Is Volkswagen planning to axe Beetle in 2018?
Hard to believe, but it’s been almost 20 years since Volkswagen brought back the Beetle. That era might be coming to an end sooner than we thought.
In a tweet, Autoline (hat tip to Road & Track) claims the Beetle will disappear by the end of 2018. This rumour is exactly that — a rumour — and is best taken with a grain of salt. Company officials have declined to comment on “media speculation.”
That being said, the rumoured move could be a smart one. The Beetle might be cute and have more personality than many other compact hatchbacks out there, but sales have been slowing considerably over the past little while.
Plus, from a competitive standpoint, the model is falling behind. The Beetle has been around in its current form since 2011, while its main competitor, the Mini Cooper, was redesigned last year. And while much of Volkswagen’s small car lineup is moving to the company’s MQB platform architecture, there are few signs the Beetle will be extended the same lifeline.
Time will tell, though. Given today’s trend toward CUVs, the new Dune could be the shot in the arm Volkswagen needs for Beetle sales.
MINI’S NEXT BODY STYLE MIGHT BE A SEDAN
Mini is in the process of paring down its lineup to five distinct models. So far, four slots have been filled, but the fifth vehicle was unknown. That is, until now.
Autocar reports we’ll see a fourdoor sedan in the near future, likely to be called the Riley, named after the Mini-based Riley Elf from the 1960s. Penned for the U.S. and China, the Riley is said to be based on (and will be sold alongside) the new Countryman, which is to debut later this year.
“In Asia and the U.S., the sedan segment is very big,” Mini product planning vice-president Ralph Mahler said. “This is very interesting to us, of course. The sedan concept is in our history, so we have roots there.”
The addition of a sedan to the Mini lineup certainly makes sense; in the U.S., sedans have proven to be more popular than hatchbacks.
And Mini already has a crossover, so the Riley could push the automaker a step closer to its mainstream rivals, but with a bit more emphasis on luxury and quirkiness.
FORD OFFICIALLY TAKING ORDERS FOR ALL-NEW GT
It’s official — the Ford GT books are now open.
First, the bad news: Ford hasn’t dished an exact price, but true to the rumours, the GT will start “in the mid-$400,000s.” Production will be 500 units, parsed out over two years, working out to about 250 examples per year.
Oh, and in case you figured the buying process was going to be as simple as walking into your closest Ford dealer and putting down a healthy deposit, you’re mistaken. The automaker will use an applica- tion process to buy a 2017 GT.
You will have to be approved by Ford before you can put in your order. The automaker will be taking into account how often you plan to drive the car, how many Fords you’ve owned previously and your presence on social media.
Just to ensure each and every GT will be owned by true fans who won’t flip their car for a profit, the company is making prospective buyers sign a document that will stop them from selling their cars before a certain amount of time.
Applications are open from now until May 12 at 11:59 p.m. In case you can’t afford the price — Ford has released an online configurator that lets you spec out your dream GT.