Emerging classic: New VW Beetle
They say you should never live in the past but like several major motor manufacturers, Volkswagen revisited its past catalogue and revived an old favourite in the shape of its New Beetle
Early examples of the New Beetle are starting to become highly collectable..
The original Beetle was one of the world’s favourite cars and during its long production run; millions of owners around the world were seduced by the little air- cooled bug’s charms. Even after production finally came to an end in 2003, interest in rear engined VW Beetles of all ages showed no sign of slowing down and over the years the car’s gilt- edged classic status has helped spawn a huge network of specialist repairers and parts suppliers.
So when VW unveiled its Beetle-inspired Concept One at the North American International Auto Fair in 1994, along with a bright red Cabriolet version at the same year’s Geneva Motor Show, it was hardly surprising these two retro styled prototypes received an enthusiastic welcome. The designers responsible for penning the concept’s curvaceous lines at VW’s California based studios were J. Mays of Audi TT fame, Freeman Thomas and Peter Schreyer. The huge amount of positive reaction shown to both these concepts, which were based on a Polo floorpan, prompted Volkswagen’s management to develop the project further.
Approval to prepare the design for production was given in 1995 and in October that year, Volkswagen took the covers off its Concept Two at the Tokyo Motor Show. This version, which was now based on the larger MkIV Golf PQ34 platform, looked very similar to the production model that would be launched in early 1998 and again, the concept received rave reviews.
Although the New Beetle’s retro styling had more than a passing resemblance to its rear engined namesake, the power plant was now a watercooled inline-four and instead of being located in the ‘boot’ and driving the rear wheels, the engine was now situated under the bonnet at the front. Just like the Golf, the New Beetle’s power train was a transverse set- up and drove the front wheels through a five-speed (later six-speed on some models) manual gearbox or an optional four-speed auto ‘box.
With the introduction of the new retro-styled Beetle, VW had an instant cult car on its hands. The choice of engines available at launch was similar to those offered for the Golf and included a standard 1984cc 2.0 litre eight-valve unit, a TD90 1.8 litre oil burner and 1595cc petrol engine capable of pushing out a very healthy 101bhp at 5600rpm.
Improvements for the 2002 model year included refining the retro Beetle’s roadholding manners and the introduction of two new petrol engines, a 150bhp 1.8 litre inline-four and the punchy 170bhp 2.3-litre V5. VW finally introduced a convertible version of the New Beetle in March of that year featuring a hydraulically operated soft top consisting of three layers of material and a proper glass rear window that could be raised or lowered in an impressive 13 seconds.
To prevent scuttle shake spoiling the drive, a good amount of torsional rigidity was engineered into the Cabriolet’s bodyshell and a degree of automatic safety protection had also been included in the design to protect the occupants in case of a rollover situation.
Following a price cut the previous year, a 2.0 litre coupé could now be put on the road for a touch under £13,500, making the retro styled New Beetle a must-have mode of transport for the style conscious owner. Top of the tree was the 32-valve V6-powered Beetle RSI, which was originally developed more as a test bed for the V6-powered Golf. These rare cars feature a Haldex controlled four-wheel drive system and today a
well-presented 224bhp RSI Beetle will command a healthy 25 per cent premium, or more in some cases, over a top of the range 2.3 litre V5 powered example.
VW gave the new Beetle range a facelift in 2006 and to provide the car with a sharper silhouette, the profile of the wheelarches and the shape of the wraparound front and rear bumpers were revised. These alterations gave the revamped model crisper edges and the revisions also included restyling the headlights, front indicators and rear light clusters. The front and rear VW emblems were also restyled and inside the car a new range of colours was offered. Throughout production, the facility remained to install a vase on the dashboard, a homage to the original ‘flower power’ generation air- cooled Beetle.
Whereas New Beetle production had originally commenced at Wolfsburg in Germany, assembly was transferred to VW’s Puebla plant in Mexico in 1999. Production of the first generation of New Beetle coupés and Convertibles continued in Mexico until 2011 when the heavily revised second-generation model, designated the A5 and referred to by then simple the Beetle, was introduced. Although VW is still producing the Beetle in its latest guise, the end of production has been announced and it’s highly unlikely the new pretenders will beat the air-cooled version’s production figures.
WHAT CAN GO WRONG?
Due to the New Beetle’s desirability from the word go, left-hand drive grey imports began arriving on these shore some time before UK versions were officially available in late 1999. Despite the lower spec and usually poor standard of security on these cars, there’s nothing wrong with purchasing an early left hooker, as prices for these versions will obviously increase in line with home market examples. Cars built before the suspension was upgraded in 2002 can be unexciting to drive but as style icons, it’s going to be these early cars that start to attract the collector’s money first.
Although factory rustproofing on these cars was completed to a far higher standard than the original Beetle, it’s too early to tell how the bodywork will survive consecutive British winters. Poorly repaired accident damage will enable rust to get a hold behind the large front and rear plastic bumpers and all the usual nooks and crannies should be carefully inspected each time the car is washed for any sign of ominous bubbling. An annoying point, and one that affects a lot of modern classics these days is that it’s far easier to change a blown headlamp bulb by removing the front bumper shell than it is grovelling around inside the engine bay – progress or what?
As the New Beetle is basically a MkIV Golf in a pretty dress, the powerplants don’t hold any nasty surprises but rattling from one end of the engine could suggest the timing chain and tensioners require attention.
The manual states it’s generally an engine- out job to replace the tensioners, so if this job has to be done it’s a good idea to replace the clutch assembly on a manual car at the same time. Expect to pay around £170 for a three-part clutch kit plus fitting.
If an inspection of the coolant on any engine reveals a cream- coloured gloop floating around, a leaking head gasket may have contaminated the system and further examination will be required. Ignition coils on the 1.8 inline-four are a notorious weak point and units fitted with turbochargers should be allowed to cool down by letting the engine idle for around 20-30 seconds before switching off. This will preserve the life of the turbo unit (water cooled on later cars), as the oil circulating around the bearings won’t crystallise in the heat.
Thankfully, there’s not much from the Golf’s parts bin inside the New Beetle but long-legged drivers will at first be continually smashing the headlamp switch, which is positioned between the driver’s door and the steering wheel, with their knee.
The plastic trim inside earlier cars can be a bit lightweight and items like cup holders are easily broken. VW used an impressive range of different coloured fabrics inside the New Beetle and many enterprising owners will have customised the interior to match their own preferences.
As an investment, our money would go on a first generation New Beetle powered by either a 1.8 turbo or the 2.3-litre V5. Both these petrol engines offer decent performance and should provide a few good driving thrills complete with style and panache. But if you want to be really noticed, get behind the wheel of a Cabriolet or if funds allow, a rare all- wheeldrive RSI Beetle.