New Volkswagen Beetle First Review, India Launch

• After recent reports that German automotive giant Volkswagen has imported the latest version of the iconic Beetle into India, the company has confirmed that they will be launching this new hatchback soon. The official date of launch has not yet been revealed.
• Volkswagen will use the Beetle to take on stalwarts such as the Mini Cooper, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the Abarth 595 Competizione and the BMW 1 Series. While the details are not yet concrete, we expect the new VW Beetle to be powered by a 1.4 litre, 4 cylinder, turbocharged TSI petrol engine that delivers 158 bhp. This is the same engine that powers the Volkswagen Jetta.

• The Bug has always been a clash of the modern and old fashioned worlds and the new one is no different. Although it is a new vehicle, its retro design elements (which is what has always made the Beetle a cool car) such as the oval headlight clusters and the alloy wheels which are a throwback to bygone eras are clearly seen.
• The interior of the new Beetle has been reworked to make it more intuitive. Also, passengers get the option of a top notch infotainment system, a GPS navigation module, climate control and all the sort of features expected in the automobiles of today. The company has also gone to lengths to make sure that build quality is rock solid.

• One aspect that VW will have to get spot on is the pricing. The Beetle was on sale in India in the recent past but although it was an extremely capable car, it did not perform too well due to the high asking price. It must also be noted that the new VW Beetle will be sold in India via the CBU (Completely Built Up) route. Expect prices to hover around the INR 30 lakhs mark.