VW Beetle mans up

The retro revival car was not a hit at first with men but another re-work -- given an early tease in Sydney -- changes everything but the Herbie-style shape that makes a Beetle a Beetle, is claimed to be much more masculine.

It rolls into Australia next year in a one-size-fits-all package built around a 118TSI engine, with limited options and the choice of six-speed manual and seven-speed DSG gearboxes. "The new Beetle has a more masculine style which we believe will have a wider appeal," the managing director of Volkswagen Group Australia, Anke Koeckler, tells Carsguide.

"Based on the feedback from the Australian International Motor Show the new Beetle is definitely a more appealing vehicle to both men and women. It has a more dynamic and sporty style. "The new Beetle is bolder, more dynamic and simply fun to drive. It clearly has a place in our range as it shows the emotion in our brand." She says the re-design has been done to answer complaints about the previous retro Beetle.

Carsguide said from the start that the new-age Beetle was severely compromised by having to share the mechanical package of the Volkswagen Golf. That mean the rounded body had to sit well back, creating a people mover-style driving position, pinching rear-seat space, and turning the boot space beneath the rear hatch into an afterthought.

Volkswagen still sold more than one million cars globally, and boosted the Beetle back into a cabrio and a semi-speed machine with a turbo engine and all-wheel drive, but Koeckler predicts much more from the new car. "The new Beetle was designed be even more practical. Customers will find the vehicle has significantly more interior space as it is longer and wider and the boot area has increased from 209 litres to 310 litres," she says.

The new-new Beetle is expected in February, timing that puts it ahead of the seventh-generation Golf in a packed calendar of new Volkswagen arrivals. Koeckler refuses to speculate on pricing but confirms the one-car approach for 2013.

"Our strategy is not to offer every model but to minimize complexity and maintain key volume models across all of our different model lines. The new Beetle will be launched with the 118TSI engine with the choice of either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DSG transmission. You will have to wait for the launch in February for the final specifications."

But what are the chances of a price cut to boost the car's showroom appeal in Australia. "You will have to wait and see," she smiles. The new-new Beetle has already been previewed as a droptop, and a hybrid car, but Koeckler says it's too early to talk about anything beyond the basic car.

"We have not committed to take the Beetle Convertible. We currently offer two other convertibles in the Golf Cabriolet and Eos and are not planning on adding any more variants for now," she says. "I expect we will see a number of variants to come with the new Beetle. We have already seen some of the special editions released in Europe and we expect there will be even more model to come."

But she knows exactly what the Beetle means to her company and it's global slogan 'Das Auto'. "The Beetle is Volkswagen. Our success is tied to the success of the Beetle and how it defined our brand. The Beetle has such a readily recognizable shape and our designers have worked hard to stay true to the original," she says.