A more mature Beetle?

posted on September 30th, 2008 by Kleo in Volkswagen, Advanced Auto NEWS

If there’s one thing that can be said about the Volkswagen Beetle, it’s that the car is certainly not an example of conservative styling. No one is expecting the car to lose its distinctive shape, but what if the next-generation Beetle looked a little less like a plastic imitation of itself? According to Volkswagen’s design boss, the 2010 Beetle will be decidedly more mature.

“The future New Beetle should look less toyish,” Walter De’ Silva told industry trade publication Automotive News. De’ Silva, who is in the director of design for the entire Volkswagen Group, says the new Beetle will be “much more mature” than the existing model.

He also said the next-generation Beetle will also have a more functional cabin. The current iteration has been criticized for a lack of spaciousness when compared to the Rabbit/Golf, which is built on the same platform.

In early 2007, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reported the new Beetle would ditch its retro styling for a more modern look. The magazine claimed the car would become sportier, with the aim of competing more directly with BMW’s MINI. De’ Silva didn’t provide specifics of the new design, but the lower roofline and longer wheelbase called for by AMS sounds reasonable.

Recent speculation suggests VW might be planning a rear-engine version of the Beetle, reminiscent of the original. De’ Silva did not comment on the rumors, which circulated widely in the German press over the summer.

leftlanenews.com

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