The Volkswagen Beetle is a genuine motoring icon.  It’s one of a handful of cars that, in the 20th Century, brought motoring to the masses as more than 20 million examples of the original Beetle were sold around the world.  And when it was reborn in 1998 as the New Beetle, a further million sales brought the Beetle’s distinctive character to a new generation. 

In 2011 the ‘New’ moniker was dropped and the Beetle comprehensively redesigned.  Its new shape was lower and wider, with a longer bonnet, and the Beetle’s more sporting and masculine stance captured the world’s imagination all over again.

Now, this latest iteration of perhaps the best loved Volkswagen is being refreshed, with changes that include a more sculptured body and a fresh interior design.  The styling enhancements and new options further enrich the appeal and value that is inherent in Volkswagen’s Beetle range, which is available in coupe and cabriolet forms and, with the new Beetle Dune, as a crossover.

The styling changes comprise sharpened lines for the front bumpers, while larger openings around the indicator and fog light surrounds give extra depth to the car’s appearance.  Meanwhile, the new Beetle R-Line trim has a more sporty bumper design unique to that model.  It features extra air intake openings along the upper edge of the bumper.

On the inside, the Volkswagen Beetle’s distinctive cabin has brighter instrument panel lighting and new dials and dash styling for the Design and R-Line models.  New upholstery materials bring further styling options.

In the new range the Beetle R-Line replaces the previous Sport trim level.  The R-Line will be available with Volkswagen’s powerful 2.0-litre TDI 150 PS diesel engine and a choice of either six-speed manual or six-speed DSG transmission.

The new Beetle R-Line also boasts sports suspension, 18-inch ‘Twister’ alloy wheels, and the unique new R-Line bumper.  It is also available with a new alloy wheel design, the 18-inch ‘Ashmie Adamantium’, at no extra cost. 

Whichever wheels are chosen, the sporty finish of the Beetle R-Line is enhanced further with a body-coloured rear diffuser and chromed twin exhausts.  And the R-Line’s exterior styling is developed with gloss black door mirrors and door protectors.  Of course an R-Line specification Beetle wouldn’t be complete without a rear tailgate spoiler.

Clearly Volkswagen’s designers have worked diligently to enhance the external look of the modern Beetle but, inside the car, the traditional Volkswagen driver-focused design remains.  In the R-Line this starts with ‘Sports’ instrument dials, while the pedals are trimmed in aluminium and the scuff plates feature the distinctive R-Line logo. 

The quality of the interior is evidenced by the leather-trimmed three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, which has an R-Line badge insert and coloured stitching too.  The seats are finished in ‘Kyalami’ cloth and the R-Line badge is resplendent in the headrests.  Height and lumbar adjustment add to the comfort of the seats.

Finally, 2Zone climate control with automatic air recirculation, ambient lighting, front and rear parking sensors and cruise control increase the technology that is standard on the Beetle R-Line.

In addition to the debut of the R-Line trim, a new option pack is available for the Beetle Design.  The Black Style Pack includes 17-inch ‘Rotor’ black alloy wheels and a black painted roof.  The air intake grille is also coloured black, as are the outside decorative trim stripes.  The protective side moulding is painted black and has a chromed strip, while the wing mirror housing is painted black.  All of this extra equipment costs just £625¹. 

The Beetle of course has a wide array of personalisation options to match the individual customer’s choice.  Outside, two new pearlescent-effect colours are available: ‘Bottle Green’ and ‘White Silver’. The interior colours can also be changed, with the dash centre console and steering wheel inserts of the Design trim now being offered in a choice of Sandstorm Yellow, Tornado Red, Habanero Orange or Pure White for £125. 

Interior lighting colour, too, can be changed depending on customer preference, when the ‘Fender’ premium sound pack is purchased (£545).  It also includes eight-speakers and a subwoofer.  The body style of the Volkswagen Beetle is particularly receptive to changes in the wheel design.  For the daring, there is now even the option of fitting 17-inch ‘Orbit’ wheels in red: a £100 option on the Beetle Design.

Recently the Beetle range was extended to include the rugged Beetle Dune, too.  This charismatic new Volkswagen harks back to the famous Beetle dune buggies that roamed the West Coast of America in the 1960s and 1970s, and Dune models also benefit from the upgrades.

For more details on all the cars in the Volkswagen Beetle range, together with brochures and pricing and to use Volkswagen’s online configurator, please visit www.volkswagen.co.uk

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

A cooperation with the "Sociedad Española de Automóviles de Turismo, SA" (SEAT) opens the way for Volkswagenwerk AG to enter the Iberian market. The Spanish vehicle manufacturer handles the sales of imported Volkswagen and Audi models with its own dealer network. Starting in early 1984 it produces licensed versions of the Passat and Polo. Transferring production of the Polo to Spain opens up capacity in Wolfsburg, augmenting the Golf production and helping Volkswagen to reach the top of the European automobile industry.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Volkswagen delivers an industry-leading performance in the new car ‘best buy’ categories of prominent independent UK consumer body Which?.

