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If there was any car or car model that stood the test of time, I’d most probably say that it would be the Volkswagen Beetle.
And I think millions of people around the world would agree.
The Volkswagen Beetle or the Type 1 started its humble history in 1938. Back then there was also the AC38 which was the precursor to the VW shape we eventually saw conquering the world.
What makes a VW Beetle so recognizable?
I’d say it comes down to three physical aspects of the car.
1. The sloping roof which extends all the way down to the rear without any interruptions
2. The prominent front and rear fenders
3. And that curvy hood
This has remained constant in all variants over the years. Changing your VW too much which might interrupt all 3 aspects would make it an unrecognizable mess.
So, for the longest time the Volkswagen Beetle enjoyed its success and became the most popular car in the world. It retained its basic design and won the hearts and minds of people all over the world.
And then the New Beetle or the Concept 1 came around during the early 2000s…
Forgive me for sounding chauvinistic but I believe that when this new variant came out, it was targeted towards the female population. A lot of VW dudes were put off by the shape of the Concept 1 because it just seemed to round and… well… too feminine. That’s not to say no one bought it though. I know some guys who have it and secretly want to have it.
For me, I chose to stick it out with my old VW.
I guess I totally lost faith in VW coming up with a new beetle until 2010. This was when this New Beetle was unveiled. And it had all the right elements needed to attract the hardcore VW market. It basically had all the right curves and edges in the right places. It was manly without being too overly macho and sexy enough without being too feminine. If I had the money, I’d buy one.
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And now here comes another New Beetle concept. This looks like the beetle one of my closest friends had a few years ago. He basically tried to go for the Concept 1 look so he had bumpers fashioned to look like it and slapped it onto his beetle and it basically came out like this.
I guess it’s a nod towards the beetle’s old look or the ones made in Mexico back in 2008. the integrated front fenders look OK and the redesigned hood kinda fits the motif. Not too crazy about the side mirrors though.
Maybe the one thing that put me off of this is the way the back looks. It just seems so wrong. Judging by the way this looks and how the New Beetles are engineered, I’d say the back of this car is meant to be the trunk while the engine sits up front.
So is this a go or a no?
Like every time that a car maker comes up with a model or a variant of an existing model, the effect will be polarizing. Some will say Go, some will say No and some will just pick up the car in hopes that it will rise in value over the years.
I still prefer the old beetle and the New Beetle 2010. This latest one just looks too much like a Frankenstein monster experiment gone wrong. And a bit too lazy in terms of engineering or designing it. They basically just took an old beetle and slapped on fenders from the concept 1 and hoped for the best.
That’s my take, what’s yours?