SoCalEuro
03-22-2011, 05:10 PM
Filed under: China (http://www.autoblog.com/category/china/), Hatchback (http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/), Volkswagen (http://www.autoblog.com/category/volkswagen/), Shanghai Motor Show (http://www.autoblog.com/category/shanghai-motor-show/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/2012-vw-new-beetle-spy-2-opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)
2012 Volkswagen Beetle spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
The latest from the Volkswagen (http://www.autoblog.com/make/volkswagen/) bunker in Wolfsburg is that the second-generation New Beetle (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/new+beetle) (henceforth to be known mercifully as 'Beetle') is officially dropping its towel to the floor at the Shanghai Motor Show (http://www.autoblog.com/category/shanghai-motor-show/) in April. Whooda thunk it just five years ago? The Beetle is an American pop phenomenon, and it smarts a bit to have lost even that cachet to the all-powerful Chinese venue.
Early word on the Beetle is that it is dynamically far sportier than the outgoing matzoh-ball built exclusively for people desperate for cutesy-ness and absolute symmetry. Oh, yes, and rear passengers without heads.
While Europe is not intended to get the sensational 335-horsepower "W28" in-line five-cylinder turbo seen so far in both the Audi TT RS (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/15/2010-audi-tt-rs-quick-spin/) and RS3 (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/22/officially-official-2011-audi-rs-3-sportback-unveiled/), it would seem there is a plot afoot to bring such a Beetle to North America. "The Beetle," a source in Wolfsburg tells Autoblog, "is so much sportier now. It's much more appealing to male buyers as well." Some off-the-record remarks tell of a Beetle thus equipped that is better on the track than another VW R coupe that North America sadly still doesn't get.
The message? No more dung beetles.
Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle: Spy Shots (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s3.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s1.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s2.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s4.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s5.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)
[Images: KGP Photography]VW Beetle to debut in China; powerful Audi-engined model in the cards? (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19887413/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/2012-vw-new-beetle-spy-2-opt.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)
2012 Volkswagen Beetle spy shots - Click above for high-res image gallery
The latest from the Volkswagen (http://www.autoblog.com/make/volkswagen/) bunker in Wolfsburg is that the second-generation New Beetle (http://www.autoblog.com/tag/new+beetle) (henceforth to be known mercifully as 'Beetle') is officially dropping its towel to the floor at the Shanghai Motor Show (http://www.autoblog.com/category/shanghai-motor-show/) in April. Whooda thunk it just five years ago? The Beetle is an American pop phenomenon, and it smarts a bit to have lost even that cachet to the all-powerful Chinese venue.
Early word on the Beetle is that it is dynamically far sportier than the outgoing matzoh-ball built exclusively for people desperate for cutesy-ness and absolute symmetry. Oh, yes, and rear passengers without heads.
While Europe is not intended to get the sensational 335-horsepower "W28" in-line five-cylinder turbo seen so far in both the Audi TT RS (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/15/2010-audi-tt-rs-quick-spin/) and RS3 (http://www.autoblog.com/2010/11/22/officially-official-2011-audi-rs-3-sportback-unveiled/), it would seem there is a plot afoot to bring such a Beetle to North America. "The Beetle," a source in Wolfsburg tells Autoblog, "is so much sportier now. It's much more appealing to male buyers as well." Some off-the-record remarks tell of a Beetle thus equipped that is better on the track than another VW R coupe that North America sadly still doesn't get.
The message? No more dung beetles.
Gallery: 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle: Spy Shots (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots)
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s3.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s1.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s2.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s4.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/01/vwbeetle.s5.kgp.ed_thumbnail.jpg (http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-volkswagen-beetle-spy-shots/)
[Images: KGP Photography]VW Beetle to debut in China; powerful Audi-engined model in the cards? (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Tue, 22 Mar 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).
Permalink (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/) | Email this (http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19887413/) | Comments (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/#comments)
More... (http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/22/vw-beetle-to-debut-in-china-powerful-audi-engined-model-in-the/)