Volkswagen Beetle Ultimate Edition LHD
All good things must come to an end. After a massive run of more than 21,550,000, Volkswagen is finally pulling the plug on the original Beetle, which has been built in Mexico since 1967. As a fond farewell, an Ultimate Edition has been made, and we got behind the wheel of one of the last to roll off the line.
The Ultimate Edition is your final chance to buy a piece of motoring history. Questionable practicality, sluggish performance and woeful handling are reminders of the age of its design, but the last Beetle has already proved popular as an investment and a weekend run-around. You'll have to be quick, though - there are only a few left.
All good things must come to an end. After a massive run of more than 21,550,000, Volkswagen is finally pulling the plug on the original Beetle, which has been built in Mexico since 1967. As a fond farewell, an Ultimate Edition has been made, and we got behind the wheel of one of the last to roll off the line.
With a big cult following, the 'Bug' is still a familiar sight on UK roads, despite imports having officially stopped in 1975. That's partially thanks to Beetles-UK in Gloucestershire, which imports Mexican models. Does this final throw of the dice really represent the greatest incarnation, or prove that the original people's car is past its sell-by date?
This Beetle is set apart from standard models by a selection of retro accessories that make it look like a 30- year-old original. Along with the chrome trim, there are whitewall tyres, two special paint finishes and Wolfsburg badges in memory of the Bug's original birthplace. It's hard not to be attracted by the car's evocative charm, and as a result it turns heads like a supercar. So it looks the part, but has it evolved underneath? Sadly not. The only significant changes are to the rear-mounted 1.6-litre air-cooled motor, which now has fuel injection and a catalytic converter.
Turn the key and the engine note is instantly recognisable, but the driving experience will be alien to anyone used to only modern cars. Once you've become familiar with the steep windscreen and near-vertical steering wheel, the shock of no power assistance and offset pedals is your next hurdle.
Thankfully, the four-speed manual gearbox is fairly light and easy to use. Predictably, performance is sedate, yet A-road speeds are easily maintained and the disc brakes provide adequate stopping ability. You won't want to take corners at any speed, but this £11,396 Beetle isn't about driving quickly, it's about cruising in the sun safe in the knowledge that your 'classic' is brand new, with a three-year unlimited-mileage warranty. In more ways than one, this is the 'Ultimate' Beetle experience.