The 2016 Which? Car Guide, published today, puts no fewer than four Volkswagen models top of their respective classes based on a combination of independent lab and road tests carried out by the Which? team, plus owner feedback gathered through the annual Which? Car Survey.

Among the Volkswagen models named as ‘best buys’ are two of the brand’s electric models: the e-up! and the e-Golf.  Scooping the best buy in the City Car class is the diminutive e-up! while the e-Golf’s performance in the Medium Car class led the experts at Which? to declare of it: “All the brilliance of a Golf, but battery powered.”

Another class-leading Golf is the SV, which takes the MPV best buy honours in the 2016 guide.  The family-focused car is characterised as offering “all the benefits of a Golf and more; a fine five seater”.  Meanwhile the capacious and practical new Passat Estate is the German brand’s final category leader in the 2016 Car Guide.  It secured a ‘best buy’ in the Estate Car class, with Which? declaring of it: “A consummate all-rounder. [It] blends estate versatility with the upmarket image of a premium German saloon.”

In his foreword to the 2016 publication, Which? Cars Editor Nic Shaw writes: “The 2016 Which? Car Guide is your guide to the very best cars you can buy based on our expert impartial tests, plus reliability and satisfaction data from the UK’s largest survey of car owners.”  

Which? is today the largest consumer body in the UK with more than 1.4 million members and supporters.

Welcoming the ringing endorsement for four of the brand’s models Director of Volkswagen UK, Alison Jones, said: “It’s great to see such a broad spectrum of new Volkswagen cars praised in this independent guide.

“But, just as encouragingly, it is two of our new breed of electric cars – the e-up! and the e-Golf – that are singled out for praise in their respective classes.

“Volkswagen has a clear strategy to develop and extend its e-mobility offering over the years ahead, and to see that we are already leading the way so successfully is very encouraging.”  

For more details of the entire Volkswagen range, please log on to www.volkswagen.co.uk and to find out more about the brand’s range of pure electric and hybrid models, visit http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/electric-vehicles

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk

Going forward, the twocompanieswill work together onVolkswagen’sCross-Over-Platform, which isaimed at enhanced vehicle connectivity and convenience. Using the latest in cloud technology, it willoffer drivers seamless digital access to extensive featuressuch as smart home and location-based services.

Over the coming years, the two companieswill be concentrating on:

• Developing technologies that bring together the connected car and the smart home so thatdrivers are able to control and monitor smart devices in theirhomes — such as lights,security systems and domestic appliances — from out on the road.
• Developing a context-sensitive notification centre that can deliver messages in an intuitive and safe manner and provide optimised recommendations to the driver in real time.
• Developing next-generation infotainment technology for connected cars.

Key LG Electronics executives present at the signing at VolkswagenGroup headquarters includedRichard Choi, Head of LGCloud Center, and Lee Sang-yong, Head of LG Vehicle Infotainment System ResearchLab. Representing Volkswagen were Prof. Thomas Form, Head of Electronics and VehicleResearch, and Robert Kattner, Head of Vehicle Information Systems, both of the Group Research Division.

"Volkswagen is pressing on with the digitalisation of its brands. Our focus in doing so is always on ourcustomers. For them, comfort, safety and energy efficiency play a central role. LG is a strong,reliable partner in the implementation of new features andone of the drivers of innovation in the networked household. Welook forward to working with LG and to developing in future simple, easy-to-use smarthome solutions for our customers integrated into our vehicle systems," said Form at the official signing of the agreement.

“LG Electronics andVolkswagenare teaming up to develop the next generationof connected car platform that allows wide integration with smart homeservices andadoption of open IoT connectivity technologies,” said Richard Choi. “We think LG’s expertise in smart technology together withVolkswagen’sleadership in theautomotive sectorwill revolutionise theway drivers interact with their vehicles.”

This agreement is an example of the long-standing relationship that LG and Volkswagenhave developed over the years. LG was one of the first electronics companiesto commit itself to the automotive industry. It has beensupplying audio-visual products for vehicles since 2007, establishing a reputation for reliability and technological innovation.

In March in 2015, Volkswagensubsidiary ItaldesignGuigiaro unveiled its GEA concept car at the Geneva Motor Show with seven keycomponents supplied by LGElectronics, including the holographicdisplay, connected smart watch, tail lights and rearcamera. In July, LG was selected as Volkswagen’s strategic electronics supplier and also listed as a partner company on its FAST (Future Automotive Supply Tracks)programme. At CES earlier this year, the twocompanies attracted great attention showcasing a smart home system that could be controlled remotely from the vehicle.

Article source: www.volkswagen.co.uk