The redesigned Volkswagen New Beetle was revealed at the 1998 Detroit Auto Show.
The New Beetle was different from its predecessor, but the familiar shape
remains. The original Beetle goes back to Germany, 1938.
The car's features included a cute, rounded style exterior; adequate power
supplied by a horizontal, air-cooled, 4-cylinder engine and a simple, practical
interior. In America, the Beetle appeared in various roles from racing to custom
cars. This new model, recently revealed to the public, was the topic of much
attention, and eventually became the familiar icon it is today. The New Beetle
is based on its popular predecessor, and retains some of the familiar
characteristics. Exterior features include the rear fender, hood, roof, circular
headlights, rounded taillight lenses and the overall curved motif. The interior
features include an assist grip located above the passenger seat glove
compartment, B pillar with safety strap and the nostalgic dashboard flower vase.
The New Beetle embraced the style and feel of the vintage Beetle and infused it
with modern technology to make it a safe and reliable vehicle.
New items include a dual air-bag added for safety, a 2 liter 4 cylinder 115 HP
gasoline engine or a 1.9 liter diesel turbo 90 HP engine, both mounted in the
front. Mcpherson struts are used for the front suspension, and torsion beam
coils are used in the rear. These features and the new design make the New
Beetle stylish and easy to drive, and it will be a worldwide hit.
