? Get rid of the rubber crap and just paint it. I would buy a "final edition" if they did that.

[Marauder]

I was speaking with a salesman at the VW dealer here in town and he was saying that the last NB was in 2011 as we know it. He did also say that they were going to revamp the car but were not sure they would carry on the "Beetle" name.

[FarrisK]

Originally Posted by Marauder

I was speaking with a salesman at the VW dealer here in town and he was saying that the last NB was in 2011 as we know it. He did also say that they were going to revamp the car but were not sure they would carry on the "Beetle" name.

There WILL be a Beetle in 2012, and it has been CONFIRMED by Volkswagen. I swear I've tried to prove this in every "omg the beetle is dead!" threads, but I must have missed this one.

[scarabY2k]

Originally Posted by FarrisK

There WILL be a Beetle in 2012, and it has been CONFIRMED by Volkswagen. I swear I've tried to prove this in every "omg the beetle is dead!" threads, but I must have missed this one.

THAT is too funny

Originally Posted by Marauder

I was speaking with a salesman at the VW dealer here in town and he was saying that the last NB was in 2011 as we know it. He did also say that they were going to revamp the car but were not sure they would carry on the "Beetle" name.

You know you have a good point on something. I always though VW should listen to some of the nB owners about some of their issues, like the rubbery stuff, foam flying out of the air vents, and even styling mods that we've done. It could do nothing but help VW improve on their product.

[Deserion]

Originally Posted by FarrisK

There WILL be a Beetle in 2012, and it has been CONFIRMED by Volkswagen. I swear I've tried to prove this in every "omg the beetle is dead!" threads, but I must have missed this one.

We should know by now, that anything with Volkswagen is concerned, to not believe it until it's on the dealership lot.

[Pushing Fifty]

Originally Posted by T1KARMANN

that would make the new beetle not the new beetle anymore

and when people say they have a beetle people will think its a 1303-1303-split or even a oval

it would need a complete new name or VW has messed it all up by calling what we have now the new beetle

its like after the mark 1 golf if they called the next new model the new golf then were would they be now with the mark 6 golf the new new new new new new golf

It indeed would not be the New Beetle anymore. It would be the MK IV Beetle. When people announce they have a Beetle, others will ask, "Oh, really? Is it the modern version or old-school?"

In fact, to those outside of the VW realm who are young, The New Beetle is the ONLY Beetle they have ever known and/or seen.

The car would not need a new name, other than dropping the "New" designation. Instead, it should simply be called the Beetle again. The reason that the current Golf is not called the New New New New New New Golf is because that would be ridiculous. This is why generations are designated with Mark numbers; usually designated with Roman numerals.

Finally, look at a classic name like the Corvette. The current models bear next to no resemblance (if any at all); to the first models built 57 years ago. The sports car has simply evolved into what it is today. Assuming the same will happen as the Beetle evolves to the Beetle VI, Beetle VII, and so forth, the same changes would eventually take place. While it's completely understandable that VW purists would be greatly disappointed to see the next model undergo such a drastic change that it ends up looking like a Honda Civic or a Hyundai Accent (myself included), a time will come when we and those who succeed us will become accustomed to a Beetle that looks as different from an old Oval-Window as Corvettes of today look from the 1953-1954 models.

The most important thing? The Beetle will still exist in some as yet unknown form. Is this not better than having VW kill this classic and iconic nameplate forever?

[jhicken]

Originally Posted by FarrisK

There WILL be a Beetle in 2012, and it has been CONFIRMED by Volkswagen.

I hope you are right but that is not what the folks from Volkswagen are saying. They refer to the new 2012 car as "a replacement" for the current Beetle or "something Beetleish". Maybe our emotions are clouding our reality. It just doesn't make since. Why would Volkswagen announce and name a car "The Final Edition" if it was only going to upgrade the platform? To the general public, the difference between the a MK4 and a MK5 Golf is just a styling upgrade. Like every other car on the market, every few years cars get a sometimes significant facelift but are still called the same name as it's predecessor. No one has ever launched a "final edition" of anything only to bring it back again the following year.

As for the new 2012 edition, the PR around the UP! is playing into the VW heritage thing quite a bit, even relating it to the original and New Beetle. The basic, spartan nature of the UP! as an inexpensive mode of transportation is much more in line with the philosophy of the original Beetle, even more so than that of the New Beetle.

I guess time will tell.

-jeffrey

[Pushing Fifty]

I've read what you just said from VW, but I've also read that the Final Editions represent the last of the CURRENT GENERATION of New Beetles. Indeed, your quote sounds like the Beetle is history, but the second stirs hope.

A couple of my VW club members are convinced that the Beetle will be no more........Nothing would give me greater pleasure than proving them wrong. (Then again, many people in my VW club are hopelessly stuck in 1967).

[topless kitty]

i don't think it's meh, i think it's pretty. sure, nothing all THAT exciting, but a nice color combo. that's about all you can ask for from a north american beetle at this point.

[AZBeetleBailey]

Hubby took our Beetle Bailey to the dealer today for a bit of cosmetic work and while he was there one of the new final edition cars was put on the lot for sale. It is one of the coupes - Aquarius Blue with black interior and sun roof/black. He loved the look, in fact tried to convince Curt to us, but didn't work. Seems they expect payment for the cars ... imagine that.

The car they have is #1213 of 1500.

I have no connection with the dealership other than as a customer. The dealership is:

Chapman VW in Scottsdale, AZ
Curt Kemper is the salesman we worked with and he is great.
480-949-7600 office
480-324-6411 cell

[AZBeetleBailey]

Just saw one today at our dealer .. oh my gosh, my husband hasn't stopped talking about it. In fact, he drove me all the way back there to see it. So while I was there I took a video and thought I would share.

YouTube - Volkswagen Final Edition Beetle 2010

We are brand new beetle owners. Just got a Salsa Red 2010 a couple of weeks ago and LOVE the car.

[iluvmyVersa08]

What a cute video!

I love the NB ... I wish it wasn't in its final years I wanted a new one in the future.

[AZBeetleBailey]

I totally understand. We want a 2nd one to replace our other car (an SUV), but just can't do it now. Will be interesting to see what they do in 2012 model.

[iluvmyVersa08]

I know ... I don't want one until this current car is paid for. At that point in time I wanted to buy a NB convertible as my summer driver, and the Versa would become my daily driver/winter driver. I don't think anything will be as cute as the bug ...

[elancee]

Like the music you chose! Final Edition bug is pretty, but I like your salsa red better.