Photo: autoevolution
Every time we ask old-school VW fans what they think should be the next car built by the Germans, the Bulli microbus usually pops un in the conversation. But despite unveiling a concept back in early 2011, they never actually got round to making it. Now a report from German media suggests they've given it the green light.
According to Auto Bild, a new generation of Beetle will be headed into production in 2019. It will not be a standalone coupe+convertible, but a whole family of cars, which include the Bulli, a sportscar with a chopped roof and Golf R powertrain and a crossover.
Starting with the Bulli, this little van will have a 5-door body and seating for five people. Being based off the MQB platform, it could also serves as a replacement for the Sharan, which other reports suggest will be killed off due to slow sales.
The crossover version of the Beetle is based on positive response for the Beetle Dune concept shown in January at the 2014 NAIAS. It would come with jacked up suspension and the first 4Motion all-wheel drive system fitted to a mass-market Beetle.
Lastly, a sport Beetle would silence the current generation's critics and would take care of their go-fast needs. Engines like the 300 PS 2-liter turbo or the 184 PS TDI would finally become available, something we wish could happen a little sooner than 2019.
Of course, 2019 is still 5 years away. It's way too early to be talking about actual production plans for a next-gen model of a car that's only been in production for 2 years. Those who are waiting with bated breath for any of these cars should remember the 2000 Beetle Dune Concept showed a lot of promise but never actually made it into production.
None of these funky spinoffs seem as relevant as the Bulli. In addition, it sounds like they're getting the formula wrong with a 5-seater. When the Microbus concept came out back in 2011, it had a 3+3 setup, which we're pretty sure is what people really want.
Starting with the Bulli, this little van will have a 5-door body and seating for five people. Being based off the MQB platform, it could also serves as a replacement for the Sharan, which other reports suggest will be killed off due to slow sales.
The crossover version of the Beetle is based on positive response for the Beetle Dune concept shown in January at the 2014 NAIAS. It would come with jacked up suspension and the first 4Motion all-wheel drive system fitted to a mass-market Beetle.
Lastly, a sport Beetle would silence the current generation's critics and would take care of their go-fast needs. Engines like the 300 PS 2-liter turbo or the 184 PS TDI would finally become available, something we wish could happen a little sooner than 2019.
Of course, 2019 is still 5 years away. It's way too early to be talking about actual production plans for a next-gen model of a car that's only been in production for 2 years. Those who are waiting with bated breath for any of these cars should remember the 2000 Beetle Dune Concept showed a lot of promise but never actually made it into production.
None of these funky spinoffs seem as relevant as the Bulli. In addition, it sounds like they're getting the formula wrong with a 5-seater. When the Microbus concept came out back in 2011, it had a 3+3 setup, which we're pretty sure is what people really want.
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