Dossier presse Volkswagen salon de Genève 2007

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The New Beetle
Distinctive and congenial
This cult-auto from Volkswagen received sharper contours for the 2006 model
The optimized TDI engine of the New Beetle now delivers 77 kW / 105 PS

Since 1998 it has been a fixture on our streets: the New Beetle. In mid 2005, the Volkswagen cult-car was optically ‘sharpened’ in the style of the New Beetle Ragster study. With sure instinct the Volkswagen designers enhanced the level of the successful series. New lights, refined lines, a fresh color palette as well as new fabric seat covers are just a few of the details that were changed. Add to that a new wheel and a performance-optimized TDI motor. Altogether this results in a successful facelift that has made the appearance of the New Beetle even more concise.

DESIGN
Finishing touches in the details; new
fenders, bumpers, front and rear headlights

The basic form of the New Beetle is untouchable. That is why the designers have perfected the details of the two-door front-wheel drive. But they have done this with consistency: The front bumpers have received a radiator grille that gives it a sportier look and the synthetic fenders have been given a sharper contour. The lights have also been redesigned. The clear-glass headlights are even more defined with their oval shape and the front blinkers have been made narrower. The white-in-red circle has given the backlights an optical change. The Volkswagen hood ornaments on the front and back have also been updated.

VERSIONS / ENGINES /
One layout, five engines and
plenty of options for individualism

One for all: the New Beetle is still available in a basic version that can be customized through various features and packages. In the new model year, colors with imaginative names like "Salsa Red” or "Gecko Green” offer a glimpse of the fresh colors and paints. Altogether, 15 colors will be available for the New Beetle. In addition, the interior of the New Beetle has new fabric designs available in Black, Flannel Grey, Cream, Mellow Yellow and Aquarius Blue. The interior has also been upgraded through chrome framing on the instrument cluster and air vents. The obligatory flower vase - a real classic - has remained untouched.
New Beetle drivers get even more creative options through the new wheel features. All in all, four 16 and 17 inch-alloy wheels as well as hubcaps for 16-inch steel wheels are available on request.
With the 2006 equipment packages “Exclusive” and “Premium”, Volkswagen offers two options for its clients with a lot of extras and a price advantage of up to 2,000 euros.
The “Exclusive Package includes, amongst other things: air-conditioning, an alpha radio system, a central-locking system with remote control, power windows in the front and an individually foldable seatback in the rear. The “Premium Package) has the same elements as the “Exclusive Package as well as the gamma CD radio system and can easily be distinguished from the outside by its Las Vegas type 16-inch alloy wheels / alloy? rims and additional fog lights.
As far as motors are concerned, Volkswagen stayed with the time-tested engines. Only the 1.9 liter Turbo diesel direct injection received a performance improvement for the 2006 model and now comes with 77 kW / 105 PS. Altogether, four gas fuel and one diesel engine/s are being offered with capacity ranges from 55 kW / 75 PS to 110 kW / 150 PS. The three New Beetle performance levels 75 kW, 85 kW, 110 kW can be combined with an automatic transmission (tiptronic). For more info on the aggregates, see separate paragraph: Engines in Detail.

INTERIOR / CARGO AREA /
Classic design, distinctive yet
perfect for every day of the year.

