Overview:
Car enthusiasts couldn’t wait for the return of the VW Beetle and now it’s here complete with a vaaase for a flower. Unique? Sure. A VW? Not really. It kind of looks like one, but that’s where the story ends. It sets on the same chassis as the Golf, has an in-line 4-cylinder 2.0 liter 115 horsepower engine supplying more than adequate power.
Later in 1999 they will even offer a 1.8-liter turbocharged 150 horsepower engine for those who like to fly. That will be the same engine that now powers the PASSAT GLS. There are so many departures from the original concept of the VW Bug that it is a “bridge too far”. It really is a totally different car. Hey, it even has trunk space right where you’d expect it to be, in the rear. It is also very comfortable unlike the original Beetles of old that were simply bare bones putt putts. Remember how the whole car would shudder when you let out the clutch? The engine roared but performed like a pussycat. Remember the gravity feed heater that never worked? Anyway, among other differences this new release is quiet, doesn’t shake rattle or roll, handles and feels like a bigger car, and the heater – it even works. The dome light is missing from the high ceiling that is reminiscent and even higher than the original version, and unlike the original plain wrap, the new embellished version sports an interior that is almost luxurious. The dash lights are a blue/purple color with a splash of red for some of the indicators. I like it. It adds a touch of class…very pretty.
In spit of all the embellishments, it’s an experience that’s anything but elegant. It’s like a toy. It’s cutesy, a bit clumsy, and a little cludgey. It’s like Herbie is a nerd. It draws attention, but I fear it’s more because it’s a bit of a freak rather than because it’s good looking or desirable. When I was in college driving a Bug, they didn’t win any beauty contests either. It was ugly by comparison to the cars of the day. Perhaps it will grow on me, as did the four V-dubs I’ve owned over the years.
As you probably know, the Volkswagen Beetle was introduced in America in the late fifties and much like other cars from Europe and the rest of the world, practical was more important than the glitz so popular in the U.S. After all Americans had practical up to their ears with the Ford Model A that was mass-produced so everyone could own one. In fact Ford wrote the book on “plain wrap”, and the term “basic black” must have come from the fact that the Ford Model A only came in black. At least the VW came in a few other colors.
Well, I needed basic as a newly married struggling college student. And because the perception of “basic” was firmly implanted in my pea brain, I guess I expected VW’s re-emerging Bug to be more similar in that it would be more basic. But “different” is what we got in this radical departure from the concept of what drew me and lots of other young and / or poor people, to the Beetle, back then. It was popular because it was cheap to own and operate, relative to American cars of that postwar time. VW was the antithesis of the opulent, oversized sleds coming out of Detroit. They were right in what people wanted but not what they needed. VW proved Detroit wrong and the years that followed saw the proliferation of smaller cars. So much so, it forced American to downsize. Funny, today that word means you’re fired. Anyway, the fad and fashion, for once, was practical and fit the pocketbook to boot. Had Hollywood and GI Joe American’s totally lost their grip?
Well, here are a few more differences I noticed from the original Bugs. Because it is more car-like and has the power you need on the highways today, you can keep up with or pass traffic. If they don’t move, the horn even sounds like a horn. I almost never use the horn, but just had to see if it sounded different. Driving this new Beetle necessarily took me back in time and I recalled the 1960’s when we had a Karman Ghia (different shape, but still a VW) and we’d drive to Las Vegas often to visit friends. Miles of traffic would pass us going uphill and then I’d floor it and pass all of them going downhill. I must have felt it necessary to keep up, but it was a bit risky because if a puff of wind came up you’d likely get blown off the road. No kidding, those V-dubs were really light. The fact that this VW is more substantial was very noticeable.
Ok, so it’s a nice car but I couldn’t shake the feeling I was in a bumper car reminiscent of those you find at amusement parks like the Long Beach Pike. I know what a little kid senses, looking up at a grown up world. Remember Laugh-Ins’ Lilly Tomlin who portrayed a little girl with freckles and pigtails sitting on that oversized rocking chair. That’s what I mean. Michael Jordan would fit fine in this Bug, but he too may feel the posts hinder visibility a bit. I got the feeling of sitting a little too low but that’s what gives it stability even at higher speeds. It’s like VW got older but it still hadn’t grown up, completely. Yep, it’s like no VW you’ve ever driven. And by any measure VW has, and continues to be one of the most talked about cars in the world. Perhaps the new Beetle has drawn a lot of attention because there are too many boring cars these days. Are we too serious about our cars? Are we starved for fun in the cars we drive? Is that why there has been such a revival of the rods of the 1950’s and anxious waiting for the New Beetle. People want something different. Well this Beetle is different. In fact, when I stand in front of it, I half expect it to start talking to me in some animated way.
The very fact that the industry lists competition for the VW Beetle speaks volumes about the departure from the old Bug where there was no noticeable competition in the 1950s and early 1960s. It was simply in a class all by itself.
The Competition:
Chevrolet Cavalier $11,871 – $19,571, Dodge Neon $11,620 – $13,585, Ford Escort $11,455 – $13,290, Honda Civic $10,650 – $16,730, Mazda Protege $11,970 – $14,925, Nissan Altima $14,990 – $19,990, Subaru Impreza $15,895 – $19,195, Toyota Corolla $12,218 – $14,868.
Good News:
Pricing is fair for the quality. Responsive and fun to zip around in. Good road handling.
Bad News:
Departs from the super economy car class. Some visibility blind spots.
Standard Equipment:
2.0 liter engine, 4-wheel disc brakes, power rack and pinion steering, front engine/front drive, front and side airbags, power mirrors, tilt and teli steering wheel, stereo with 6 speakers, air conditioning, leatherette interior and power door locks with remote control.
Gas Stats:
22 City and 27 Highway MPG.
Pricing:
MSRP $15,200, and the model I tested had Cruise Control and Power Windows for $470, Sport Package / Alloy wheels and fog lights for $410, Anti-lock brakes for $300 and 4-speed automatic Trans for $875 for a total of 17,755 after destination charges.
Your comments are welcomed. My e-mail is movello@earthlink.net
