Photo: Volkswagen
Volkswagen is in the middle of a cost-cutting campaign, and several reports have concluded that the current Scirocco and the Beetle will not get successors.
The situation of the Beetle and the Scirocco is not exactly a surprise, as no camouflaged prototypes of their replacements have been spotted while testing yet. As a rule of thumb, you normally get to see a covered-up prototype at least a year and a half before the official reveal of the new product.
Since the Scirocco’s replacement has yet to be seen, and the model has already been discontinued in some markets, the same is expected to happen to the Beetle. While it was updated for the 2017 model year, there is no word on an MQB-based Beetle in the future of Volkswagen’s line-up.
The Brits at Autocar have spoken with the Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, who was asked about the future of the Beetle and the Scirocco. The person in question is Arno Antlitz, and he explained that these two cars are part of an emotional and appealing class.
However, he also showed that the brand’s product planning is not welded on the idea of replacing cars from one generation to the next.
While the Scirocco has slim chances of being reinstated once the current generation leaves the production line, the Beetle’s iconic status has more potential of getting a successor. However, not all versions of this model will get replaced.
According to Mr. Antlitz, the Beetle Convertible outsells the hatch, which might justify its existence in the line-up going forward. Moreover, Volkswagen discontinued the convertible version of the Golf last year, and the Beetle remains the only model in this segment from Wolfsburg.
The latter could be enough to propel the development of a new Beetle, which could exclusively become a lifestyle car with convertible soft-top.
Since the Scirocco’s replacement has yet to be seen, and the model has already been discontinued in some markets, the same is expected to happen to the Beetle. While it was updated for the 2017 model year, there is no word on an MQB-based Beetle in the future of Volkswagen’s line-up.
The Brits at Autocar have spoken with the Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, who was asked about the future of the Beetle and the Scirocco. The person in question is Arno Antlitz, and he explained that these two cars are part of an emotional and appealing class.
However, he also showed that the brand’s product planning is not welded on the idea of replacing cars from one generation to the next.
While the Scirocco has slim chances of being reinstated once the current generation leaves the production line, the Beetle’s iconic status has more potential of getting a successor. However, not all versions of this model will get replaced.
According to Mr. Antlitz, the Beetle Convertible outsells the hatch, which might justify its existence in the line-up going forward. Moreover, Volkswagen discontinued the convertible version of the Golf last year, and the Beetle remains the only model in this segment from Wolfsburg.
The latter could be enough to propel the development of a new Beetle, which could exclusively become a lifestyle car with convertible soft-top.
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