So I’m driving home through Dubai in the (new) new Volkswagen Beetle and something strange happens. As advised by VW’s PR lady, I’ve synched my phone to the car’s infotainment system, so I can experience the excellent Fender sound system, and I’m listening to a bit of smoky jazz in the form of Dinah Washington. The car obviously isn’t impressed and, halfway through one of Washington’s better-known songs, just as she’s belting it out, it stops and plumps for some De La Soul instead. The song? Eye Know. The vibe? Distinctly flower power with a modern twist. Good choice, Beetle. Good choice.
The original Beetle will forever be entwined with summertime America, college students, young families, surfers and beach bums. And, as I negotiate the horrendous Dubai traffic on a five-lane highway under a ferocious afternoon sun, I get it. This is what it must have been like for my parents’ generation, for whom the air-cooled Beetle was perhaps the ultimate lifestyle accessory.
In 1971, the year of my birth, Volkswagen sold 1.3 million of the things and, by the time the last example of the original-shape Beetle was built on July 30, 2003, a staggering 21,529,464 had been produced over a 65-year lifespan. And while the word “iconic” is undoubtedly the most abused in the motoring lexicon (even Infiniti uses it), it’s one that could have been coined just for this car.
The second (“new”) generation Beetle was never going to emulate the original’s success, but Volkswagen still managed to shift more than a million of them over 12 years, with production ceasing in 2010. With a flowerpot on the dashboard, it mainly found favour in the eyes of women, so the new one needed to man up a bit to avoid falling into another cutesy niche trap.
And the good news is that it’s been a hugely successful redesign. I know this because I’m not embarrassed to be seen driving it in broad daylight, unlike its predecessor. After just a few minutes behind its wheel, I’m thinking to myself that, once my faithful Scirocco’s time is up, I just might get one of these. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is because it’s possessed of something rather unusual these days: character.
The exterior looks play a part in that, with it being far better resolved – wider, squatter, less bulbous. But the interior design is where you really get a sense of classic Beetle life – the hinged glovebox cover, for instance, taking me back to my childhood Bug experiences. It’s far more interesting inside than any other VW on sale today, with the possible exception of the XL1, and only the trio of gauges that sit atop the dashboard centre irk as being unnecessary (the turbo-boost gauge, for instance, is utterly pointless).
But it’s the noise from its exhaust that has me really hooked. My first car memories are of old Beetles and their flatulent rasp, and this new one sounds (almost) just like them. I have no idea how Volkswagen has achieved this, but it, more than anything else, is what gives this new model a distinct personality entirely in keeping with its granddaddy.
Our market only gets the turbocharged 2.0L engine from the Golf GTI and the Beetle is available in three trim levels: S, SE and SEL, starting at Dh99,900 and running all the way up to Dh127,699. But while the engine is essentially the same as the GTI’s, it’s in a different state of tune, and the car weighs another 44 kilograms over the hot Golf. So, initially, it feels a bit lethargic – you have to wring its neck to get it to move with GTI-like alacrity.
But the Beetle doesn’t need to move like a GTI if you want to have fun behind its wheel. It just needs to feel a bit special – and it does indeed. Quite apart from the uniqueness of its exhaust note, it has heavier-than-normal steering and exhibits handling prowess that its forebear could only dream of, no doubt thanks to its wider track.
The only transmission on offer here is the six-speed DSG twin-clutch job – and it’s excellent. But having driven a manual-shifter Beetle in the United States, it’s a pity that option doesn’t exist here, because it’s beautifully slick, precise and adds that extra nuance to make it even more appealing. That’s one downside of market forces and catering to the masses, I suppose.
Nevertheless, the new Beetle has hugely surprised me – and it’s all good. It’s not particularly dynamic, it won’t be ideal for families as its rear seats are a bit snug, and it will sell on its looks more than anything else. And yes, the Golf’s a better car in almost every respect, but the character and personality on offer here are difficult to resist. Yes, I could see myself owning one of these and being perfectly content, especially if it insists on taking charge of the music selection. Highly recommended.
khackett@thenational.ae
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