VW have turned back the clock for its third generation of the New Beetle. Ed Stephens checks the progress of this British icon.
It’s probably the most easily recognisable car ever built, thanks to its unique shape and longevity.
But now the car that was first launched in 1938 has been given a new lease of life with the creation of the third generation of the Beetle.
Ironically Volkswagen has moved away from the shape of the New Beetle which went on sale in 1998 and turned back the clock so the shape of the latest model is more akin to the sleek silhouette of the original one from the thirties.
Unlike on that one, however, the engine is now at the front, the car is front-wheel-drive and comes with a slick six-speed manual gearbox.
The arrival of the New Beetle at the end of the nineties regenerated an interest in a car which – along with the Mini – has become a motoring icon.
But the latest generation is wider, longer and lower than its immediate predecessor and that means the roof has been extended further and the windscreen has been moved back so the shape is now closer to the original design. Perhaps not surprising when you learn that a number of members of the design team actually own original Beetles.
The radical new body also means you now get around 50 per cent more boot space than the first generation New Beetle, with a respectable 310 litres of luggage room.
Three trim levels are available; Beetle, Design and Sport. Opt for Design – as provided for my test car – and it’s nostalgia all the way as this spec comes with a colour coded metal dashboard along with a glove box with a lid which folds upwards, just like the very first Beetle. In a concession to modern cars there is a traditional second glovebox beneath it with the lid opening downwards.
Because of its shape the Beetle offers an abundance of headroom - particularly in the front seats - although it’s a car designed for four people not five and you can only get two doors not four.
Nevertheless, it’s pretty easy to get in and out of the rear seats because the doors open wide, although sensibly unlike on most two-door models they are not too long so you don’t struggle when it comes to multi-storey car parks.
My test car was the 160bhp, 1.4-litre TSI model, an engine so unbelievably quiet that I thought it was fitted with a stop/start system because each time I stopped I was convinced the engine had too.
Only the telltale 400 rpm tickover on the rev counter told me it was still running.
Not only is this a very quiet car it’s also a very refined and responsive one too, feeling much larger than its relatively small 1390cc thanks to both a turbocharger and a supercharger.
It’s quick off the mark as well as being impressively good at high speed motorway work, cruising along in relaxed silence and taking the strain out of long distance journeys.
The other bonus is you get relatively good fuel consumption with an average of just under 43 miles per gallon.
There are a host of features which make this car easier to live with.
The doors shut easily because as soon as you place your hand on the door handle the window drops fractionally to break the air seal, and rises again once the door is closed.
And I particularly liked the large white speedometer with its crystal clear numbers that you can read with just a cursory glance, allowing you to quickly get your eyes back on the road.
My test car came with the optional Fender sound system, and a nice touch that comes with it is the ambient illumination of door handles and speakers in a choice of colours.
You can switch from white to red to blue, as the mood takes you.
The new Beetle is without doubt a winner, and a worthy car to carry the mantle of this icon forward.
Fast Facts
Volkswagen Beetle 2012
Price: £19,605
Mechanical: 160 bhp, 1390cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6spd manual gearbox.
Max speed: 129 mph
0-62mph: 8.3 secs
Combined mpg: 42.8
Insurance group: 18E
CO2 emissions: 153 g/km
Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles
