[blackwasp]

Volkswagen has revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, that it has no plans for the Beetle after the current generation goes out of production.

The original Volkswagen Beetle was in production from 1938 to 2003. It was conceived as an affordable car for the people. Popularly known as the "Bug", the rear-engined, rear-wheel drive car sold over 21,529,464 copies - claimed to be the highest for any car on a single platform. Volkswagen went on to introduce the New Beetle in 1997. However, it was a front-engined, front-wheel drive vehicle. It was followed by a second-generation car in 2011, which was based on the PQ35 platform, which was shared with other Volkswagen cars such as the Jetta and Golf. A convertible version was introduced in 2013.

Volkswagen has further revealed that it instead plans to concentrate on the ID Buzz Concept, based on the type 2 Transporter. The all-electric vehicle would take the place of the Beetle as a modern incarnation of an old vehicle in the company's model line-up. According to a media report, Volkswagen plans to introduce the T-Roc convertible as a replacement for the open top versions of the Beetle as well as models like Golf and Eos.



Source - Autocar

Link to the Team-BHP News

[Sankar]

"Beetle" is an iconic brand! Now why would VW want to kill off an iconic brand such as Beetle? Previous generation Beetle had a flower vase inside of it. Now in this eco-conscious period an "Electric Beetle" with a flower vase would be neat.

I think VW had enough of people relating VW's origins to Hitler, the Nazis, people's car and the original Beetle. Especially after the gassing incident came to light and people comparing it to the holocaust.

[SJM1214]

Originally Posted by Sankar

"Beetle" is an iconic brand! Now why would VW want to kill off an iconic brand such as Beetle?

These are some of the achievements of VW Beetle.

• A car(Company) created by Hitler to beat Ford's Model T.
• The longest-running and most manufactured car of a single platform ever made.
• Heights sold Car in the world. (after 1990, its Toyota Corolla)
• One of the world's most influential cars in the 20th century,

R.I.P. Volkswagen Beetle

[suhaas307]

With all the bad press surrounding VW and VAG in general, it looks like Volkswagen is desperate to shrug off the image that they've been saddled with.

So, anything associated to the brands questionable roots, and circumstances that have led to diesel-gate / monkey-gate will be removed.

I believe there will be several policy changes within the VAG administration, going forward.

Unfortunately, the Beetle is collateral.

RIP Beetle.

[Prathiiik]

Volkswagen is not discontinuing a car, they are discontinuing a brand, an icon.

This was expected, considering the Beetle's poor sales in almost every market.

Volkswagen is really trying to remove the brand's roots gradually, by starting with the Beetle.

I hope Volkswagen thinks again and retains the Beetle in the lineup.

RIP Beetle, the car that built a company.

[dark.knight]

Speaking strictly as a marketing guy, the Beetle stood no chance against its main competitor.. the Mini Cooper, BMW branding, positioning and marketing blows anything that VW Group tried until date, out of the water.

When one is expected to pay 3-4 times the cost of a similarly sized hatch for a premium one, one also wants the company to create the brand halo and to position it as a youthful, exuberant yet eccentric product. Lets face it, marketing makes all the difference in this day and age.

VW may be more obsessed with the details and of looking sharp and squarish these days (ironic that the ONLY model with round lamps is now stopped), but brands that create quirks and a touch of youthfulness combined with the "cool" positioning are those that will be chosen by the khaki/jeans and tee wearing Gen-Y with cash to spare.

At the end of the day, its always just a car, though.

[ajmat]

VW are clamping down on vanity projects and getting a bit boring. They unfortunately need to since their $10 billion war chest was depleted due to dieselgate and the need to rapidally switch to electric.

The Beetle, exit of rallying, more badge engineering, no RHD Jetta area result of this. Minimal loss leaders - more profit models.

[Parm]

Beetle who gave birth to Porsche, RIP!

It was beetle with the rear engine that gave birth to the what we see today as Porsche, continues with the rear engine!

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Parm

Beetle who gave birth to Porsche, RIP!



It was beetle with the rear engine that gave birth to the what we see today as Porsche, continues with the rear engine!

Well, technically speaking the Beetle was designed by Porsche. Most would say the first real Porsche was the 356 and it shared some components with the Beetle, but throughout its lifespan most if not all was ultimately changed out for Porsche own parts.

Porsche did retain the rear mounted engine on nearly all of its models. Whether that is good or bad tends to be in the eye of the beholder.

Jeroen

[Flyer]

Originally Posted by Parm

Beetle who gave birth to Porsche, RIP!

It was beetle with the rear engine that gave birth to the what we see today as Porsche, continues with the rear engine!

It was other way around. It was Porsche who gave life to Beetle.

To say briefly, Ferdinand Porsche designed Germany's people's car (Beetle) for Adolf Hitler. Later he used his own design (styling, rear engine set up, etc) when he designed his first car founding what's Porsche today.

[Parm]

I should have been more clear about what i was writing.