Analog to the unique design of the exterior, the special character of the New Beetle continues in the interior. The large half-moon shaped instrument cluster in full view for the driver, the grab handle for the front passenger and the dashboard are proof of the sure instinct of high design quality which interprets the classic elements of the Beetle in a contemporary way. The designer's perfect attention to detail is perhaps most strikingly visible in the classic flower vase on the dashboard of each New Beetle.
The radio “gamma” (standard with 85 kW and TDI) which is integrated in the half-moon shaped center console was specially designed for the New Beetle. It transmits via the rear antenna and broadcasts over six loudspeakers. Also very stylish is the modern steering wheel with the round airbag-bounce top. True Beetle-style is the only large round instrument, although here with integrated scales for rev meters and the fuel gage as well as the contemporary signal functions and the red needles on a magical blue illuminated background. Additionally, the flower vase, a nostalgic accessory from the Beetle era, and the spars the classic looped grab handles for backseat passengers remain.
There are plenty of storage areas, even on the rearview mirror (except 55 kW and 75 kW) with its clock and outside temperature display as well as a sunglass compartment in the ceiling and one on the driver's side (starting at 85 kW and TDI). Also on the middle console are the up-to-date cup holders. For cigarette lighters and on-board electrical devices, there are two 12-volt outlets in the front and back. The interior comes across as very friendly with its graspable, shagreened, likeable, soft-varnished synthetics and contemporary colors. Besides that, the New Beetle has a spacious feeling that seems unlimited in width and height in the front seats and offers ample space in the rear of this four-seater.
Very comforting: the central door locking system (optional for 55 kW and 75 kW) with programmable automatic locking of the doors after the car starts is like a bodyguard in the big-city jungle. Electric outside mirrors and active carbon filters for the interior air are further important details that come standard. Right in the driver's door is a remote release for the 55 liter fuel tank cover as well as the cargo area. In its standard configuration, it holds 209 liters and expands to 527 liters when the seatbacks are collapsed.

AUTO BODY /
Deliberate play with the classic Beetle shapes;
twelve years guarantee against corrosion.

The contouring of the body is distinctive. It transports the originality of the classic Beetle into contemporary times. The round stern, the dome-shaped roof, the rear section, the fenders with the hint of a footboard, the embedded round head - (optional Xenon) and tail lights - bring back memories of the Beetle while the sharp accented lines and windows confirm the up-to-date design and express youthful energy.
The self-supporting body made out of zinc-plated sheet steel, has a twelve-year guarantee against corrosion. And it is high-strength with a positive impact on the crash demeanor and comfort and quality. Disappearance stability is the prerequisite for a smooth surface design with very narrow interstices. The firm steel body of the New Beetle as well as the synthetic fenders and bumpers are painted in one step in a specially developed process, so that the coloring is absolutely identical. By the way, as in the past, fenders and bumpers are screwed on, which enables low-cost repairs.
Meanwhile, the high design quality is confirmed by various international awards. The New Beetle received the coveted “Design of the Century Award” from the Industrial Designers of America (IDSA). This honors products whose design plays a significant role in the success of the product or brand. Before that, the New Beetle had received the “Product Design Award” from the Industrie Forum Design in Hannover and also the award for "Good Design" from the Chicago Athenaeum.

SAFETY /
Uncompromised safety with
six airbags and standard ESP

Part of the extensive standard equipment of the New Beetle are, amongst other things, driver and front seat passenger airbags, Head-Thorax airbag, the electronic stabilization program ESP (including brake assistant, ABS, EDS and ASR), the green-tinted heat-insulated glass as well as hook-ups for the Isofix child seat in the rear. On the active safety side, the New Beetle furthermore convinces with a neutral chassis including ESP and a reassuring competent front wheel drive.

Overview of petrol engines

1.4 with 55 kW / 75 PS: A modern four-valve engine with 55 kW / 75 PS is the base motor for the New Beetle which is also offered in the Golf. In 14.6 seconds, it accelerates to 100 km/h; its maximum speed is 161 km/h. The overall consumption is exceptionally low with only 7.0 liters for every 100 kilometers.

