There are bold plans afoot for the upcoming Beetle, including a raft of variants and a radical redesign that could distance the model from its cheerfully penned present state.
According to a recent report from , the ageing Volkwagen Beetle will shed its cutesy image in favour of a more aggressive modern design for the new models reported launch in 2010.
The next incarnation of the Beetle will be designed in California and engineered in Germany. According to sources close to the website this car, like its predecessor, will once again share its platform with the Golf, although in this case it will be the upcoming Golf VI that will play the part of donor vehicle.
Gone are the current model’s softly curved roofline and bug-eyed styling, replaced with a lower, more sporty stance and coupé-esque roof as shown in the renderings.
A cabriolet with a canvas roof will arrive shortly after the hatchback’s launch, while a sport wagon with small rear passenger doors has also been considered. As the new car is being designed to be easily adapted to a large range of model variants, we can expect to see models such as a micro-van, a pickup, a sport wagon-based crossover and a hotted-up performance version emerge over time.
This radically different approach to the Beetle’s design reflects the fact that the new car will be considerably larger than the outgoing one and will make better use of its interior space – a shortcoming that many expressed with the previous car when it was first launched here eight years ago.
The redesign has also been influenced by the company’s recent endeavors to make its cars more uniform in appearance. Apparently, the car’s designers have been told to apply more modern, sleek styling to the new car. Although ditching the cute-as-a-button design may not sit well with those who have fallen for the current car’s cheeky retro looks, there is some method to such madness. In moving the Beetle out of its current niche, the company may be able to create a sub-brand using the Beetle name – a similar approach to that of BMW with the Mini line up.
While the additional interior space and sporty design cues are welcome additions, here’s hoping that the retro cachet of the Beetle brand does not become too diluted by this bold potential move.
