The main attraction on the Volkswagen stand at JIMS is the latest Beetle, which is being previewed ahead of its local launch due in the first half of 2012.
Bolder, more dynamic, more masculine, VW say the new car reinterprets the design of the original (first generation) Beetle, which sold 21.5 million units. “The Beetle is now characterised by a clean, self-confident and dominant sportiness. The car not only has a lower profile; it is also substantially wider, the front bonnet is longer, the front windscreen is shifted further back and has a much steeper incline. All of this creates a new dynamism,” says Klaus Bischoff, head of Volkswagen Brand Design.
The 2012 Beetle is front-engined and front-wheel-drive. The car will launch locally with a choice of two engines, namely, a turbocharged 1.2-litre engine that produces 77 kW and mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. A 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will offer 118 kW and be available with either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed DSG transmission. Volkswagen are expected to introduce a diesel engine to global markets in 2013, but there’s no news yet on whether we’ll see it in South Africa.
When the new Beetle does launch in South Africa in the first half of 2012, expect pricing to be in the R250 000 to R300 000 range.
