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The new Volkswagen Beetle (courtesy Volkswagen) |
| Other cars change their outward appearances to keep customers
buying, but the Beetle has retained its recognizable profile.
by Christopher Sheridan Remember the mid-Seventies, when Volkswagen presented Americans with the economical Rabbit? The quick little car seated four and offered the best gas mileage available for its cost. For an America emerging from the energy crisis, Volkswagen had produced the right vehicle at the right time, and people couldn't get enough of it. Hoping to capitalize on baby boomers' nostalgia for their youth--and hungry for another success story--VW has unveiled a brand-new version of its classic design: the iconic Beetle. With total sales of some 22 million, the original "Love Bug" is the most popular car of all time. The key to that success derives not only from superior engineering, but from the company's philosophy--"Never change to be different, only to be better"--which is indicative of its reluctance to follow fad or fashion. Other cars change their outward appearances to keep consumers buying, but the Beetle has retained its recognizable profile. "We looked at the original Beetle and broke it down into geometric forms," says designer Freeman Thomas, describing the challenge of updating an icon. "That was the starting point. From the side it's three arches, two fenders, and the cabin. Then the front and the rear create a smile with a negative arch. We modernized these and added the round headlights and taillights." The most dramatic changes are in the car's engineering. The Bug's signature rear-mounted, air-cooled motor has been turned into a larger, front-mounted, water-cooled model, which will deliver power through a front-wheel drive. Volkswagen plans to introduce a limited production run of this first model to American buyers this spring. The estimated $15,200 price tag might put off a generation that remembers paying $3,500 for their first Beetle, but the price may be worth it considering that VW clearly knows how to engineer a best-seller. |
Keywords:
Volkswagen, Bug
