The Volkswagen VW Beetle is about to die for a second - and almost certainly final - time. The third generation of Volkswagen’s original model will go out of production in June 2019.
The reason VW decided to announce its demise so far ahead of time is because sales will now tick up as the clock counts down. Telling potential customers that a unique car is dying and won’t be replaced is a sure way of stoking demand. And US sales of the Mexican-built model were down to just 15,000 units last year.
The Beetle and its van sister have a huge place in California’s automotive heritage. The two vehicles were an integral part of the hippy era and Beetle ownership on the West Coast is a bit like Mini ownership for middle-aged Brits. Everyone either owned one or spent a lot of time travelling in one.
VW’s US advertising for the Beetle is now also part of America’s media legend. Selling a small, underpowered European oddity that dated from before World War II in a country that thrived on huge Detroit metal powered by huge Detroit engines required - and received - enormous originality.
More news from the floor at the LA motor show
While the final-edition model of the current Beetle sat quietly in the corner of the VW stand, the company had two absolute corkers of the original VW models at the LA show. A 1964 black Beetle with a magnificent period roof rack and a VW van finished in the livery of Telefunken, a historic German TV and radio manufacturer.
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Surfin USA....!
It looks great, but would it work?(sorry, bad pun), there are, will be many other brands on sale soon, to good a market to miss out on,as a recreational Vehicle?,yeah, this is where it would score, sort of Grandson of the original split Window from way back.
Sun, sea and...
dirty diesel..
I like both retro 1 & retro 2
I like both retro 1 & retro 2 Beetles. They are successful styling exercises. True, packaging is disastrous, but so is the typical coupe. The lack of practicality makes the retro Beetle no more than a niche product. But this ID Buzz combines practicality and style. After so many false starts and wasted opportunities let's hope this one will make production.