Consumer Guide's Impressions of the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle

The Bug gets a retro-to-metro makeover that promises modern styling, more room, better fuel thrift, and new body-style choices. Is VW chasing Mini? Sure looks like it.

What We Know About the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle

The rumor mill talks a lot about Volkswagen AG these days, and for good reason. The German combine--which includes the premium Audi brand and exoticar labels Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini--has set its sights on becoming the world's top-selling vehicle producer by 2018. In particular, the company wants to double its North American sales by then, which means boosting the core VW line to some 800,000 units a year and Audi sales to around the 200,000 level. VW is spending huge sums to reach these goals. It's building a U.S. assembly plant near Chattanooga, Tenn., slated to open in late 2010, to get around the profit-sapping effects of the weak dollar. It's also adding a slew of new models to entice buyers away from the likes of Ford, General Motors, Honda, and especially Toyota.

Among the new products is a redesigned 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle, the first complete overhaul for this front-drive sporty/performance compact car since it debuted a decade ago. Though not yet official, the "New New Beetle" is said to be another effort of VW's California design studio and will share a German-engineered platform with VW's sixth-generation Rabbit hatchbacks and Jetta sedans. Those cars are due out in Europe late this year and in U.S. showrooms as 2010-2011 models.

The 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle reportedly trades the model's familiar retro styling for a modern "metro" look that maintains Bug identity without "chick-car" cuteness. Object? Greater sales appeal to men.

Published speculative sketches suggest the mainstay 2-door hatchback will wear a longer, more-conventional roofline leading to a smoothly curved liftgate. Other forecast elements include larger windows, prominently bulged wheel-arches, and a longer, turned-down schnoz with a low-riding vestigial grille. Most of this will also apply to the Bug convertible, but there's talk of a first-time square-back wagon with small rear "access" doors, an evident reply to the recently introduced Mini Cooper Clubman.

VW is also said to be mulling a wagon-based crossover New Beetle--think junior Tiguan--as well as a microvan and even a tiny pickup version. It seems an ambitious and expensive agenda, but VW has figured out how to do multiple model variations at relatively low cost, so all these additions could happen. And some sources believe they will, saying VW wants to make the New Beetle a multi-model "sub-brand" the way Mini relates to parent BMW and Scion to Toyota. We'll be very interested to see what develops.

Despite its more grown-up visuals, the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle should be about the same size as today's car, mainly because the redesigned Rabbit/Jetta platform parent isn't growing much. A possible exception is wheelbase, which we expect will be about 2 inches longer to provide more interior room in concert with the reshaped body. Available intel suggests the 4-wheel independent suspension will be updated but not changed in concept. Also continuing as standard are 4-wheel ABS disc brakes, antiskid system and traction control, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags. Steering may shift from conventional hydraulic operation to a fuel-saving electro-hydraulic setup.

Early information on the new Euro-market Rabbit/Jetta suggests at least two engines for the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle. The mainstay is likely to be VW's Twincharger 1.4-liter 4-cylinder gasoline unit that uses a supercharger and a turbocharger to provide the power of a bigger engine without the fuel thirst, abetted by direct fuel injection. The supercharger works at low rpm, the turbo at high revs, coordinated by clever electronic controls. The Twincharger is already offered in Europe in 140- and 170-horsepower versions. We think the latter is more likely for the U.S. market, but VW may think otherwise, now that maximum fuel economy is such a high priority for many buyers.

For that same reason, we think the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle might well revive a 4-cylinder diesel option. VW currently has several such engines in its cupboard, but the most likely choice for this application would be the 140-horsepower 2.0-liter unit that's newly available in the Jetta. VW also has a punchy 204-horsepower twin-turbo version that could be added by mid-decade.

Regardless of engine, transmissions for the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle are expected to comprise a 6-speed manual and, as an option, the new 7-speed version of VW's DSG Direct Shift Gearbox. The latter is an automated twin-clutch manual that can be set to shift like a conventional automatic or operated manually via steering-wheel paddles.

A decade is a long time in the car business, which may be why the New Beetle now seems almost as quaint as the original rear-engine Bug. That's the problem with retro cars: updating the past without losing the nostalgic appeal. At least VW finally has an answer, and it looks to be a good one as far as we can tell now. As always, though, the final verdict will rest with the buying public. And that's as it should be.

A Notable Feature of the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle

We've not yet heard of any breakthrough technology for the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle, but there's a good chance that most or all powertrains will include a fuel-saving stop/start system like that found on many gasoline/electric hybrid vehicles. It basically consists of a battery-driven electric motor that sits between the engine and transmission to act as a starter/generator. Electronic controls automatically shut off the engine at stoplights to save gas and reduce idling emissions. The engine then fires up on releasing the brake and applying the accelerator. Like most all stop/start systems, this one should also include a regenerative-braking function that uses the brakes' friction energy to recharge the battery.

European sources expect the redesigned Rabbit/Jetta to offer a number of upscale features for the first time, so it's possible the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle will, too. Among the items being mentioned are steering-linked xenon headlamps and "smart" cruise control that maintains a set following distance. We'd look for a navigation system as another first-time option.

Buying Advice for the 2011 Volkswagen New Beetle

Affordable sporty/performance cars run the gamut from traditional Detroit iron to petite two-seat roadsters and retro compacts like the New Beetle. All appeal to the heart more than the head. And happily, they aren't going away despite today's glum economic picture. Indeed, this mixed-bag class is set to expand in coming years, albeit with a new emphasis on fuel economy, not just nippy road manners and emotional styling.

While BMW's Mini will remain the Bug's most obvious rival, both will have new competition in the equally nostalgic Fiat 500, which is due to start U.S. sale in 2011. A new Toyota Celica sporty compact coupe is said to be coming for 2012 along with a companion Subaru version, and Nissan is reportedly working on a revival of its similar 240SX. Last but not least, VW is again mulling the idea of a low-cost, two-seat sports car with a mid-mounted 4-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive. We hear it might appear as early as 2011, though it's likely to cost more than a New Beetle. So, as always, this group offers something for most every taste and budget. Which one is right for you? Consumer Guide can help you decide, both here online and in the pages of our Car and Truck Test magazines.

2011 Volkswagen New Beetle Release Date: Nothing is confirmed yet, but we'd expect the next-generation Bug to reach U.S. VW dealers in the third or fourth quarter of 2010.

2011 Volkswagen New Beetle First Test Drive: If we're right with the above, media previews would likely be held in spring 2010.

2011 Volkswagen New Beetle Prices: Like current models, the "New New Beetle" should be sourced from VW's plant in lower-wage Mexico, but rising energy and materials costs are bound to push prices higher. How much higher? Hard to say with all that's going on now. But assuming no big changes in manufacturing costs or standard-equipment levels, we'd look for increases of roughly $1,500-$2,000, which would lift the base-price range to the region of $18,500-$27,000.

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