Volkswagen redesigns Beetle

'Racier' third incarnation aimed at men and intended to boost manufacturer's sales in US
Dan Cook guardian.co.uk, Monday 18 April 2011 21.11 BST larger | smaller Article history

VW's new model ditches the domed roof and dashboard-mounted vase of the 1998 version. Photograph: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Volkswagen has unveiled the third incarnation of one of the world's best-selling cars, the Beetle.

The redesign sees a racier version of the Bug apparently aimed at men. Gone are the dashboard-mounted vase and cavernous "cathedral" roof of the previous design, and VW claims it is the sportiest Beetle yet.

Lower, wider and longer than its predecessor, the model looks more like a coupe, and will also feature a turbocharged version for the first time. However, the car has retained the cartoonish, triple-bubble lines of its predecessor.

It is only the third time the Beetle has been redesigned since it was created in 1938, on Hitler's orders. About 22 million were built over the following 60 years; only the VW Golf and the Toyota Corolla marques have sold more.

The New Beetle arrived in 1998. VW had clearly made strenuous efforts to retain the retro spirit of the Bug, which had long been a cult classic helped by a series of Disney films featuring Herbie, a Beetle rally car with a mind of its own.

The third-generation Beetle is intended to help VW increase its showing in the US market. It was unveiled at the Shanghai motor show yesterday, and will go on sale in Europe in the autumn.