1.6 with 75 kW / 102 PS: The next stronger gas fuel engine with 75 kW / 102 PS and 1.6 liter cubic capacity has a controlled intake manifold as well as roller levers and displays a harmonious performance development at low level fuel consumption. The engine transmits its power through a five-gear transmission, alternatively available as a four-gear automatic transmission. The stick shift version reaches a maximum speed of 179 km/h and on average uses 7.5 liters of fuel every 100 kilometers.
2.0 with 85 kW / 115 PS: Even more dynamic is the established 2.0 liter engine. It delivers 85 kW / 115 PS and, on request, can also be ordered with an automatic transmission. The maximum speed for the stick shift model is 185 km/h. The average fuel consumption is 8.7 liters.
1.8 with 110 kW / 150 PS: The New Beetle 1.8 T was positioned above the New Beetle 2.0. Its four-cylinder turbo engine brings a dynamic 110 kW / 150 PS. In this version the New Beetle is 203 km/h fast. An exterior characteristic of the sporty model is a rear spoiler that automatically extends or retracts depending on the speed of the vehicle. An automatic transmission is available on request for the 1.8 T. The sporty New Beetle uses 8.1 liters every 100 kilometers when in combined use.

Overview of diesel engines

1.9 TDI with 77 kW / 105 PS: Since the end of 2001, there is also a TDI engine with pump-valve injection combined with a five-gear transmission available. For the 2006 model, this was expanded to 77 kW / 105 PS. The torque strong diesel engine (240 Newton meters at 1,800 rpm) provides the New Beetle with good performance (maximum speed 178 km/h) and a very low fuel consumption of only 5.1 liters for every 100 kilometers.

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The New Beetle Convertible
Summer feeling in the cult convertible
A perfected design sharpens the character of the New Beetle Convertible
The optimized TDI motor now brings 77 kW / 105 PS.

Volkswagen has perfected the New Beetle Convertible for the ride through the upcoming summer season. Distinguishing exterior features: headlights, taillights, bumpers and fenders in the style of the hot study of the New Beetle Ragster. More than ever, the New Beetle Convertible has become a statement for all those whose car reflects the mobile part of their way of life.
Fact is: this Volkswagen draws attention unlike any other car. Non-envious, joyous attention and looks. The unparalleled silhouette of the arguably most famous design in the world also turns this Volkswagen into a cult car. Without being a copy of the classic, this New Beetle Convertible shows clear parallels to the historic Beetle, with its open top resting on the rear of the car.
For the 2006 model, Volkswagen gave the New Beetle Convertible a discrete fine-tuning. New lights, a performance optimized TDI motor with 77 kW / 105 PS and a slightly altered, tighter contour. Also new: some of the paint colors as well as new rims.

DESIGN /
Finishing touches in the details, new fenders,
bumpers, taillights and headlights.

Some of the basic shapes of the body were revised by the Volkswagen designers: among them the synthetic fenders and the front bumpers that received a sportier look through a radiator grille. The designers also slightly changed the lights and beams. The blinkers are narrower and the clear glass headlights have a more oval shape which makes them even more defined. The optical change in the taillights is visible with a white-in-red circle. The hood ornaments on the front and rear have also been attuned.

MODIFIED EQUIPMENT DETAILS /
New paint colors, new rims and new
equipment packages provide even more individuality

New colors such as “Salsa Red”, “Gecko Green” and “Arctic Blue Silver” Metallic bring a fresh breeze into the New Beetle Convertible world. Altogether 15 colors are available that are coordinated with three seat fabric colors. Apart from black, you can also order the soft top in Titan grey and cream color and choose between manual or electric operation. In addition the interior designers showcase a new seat cover collection as well as shiny chrome framing on various instruments and vents.
Furthermore, New Beetle Convertible buyers have additional creative elements available through the updated wheel features. Some of the features include newly designed hubcap for 16 inch steel wheels, several new and attractive 16 and 17 inch light metal wheels that can be special ordered and dominate the appearance of this convertible.
Speaking of special orders: the two new equipment packages "Exclusive" and "Premium" are available immediately with plenty of extras at an excellent price. Air-conditioning, an alpha radio system, a central locking system with remote control, power windows in the front as well as individually collapsible rear seatbacks are just a few of the extras that are part of the “Exclusive Package” we have for our customers.
The „Premium Package”, is an even better value and has special advantages for the convertible driver. Apart from heatable front seats, fog lights and heatable windshield wiper nozzles, an additional windblocker prevents interior air turbulence. From the outside, the New Beetle with “Premium Package” can be easily distinguished by the “Las Vegas” design 16-inch light metal rims. Despite the innovations in the 2006 model, customers don’t have to do without an all-time favorite. The nostalgic flower vase on the dashboard will of course remain in the future

