Background: No mass-produced car in recent memory has evoked as much ink, television air time or interest as the reincarnated 1998, German-engineered Volkswagen Beetle. Fellow drivers provided hand gestures (friendly ones at that) while cruising down the expressway. Just about every where I stopped, curiosity seekers had a Bug tale of their own or were just thrilled to sit in the new version. Make no mistake, while this new-generation Bug may look similar to its older cousin from the psychedelic 60s, but mechanically, it has more in common with its modern Volkswagen Golf counterpart. It's based on the Golf chassis. Volkswagen stopped shipping the original Beetle sedan to the United States in 1977. Two years later, convertible versions were stopped.
New for 1998: Maybe the question should be what's not new for 1998. Unlike the Beetle of yesteryear, this edition is front-wheel drive with the engine placed under the front hood rather than the trunk. Not only does the heater work full time (heaters of old blew hot air only when the car moved because of the air-cooled engine), air conditioning is now standard. Volkswagen officials have not yet officially given the go-ahead for a new convertible version, but have said a retractable glass roof will be optional in a couple of years.
Safety features: Front dual air bags standard, and the Beetle is one of a handful of compact offerings promoting front seat-mounted side-impact air bags standard. Also featured in every Bug is a remote locking system, daytime running lights and crumple zones. Anti-lock brakes are optional while traction control is not offered. This week, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety published results of slow-speed crash tests for 11 compact cars. The Bug squashed the competition, sustaining the least amount of damage during testing.
Engine: Two four-cylinder engines are available; a standard, 2.0-liter, inline, four-cylinder gasoline engine delivering 115 horsepower, or an optional ($1,200), turbo-direct injection diesel powertrain with 90 horsepower. While not as quiet as say a Toyota Corolla, the updated gas engine in our test drive Bug made little noise at idle and was without the shaky rattle reminiscent of the old Beetle.
Price: Beetle's $15,200 starting price tag is somewhat surprising when considering Volkswagen was pondering pricing it closer to $18,000 when the rebirth was announced. With options including cruise control, power window and alloy wheels, the bottom line added up to a very reasonable $16,580 including a $500 destination charge.
Standard equipment: Air conditioning, five-speed manual transmission, six-speaker stereo, rack-and-pinion power-assisted steering, rear-window defroster, power door locks and illuminated front visor mirrors are all standard.
Optional equipment: Cruise control, four-speed automatic transmission, leather seating, integrated fog lamps, power sunroof, heated front seats, alloy wheels and one-touch down power windows are options.
Seating comfort: Because of the round exterior design, the four-seat bug features enormous amounts of front headroom. Entry to the Beetle is made easier thanks to front bucket seats positioned high. In back, headroom is such that people over six-feet tall will be challenged, but two pre-teens will fit comforbably. Another creature comfort the new Beetle shares with its predecessor are high-mounted side hand straps for easier rear entry and exit. Leg room is good in front with the bucket seat positioned far back, but is slightly below average in the rear. The back seat rest folds down as one unit (no split fold down seating). Maneuvering into the back seat is made easier by bucket seats that tip up when backrests move forward; a very nice touch. There is also a single cup holder for back seat travelers.
Interior: When first sitting in the Beetle, one can't help but notice the expansive dashboard top. It's quite a reach to the windshield. At night, the instrument panel and dashboard are backlit with red and blue illumination. There is also a huge, semicircular speedometer, reminiscent of a by-gone era not only because of its design but because the speedometer clocks speeds up to 140 miles per hour. But with a four-cylinder, 115-horse engine, 140 mph may be just a pipe dream. At the speedometer's bottom are a fuel gauge and tachometer. Small sideview mirrors are not as much of a nuisance as the radio's pre-set buttons and controls, which are too tiny and laid out in a confusing fashion. Three rotary dials, below the sound system, monitor fan speed, temperature and blower direction. A stand-alone, ceiling-located digital clock is a novel touch too. The driver's door is home to the fuel-tank, trunk release button and small door handles. Headlight controls, right of the steering column are the rotary-dial type. Instead of a flip-top storage bin between front bucket seats, the Beetle has a second power outlet for today's modern electronic gizmos. The other power source is under the dashboard. Three front cup holders are found in front of the five-speed shifter. And all Bugs include a flashback reminder to a "hippier time;" a small, plastic dashboard vase which holds real or not-so-real flowers. It's a reference to what history likes to recall as the "flower power" generation. Another throw back is the interior's two-tone colors. Half the door is the interior color while the car's exterior color is also prominently displayed on the door's top half.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 98.9 inches Overall length: 161.1 inches Overall width: 67.9 inches Overall height: 59.5 inches Front headroom: 41.3 inches Rear headroom: 36.7 inches Weight: 2,712 pounds
Exterior: One of the most recognizable vehicle on the road; a shape resembling a baseball cap on wheels. Like most Volkswagen offerings, the foot-long black radio antenna is found on the roof. The Beetle includes 16-inch all-season tires standard, a rarity in the compact field which usually features the 14-inch variety. But with the Beetle's arched rear fenders, the tires don't look out of place. Optional six-spoke alloy wheel covers with VW logo ad a unique look. Round tail lamps are positioned on each side of the curved trunk lid, which sports a chrome, circular VW logo (with trunk keyhole underneath) and a rear brake light. Front headlights are also of the circular variety. The locking fuel tank door is located on the right rear fender. The rear window is squared off. Exterior color choices include: white, black, red, yellow, green, silver and two different blues.
Trunk: The trunk/hatchback area now includes 12.0 cubic feet of space; enough room for luggage bags or a very small golf bag. While not huge, at least there's a trunk in back rather than the engine, as was the case with the old Beetle. The full-size spare stows under the flat floor.
Fuel economy: The gasoline-powered engine delivers good mileage while diesel offerings includes above-average mile per gallon estimates. Gasoline engines mated with five-speed manual transmission get 23 miles per gallon city and 29 m.p.g. highway. Our test drive Bug, with 6,700 odometer miles registered 27 mpg in combined driving. Diesel engines with manual transmission check in at 41 m.p.g. highway and 48 m.p.g. highway. The tank holds 14.5 gallons of fuel.
Final thoughts: Volkswagen has one of the best rust warranty in the business around; a 12-year limited warranty against corrosion perforation. This new Beetle will probably hold its resale value for years to come. Volkswagen is the world's fourth-largest car maker, but in 1993, U.S. sales totaled less than 50,000 units; an all-time low point. Last year, sales increased to about 137,000 units and projections this year are in the 180,000-unit range. Volkswagen's Mexico assembly plant is the sole producer of Bugs worldwide. The car went on sale during the middle of last month and 2,365 were sold. Volkswagen expects 4,000 to 5,000 being sold in April. Only 50,000 are expected to make it to dealerships this year and already there's a waiting list in some areas of the country for potential Bug buyers. Short supplies and big demands are creating a sellers market.
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