VW Beetle Turbo revealed

April 2011

The Beetle has spread its wings already! First unveiled in China, the new Bug has now made its American debut at the New York Motor Show too.

Toning down the curvy retro look for a more muscular and sporty shape, the new Bug takes visual inspiration from the Ragster concept, which appeared at the 2005 Detroit Motor Show, with wider wheelarches, a coupe-like roofline and squared-off rear end.

The new look has been ushered in in an attempt to attract more male buyers – currently the model is bought predominantly by women.

As well as being bolder to look at, it's also more practical. At 1.8m wide, 1.5m tall and 4.3m long, it's wider, lower and longer than the outgoing model and also wider and longer than a Golf.  This should address a criticism of the current car by freeing up more space in the cabin and boot; the latter increases from 209 to 310 litres.

A powerful new range of four turbos backs the beefed-up looks. The petrol line-up comprises a 1.2 TSI 105, 1.4 TSI 160 and 197bhp 2.0-litre, while the diesel is the ultra-efficient 1.6-litre TDI from the Golf BlueMotion, which makes 65.7mpg. Each unit is available with VW’s slick seven-speed DSG gearbox.

Inside, quality has been greatly improved. There’s a far more driver-oriented feel, and sporty touches such as the carbon-effect dash and central instrument pod all add to the effect.

We won’t see the Beetle on UK roads until next January, but when the car does arrive, it will sit just below the equivalent Golf in the line-up. Expect prices to range from around £14,000 for smaller-engined Beetles to more than £22,000 for fully loaded Sport models.

A hot Beetle R with the same 270bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine as the Golf R, although with just front-wheel drive, will debut in 2013 while a Convertible model is on the cards too.