Indeed it was Ferdinand Porsche (Person) who designed VW Beetle but it was the Beetle who opened the way to Porsche cars we see on road today!

Similarly Porsche(Company) took VW's help when they needed to make their first SUV. Porsche Cayenne is based upon VW Touareg.

Glad to see VW leading and owning Porsche(Company).

My apologies if my post lead to any confusion.

Originally Posted by Parm

Beetle who gave birth to Porsche, RIP!

It was beetle with the rear engine that gave birth to the what we see today as Porsche, continues with the rear engine!

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Well, technically speaking the Beetle was designed by Porsche. Most would say the first real Porsche was the 356 and it shared some components with the Beetle, but throughout its lifespan most if not all was ultimately changed out for Porsche own parts.

Porsche did retain the rear mounted engine on nearly all of its models. Whether that is good or bad tends to be in the eye of the beholder.

Jeroen

Originally Posted by Flyer

It was other way around. It was Porsche who gave life to Beetle.

To say briefly, Ferdinand Porsche designed Germany's people's car (Beetle) for Adolf Hitler. Later he used his own design (styling, rear engine set up, etc) when he designed his first car founding what's Porsche today.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Parm

Indeed it was Ferdinand Porsche (Person) who designed VW Beetle but it was the Beetle who opened the way to Porsche cars we see on road today!



Similarly Porsche(Company) took VW's help when they needed to make their first SUV. Porsche Cayenne is based upon VW Touareg.



Glad to see VW leading and owning Porsche(Company).



.

I am not quite sure what you mean. It is a Porsche design nothing to do with VW. At the time VW did not even exist as we know it today. Porsche used some beetle bits on their own first cars mainly due to post wartime shortages. As soon as they could they made their own parts.

You also seem to confusing the car brand Volkswagen with the Volkswagen AG group.

Volkswagen essentially means car for the common man. And whereas that is nothing to be ashamed off, it is not something Porsche advertises I believe.

My very first car was a Beetle. Very cute, but essentially even in the seventies a terrible car. Try and drive a Beetle across a bridge with a cross wind to name one of its many short comings. But then again it was meant as cheap transportation for the masses and it delivered on that. Thanks to the brilliance of the Porsche engineers

Jeroen

[Parm]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

I am not quite sure what you mean. It is a Porsche design nothing to do with VW. At the time VW did not even exist as we know it today. Porsche used some beetle bits on their own first cars mainly due to post wartime shortages. As soon as they could they made their own parts.

You also seem to confusing the car brand Volkswagen with the Volkswagen AG group.

Volkswagen essentially means car for the common man. And whereas that is nothing to be ashamed off, it is not something Porsche advertises I believe.

My very first car was a Beetle. Very cute, but essentially even in the seventies a terrible car. Try and drive a Beetle across a bridge with a cross wind to name one of its many short comings. But then again it was meant as cheap transportation for the masses and it delivered on that. Thanks to the brilliance of the Porsche engineers

Jeroen

Thank you for the history lesson and your reply has answered by earlier post.

Sorry sir, I am not confused about VW Brand vs VW AG Group. Incidentally my first car was a VW Golf Mk2 in Belgium.

Safe Driving.

Parm

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by Parm

Incidentally my first car was a VW Golf Mk2 in Belgium.

Good for you. You can't go wrong with a Golf. Even though it did not sell in the same numbers as the Beetle (yet?) I believe it has always been a much better car then the Beetle. You can't compare them, you need to compare them to their contemporaries of course.

Really liked my Beetle, but as a car it was pretty crappy and they never managed to really sort those as they were inherent to the overall design.

I drove around with a 50 kg sandbag in the front just to try and get some sort of half decent handling.

I will say one thing, by and large they are very easy to work on. You can have the engine out in no time without using a lift. Just a couple of guys to raise the rear of the car, undo a few bolts and the whole engine drops out.

Jeroen

[Parm]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Good for you. You can't go wrong with a Golf. Even though it did not sell in the same numbers as the Beetle (yet?) I believe it has always been a much better car then the Beetle. You can't compare them, you need to compare them to their contemporaries of course.

Really liked my Beetle, but as a car it was pretty crappy and they never managed to really sort those as they were inherent to the overall design.

I drove around with a 50 kg sandbag in the front just to try and get some sort of half decent handling.

I will say one thing, by and large they are very easy to work on. You can have the engine out in no time without using a lift. Just a couple of guys to raise the rear of the car, undo a few bolts and the whole engine drops out.

Jeroen

I moved to a bigger Golf Mark III 1.9TDi. it was a bigger and a better car with decent room for 4 adults and a great diesel engine to go along with.

Servicing the Golf was not a big issue and did most of the things at home only, as DIY is easier and inexpensive.

We in India hardly do any DIY when it comes to even the basics of the vehicle.

I wish to see a Golf in India. (Sorry for being off topic in the Beetle section)

Safe Driving.

Parm