From a regular car into an SUV and back into the shape of a regular car – the auto market is flowing like water through the cracks. Seeing that demand for the retro looks of the Beetle isn't that high, Volkswagen is going to offer an SUV version when the next generation of the car arrives in 2019.
To be honest, we expected the Beetle SUV sooner than that, as the Beetle Dune concept was officially approved for 2016 production. The difference here is that the SUV will likely have a bespoke body, while the Dune just has an Alltrack-style kit. Regardless, a softroader Bug makes a lot of sense when you consider classic air-cooled models were turned into Baja buggies. MINI has the Countryman, Fiat the 500X and both are doing rather well.
To make the Beetle SUV, Volkswagen will need to work out how to transform the MQB platform into a sexy coupe. This will have huge advantages in terms of weight, structural rigidity and the type of powertrains that can be used.
The market is very clearly headed towards a compact lifestyle vehicle for the urban adventurer. The same MQB platform is also going to be used by Audi to make its TTQ model, a 5-door with a chopped roof and all the features of a TT coupe, but riding high off the ground.
German magazine Auto Bild today reports on numerous SUVs it believes are coming until 2020. Among them is also a coupe version of the yet unrevealed Skoda Snowman model. The same source suggests the Beetle SUV will have a hybrid engine option for the US market with 204 horsepower (likely Golf GTE engine). It would come with jacked up suspension and the first 4Motion all-wheel drive system fitted to a mass-market Beetle.
2019 is the year when the Bulli van is scheduled to enter production as well. It will also go hybrid, maybe even fully electric. When the Microbus concept came out back in 2011, it had a 3+3 setup, which we're pretty sure is what people want.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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