Photo: Volkswagen
Volkswagen’s Beetle has received a 2017 version, but this might not stop it from being discontinued by the end of 2018.
At first, rumors announced the possibility of phasing out the current Beetle by the end of 2018, with no direct replacement in sight. The idea behind the news was that Volkswagen’s sales results showed that the Beetle and its Cabriolet version were not doing very well, and that the company wanted to focus on crossovers instead of making a new Beetle.
As the months passed since the rumor and the 2017 Beetle was unveiled, Volkswagen’s problems caused by the Dieselgate scandal only got worse.
The company announced that it would focus on selling more crossovers and all-wheel-drive systems instead of putting new diesel cars on the American market.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen has shown a concept of an all-new electric vehicle, which was described by the company as being “as revolutionary as the Beetle.” The said exhibit is the I.D. Concept, which is an EV that has a size close to an ongoing VW Golf.
The compact hatchback from Volkswagen is also the platform donor for the Beetle, which is a car that needs something special to bring it back into the hearts of customers.
From January to the September 2016, Volkswagen sold 11,161 Beetle models in the United States of America. Compared to the year-to-date results of the same period in 2015, the drop in sales stands at 41.5%. The Cabriolet version of the Beetle was more affected than the Coupe, but sales have dropped for both body styles.
While electric vehicles do not have the best sales results in the industry at this time, Volkswagen might have a golden ticket in its hands. Instead of replacing the Beetle with a new model based on the Golf and nothing else to show for it, Volkswagen could turn the next Beetle into an electric model.
If Volkswagen does turn the Beetle into an EV, its iconic design might be replicated better than on the “revival” models because the result would have a trunk in the front, and the novelty of electric drive could bring more people in VW showrooms.
Unfortunately, there is no official word on Volkswagen’s plans regarding the Beetle after 2018, so it might just be discontinued at the end of that year.
As the months passed since the rumor and the 2017 Beetle was unveiled, Volkswagen’s problems caused by the Dieselgate scandal only got worse.
The company announced that it would focus on selling more crossovers and all-wheel-drive systems instead of putting new diesel cars on the American market.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen has shown a concept of an all-new electric vehicle, which was described by the company as being “as revolutionary as the Beetle.” The said exhibit is the I.D. Concept, which is an EV that has a size close to an ongoing VW Golf.
The compact hatchback from Volkswagen is also the platform donor for the Beetle, which is a car that needs something special to bring it back into the hearts of customers.
From January to the September 2016, Volkswagen sold 11,161 Beetle models in the United States of America. Compared to the year-to-date results of the same period in 2015, the drop in sales stands at 41.5%. The Cabriolet version of the Beetle was more affected than the Coupe, but sales have dropped for both body styles.
While electric vehicles do not have the best sales results in the industry at this time, Volkswagen might have a golden ticket in its hands. Instead of replacing the Beetle with a new model based on the Golf and nothing else to show for it, Volkswagen could turn the next Beetle into an electric model.
If Volkswagen does turn the Beetle into an EV, its iconic design might be replicated better than on the “revival” models because the result would have a trunk in the front, and the novelty of electric drive could bring more people in VW showrooms.
Unfortunately, there is no official word on Volkswagen’s plans regarding the Beetle after 2018, so it might just be discontinued at the end of that year.
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