new auto cars 2012: 2013 Volkswagen Beetle

2013 Volkswagen Beetle

2013, Cars, Volkswagen, Volkswagen Beetle 8:06 AM

The Beetle is longer than the New Beetle lower than its predecessor and is wider, being 88 mm wider. The boot is now 310 L, up from 209 L. The second generation Beetle will be built alongside the Jetta at Volkswagen's plant in Puebla, Mexico. Although early production versions in both Europe and North America have arrived with WVW VIN numbers, indicating German production.

The Volkswagen Beetle is a compact car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen introduced in 2011 for model year 2012 as the successor to the New Beetle featuring a lower profile while retaining an overall shape recalling the original Volkswagen Beetle.

On November 22, 2010, on the final episode of the Oprah's Favorite Things special, Oprah Winfrey and Volkswagen announced that every member of Winfrey's audience that day would receive one of the Beetles upon its release in 2011. VW staff gave the audience their special keys to the car. This was followed by a teaser commercial during Super Bowl XLV in February 2011.

To celebrate the global reveal, VW partnered with MTV, to make a debut on three continents on April 18. The reveal began in Shanghai, China with a MTV Sound System celebration hosted by MTV VJs, followed by MTV World Stage events in Berlin and New York City. On April 20, 2011, the 2012 model was unveiled as the Volkswagen Beetle, dropping the word "New" from its name. It debuted at Auto Shanghai and the New York Auto Show.

The new model retains the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout of the first generation, while improving interior packaging with more room in the rear. Four-cylinder engine options for the European market are expected to include 1.2-litre, 1.4-litre and 2.0-litre TSI petrol engines, and 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre TDI diesel engines. In addition to the 2.0-litre TSI and TDI engines the North American market retains the 2.5-litre inline-5 petrol engine found in the previous Beetle

All engines for this model are offered with an option of a six-speed manual transmission or the option of a dual-clutch DSG automatic. In the United States transmissions on petrol models come with either a 5-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic on 2.5 L models, while on the clean diesel model there is the option of a DSG 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. The first special edition of the 2012 Beetle is the Black Turbo launch edition. It will be limited to 600 cars on the U.S. market and will be the first car available through Volkswagen’s new Vehicle Pre-Order program.

A Beetle Turbo Black made an appearance at the 30th annual Worthersee Treffen in June 2011 in Reifnitz, Austria. It was located on the floating barge showcase at the entrance to the show. Other cars on the barge included a Reifnitz Edition GTI and the Touareg Racer. The in-house electric-powered heavily modified version of the Beetle, called E-Bugster, has been recently unveiled at 2012 North American International Auto Show. Unlike other new Beetles, the E-Bugster is a 2-seater instead of 2+2 configuration.