CONVERTIBLE TOP / CARGO AREA /
Open and closes in only 13 seconds;
year round soft top is a classic

The top of the New Beetle Convertible was designed as a weatherproof, year round top. The soft top can be operated either manually or with electro hydraulics (optional). The soft top frame is covered by the roof lining that has three folding areas that fold up into a Z shape. These three areas are formed by the segment directly behind the A column which is where the fastening mechanism is located, a middle segment and the rear part of the roof which has an integrated heatable mineral glass rear window. On one hand, this type of construction offers a low construction height when the top is down and additionally, it has allowed the engineers to achieve a comparatively easy opening with the mechanic version. Furthermore, the outside shell of the folding top is pulled taut and through the appropriate connection with the frame does not billow out even at high speeds.
To open the top you just release the one hand lever in the front cross beam. When this is done, the power windows lower themselves by 60 millimeters. With the electro hydraulic top, the technically complex opening process only takes 13 seconds. After that, the power windows can be either raised or completely lowered with the push of a button.
Volkswagen delivers the New Beetle Convertible standard with a tarp that matches the interior color and that can be pulled over the folded soft top. On longer rides, this also functions as a dust cover, although it is not mandatory to mount the tarp.
There is also an optional rear windscreen that can be easily attached in the back. It significantly reduces the air turbulences in the interior. Because it can be folded into four pieces, the rear windscreen can be stowed away in a space saving manner in the 201 liter cargo area. Additionally, the rear seat back is equipped with a load-through (plus optional ski bag), so that you can even stow longer items (up to 1.90 meters) with no problem inside the car.

SAFETY /
Efficient rollover bar protection system,
front and head-side impact airbags, front headrests and ESP

The New Beetle Convertible is one of the safest open-air vehicles on the market. For example, Volkswagen proved the safety of its vehicles in an impressive way at an extensive rollover test by ADAC, where the New Beetle Convertible achieved the best result. An important component for this success is the standard rollover protection. The system is located behind the rear seatback. Rollover and crash sensors determine the danger of a possible rollover and activate the protection system through a control unit. When this happens, two support columns pop up immediately and together with the reinforced windshield frame secure all four seats of the Volkswagen. Additional safety is offered through the front and combined head-side airbags that come standard.
But the zinc-plated body, which is reinforced in all the essential areas and carries a 12-year guarantee against corrosion, also offers a maximum in safety and comfort. Targeted reinforcements in the body shell such as solid firm pipes in the A (windshield area) and B columns (in the body sides) as well as additional pipes in the doors and on the rear seat crossbeam, lead to optimum stability.
Just as exemplary as the crash performance is the special vibration comfort of the New Beetle Convertible – an area where, especially in the convertible car category, you will experience under certain circumstances vibration of the steering wheel and unpleasant auto-body movement. The Volkswagen’s convertible resists these tendencies, because it is high torsion proof, has a motor-transmission unit which is designed to serve as a vibration absorber, has a stabilizing capsule made of aluminum, located under the motor, and also contains additional diagonal rear axle struts.

INTERIOR /
Perfection in the details
and an incomparable interior design

With its spacious and comfortably designed interior, the New Beetle Convertible is a well-equipped four-seater. The interior of the newest generation, which is the most avant-garde yet, has received several small changes that give it more vigor and a higher quality rating. Some of the innovations in the cockpit are the combination instrument with chrome frame and the new chrome frames around the vents. Also new are the seat cover fabric designs “Luna” and “Grafic”, which come in Black, Flanell Grey, Cream, Mellow Yellow and Aquarius Blue.
The convertible also has a central armrest, located between the two front seats, with a storage compartment which can be locked. A six CD changer can be installed in the storage area as an optional upgrade.