A modern reinterpretation of the Beetle. Front engine, front-wheel drive, Golf platform. More lifestyle than mass-market. It capitalizes on emotion without recapturing the original simplicity.
Resulting from a project launched by the new Volkswagen Design office in Los Angeles in 1992, the Studie concept -1 is inspired by the famous VW Beetle, symbol of the brand in the USA. The concept was presented for pure pleasure at the 1994 Detroit Motor Show, and faced with the enthusiasm of the press and the immense success of this style study, Volkswagen decided in 1995 to produce this model which would bear the name of New Beetle (for New Ladybird). Produced in Puebla, Mexico, the first deliveries were made on the American market in March 1998, and 6 months later in Europe. In terms of engines, there is something for everyone, from the small 1.4l 75hp to the V5 2.5l 152hp in petrol and a 1.9 TDi ranging from 100 to 115hp in Diesel. Also note the production of 250 copies of a sports version, called New Beetle RSI, equipped with a 3.2l V6 petrol 250hp (that of the Golf R32). The career of the VW New Beetle came to an end in 2011 with the presentation of its replacement, which would take on the rediscovered name of Beetle.