The Volkswagen Beetle of the 21st century was a very different vehicle than the bare-basic utilitarian transport for the masses Beetle that inspired it. Safe to say, it never won over anywhere near as many hearts and minds in its lifetime as the car it's derived from.
But at least in terms of a final sendoff, the Final Edition 2019 Volkswagen Beetle does at least remind us that Volkswagen remembers its heritage. Granted, there's a period between the late 30s and mid-1940s that they'd probably prefer we not talk about. But hey, it feels like every automaker has a dirty secret or two.
The 2019 Final Edition VW Beetles did at least let you know straight away that they aren't just any Beetle you'd find in a Wal Mart parking lot. Instead, it has some distinct features that, while subtle and reserved, definitely let you know there's something special sitting parked before you. Available in both coupe and convertible form, the Beetle Final Edition celebrates every design cue and quirky feature that made the car a worldwide household name.
Exclusive to the 2019 Beetle Final edition was a set of two unique colors, those being Safari Uni and Stonewashed blue. Both are homages to iconic and memorable Beetles from years gone by, including the 1970 Jeans Bug and 2003 Última Edición (last edition). Alloy wheels are essential to any range-topping variant of a vehicle, an attribute the Beetle Final Edition has in spades.
On offer for 2019 was a 17-inch alloy wheelset with 15 spokes on the SE trim or 18-inch white aluminum wheels in a disk arrangement somewhat reminiscent of the hubcaps typical on older Beetles. All Final Edition Beetles come equipped with VW's KESSY keyless access push button unit with a leather-wrapped steering wheel trimmed to match the color of the interior. It's all brought together by a tri-color ambient lighting system that shines just enough light onto the rhombus, shaped leather seats, and cabin to give an extra crisp touch to proceedings.
Photo: Volkswagen
Under the hood of the final Beetles sat a 174 horsepower, two-liter inline four-cylinder engine jetting 184 lb-ft of torque through the front wheels. Great fuel economy was a virtue the old Beetle had in droves. It's something the Final Edition Beetle also makes great use of. 26 miles per gallon in the city and 33 on the highway make for a car that needn't total itself in gas bills after only a few years.
A mere 3,000 of these particular commemorative Final Edition Beetles left the Puebla, Mexico production line between late 2018 and early 2019. Once the final example left the factory floor in 2019, the last chapter of the iconic Beetle story spanning eight decades, a World War, and the fall of communism, was put to rest for good. Pricing for the 2019 Beetle Final Edition coupe started at $23,045 for the SE models and $25,995 for higher trimmed SEL models.
Beetle Convertible Final Edition pricing started at $27,295 for SE models and $29,995 for SEL models. All in all, it wasn't a bad price at all for the amount of heritage and prestige behind the Beetle name. Millions of people loved it, and admittedly, many people hated Beetles. Be it in their classic or modern forms. But strictly from an investment perspective, is the Final Edition Beetle at least a worthy investment?
Well, a cursory glance at some North American online classifieds reveals a rare phenomenon in the car world. It appears the Final Edition Beetle has only gone up in value, not the other way around. One dealership in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, recently had a 2019 Better Final Edition for sale on their lot. Now, remember, the SEL Final Edition retailed for just under $30 grand. Today, that same vehicle is selling for $37,999. That's before any taxes or fees, mind you.
Photo: Volkswagen
Even if you hate Beetles, the people who drive them, and their perceived smug sense of superiority, any experienced car-flipper will tell you this is the kind of car that prints money for you as it sits on the late. Because whenever it does get sold, it's going to be for substantially more than even what it sold for new. As for VW in a post-Beetle world, you can't say that they've moved on from the whole nostalgia thing.
The ID. Buzz is preparing to launch in North America, and it's anyone's guess as to whether it makes anywhere near the same impact as the new Beetle did. If we had to guess, the old school VW "boogie bus" has a bit more flair to it than the old Bug. Only time will tell.
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