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2012 VW Beetle reveal coming soon…

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On April 18th to be exact.
Here is the official word from VW:

“On April 18th, Volkswagen will celebrate the global reveal of the 21st Century Beetle, marking a new chapter in the iconic vehicle’s history. The Beetle will be revealed to the public in a spectacular world debut on three continents. The reveal will begin in Shanghai, China with an exclusive MTV Sound System celebration hosted by MTV VJ’s, followed by MTV World Stage events in Berlin and New York City.”

Truly the 21st Century way to present a car to the world audience.

Not sure when the car will actually be on sale. I hear fall, but it could be sooner.
As I mentioned before, I was lucky enough to see the real thing last year for a few hours.
So you can still ask me questions about it.

I still really like the current model, and even though I’m sure the new one is better as a car, it is not as pure of a design.
The current car is modern art on wheels. The next one isn’t….

I get a similar feeling when I compare the 1st generation TT to the current model.

Conversation 20 comments

  2. Listen we all know roughly what it's going to look like, a bit more fine tuned version of the pic above. It is going to be another girly car. VW has been putting out some nice designs re incorporating the more squared off look. My opinion, drop the beetle, bring over the scirocco

  3. Will the front end reflect the original beetle more than the outgoing model or will it stay the same, similar to your illustration?

  5. At least the 2nd-gen TT is still pretty pure, stretched and smoothed with more corporate Audi-look, I'm guessing the Beetle will be fussy and forced in comparison. I totally agree with the Scirocco sentiment.. the Beetle is once again irrelevant.

  6. there could not be a more irrelevant car. it doesn't matter, it won't sell, it won't impact the world or the industry in any way. The original was very novel and after 2 years, no one wanted one. The same goes for this one. There could not be a better example of "been there, done that"

  8. WV still sold over 37 000 units of the New Beetle in 2009.
    Not so bad for a 11 year old design. Which was more, that year, than the Touareg SUV.
    The Scirocco sales for the same year were 47 000. Not that much more.

    Hardly a car "no one wants".

  9. no one wants a VW, those numbers are skewed with obligatory fleet etc…. they are very low and VW didn't even want to redo the damn thing, that's why it was the same for 11 years. So much time went by , it was embarrassing VW officials, so they made this dud.

  10. Hopefully the new one will be more than a smooshed version of the current beetle. If this is it, it will not resonate as "new" in the marketplace. Meaning, sales will continue to decline as if there was no new car at all.

    To Kay West Rentals…. are you completely high? VW sells extraordinarily well. Maybe not the Beetle, but their other vehicles are moving off the lots just fine.

  11. It just doesn't look fresh! Refinements to a retro design are tough. They should have started with a clean piece of paper and done an entirely new interpretation of the original Beetle….there has got to be more than one answer, and I'm afraid we have seen this for too long now.

  12. Key west rentals is only talking about the Beetle and you agree with the Beetle comment….sooooo who's high?

  14. Vince:"The front end is almost exactly like the illustration"

    That's so sad. I really hope the proportions of that pic are a bit off, because something just doesn't look right there.

    If anyone needs to learn how to redesign a retro vehicle see: 2010 Ford Mustang.

  15. "Key west rentals is only talking about the Beetle and you agree with the Beetle comment….sooooo who's high?"

    Learn to read dullnormal. "no one wants a VW" references Volkswagen, not just the Beetle.

  17. Listen Up! I was in the all new Jetta at The Toronto auto show in Feb. What a disgusting disaster. They decontented beyond recognition. This beast had more plastic than a chinese dollar store. As a matter of fact I became overwhelmed and nautious from the plastic fumes and had to get out. If this is the finish we will find in all VW's it's over…no one would really want a VW if they sit in one….yuk!

  18. I agree, the interior is the worst in the industry. I have visited europe where some chinese brands are sold, and they were better than a jet. I would say the worst interior in the world. Not to mention bland and monotone.

  19. I like the idea that they want to keep the shape of the original Beetle alive. But VW is still missing the point. The original was a success because it was affordable, reliable, easy to maintain, and endlessly customizable. The world loved… And hated the shape. But ultimately the shape was irrelevant. The versatility of the original platform gave us the Kombi, Karman Ghia, types 3-4( the Kubelwagen, the schwimwagen, the thing) Not to mention the Porsche 356, 911, 912, 914 and so on. VW needs to make the new new Beetle a truly innovative car. A great design at an amazing price… And perhaps powered in a innovative,Eco friendly way. I'd love it to have a rear engine air cooled flat four but I doubt that will happen. A fully electric car would be great… Maybe with the batteries in the back!

  20. I like the idea that they want to keep the shape of the original Beetle alive. But VW is still missing the point. The original was a success because it was affordable, reliable, easy to maintain, and endlessly customizable. The world loved… And hated the shape. But ultimately the shape was irrelevant. The versatility of the original platform gave us the Kombi, Karman Ghia, types 3-4( the Kubelwagen, the schwimwagen, the thing) Not to mention the Porsche 356, 911, 912, 914 and so on. VW needs to make the new new Beetle a truly innovative car. A great design at an amazing price… And perhaps powered in a innovative,Eco friendly way. I'd love it to have a rear engine air cooled flat four but I doubt that will happen. A fully electric car would be great… Maybe with the batteries in the back!

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