TTAC Photochop: New New Bug
Launched in 1998, Volkswagen's "New Beetle" was a solid hit– despite woefully inefficient interior packaging, a range of meh engines fitted in the wrong (right?) place (the front) and distinctly non-German provenance (hecho en Mexico). In the intervening nine years, nada mas, save the introduction of another meh engine in the thirsty and slow I5. Our resident photochopper Avarvarii sends news that J. Mays' retro homage to the iconic original is finally set for a redesign. Mr. A advises us to look closely at his artistry for the changes, which center on improved interior space and a strange desire to ape the new Scion xB's gangsta-style chop top. Yes, yes. Very nice, in a Yo! Yo! kind of way. Let's hope it sits on something a bit more modern than Ye Olde Golf Mk IV platform. And where's the damn diesel? Fit an oil burner into this empty nester's cutesy tootsy nostalgia-mobile and THEN Bug sales will reignite.
[For more Avarvarii photochopistry, click here.]
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FreeMan: Depends on the car. I can argue that a simple box, like the gen1 Scion xB, could have been built with minor improvements for a long time.
Re "not changing a design for decades": It probably helped that the original Beetle was a sharp, charismatic design with a good combo of organic aesthetics and tight practicality. You can't really say that about the Crown Vic, Ranger, or other domestic holdovers that were never really that good to begin with.
"I can argue that a simple box, like the gen1 Scion xB, could have been built with minor improvements for a long time." Volvo 240, and it's cornfed cousin the Checker.
Ulramike, I knew the Old Beetle and, thank God Crown Vic and Ranger are no Old Beetles! The Old Beetle was crap! How much heat do you get in that Hitler's Hoax each winter? How about ventilation the rest of the year? How about noise levels-interior and exterior--Old Beetle vs. Ranger? My Ranger still doesn't burn or leak oil after 10 years use/ 120K miles. I have never heard of a VW engine with that kind of reliability.