AGoogle search for the most iconic cars of all time sees the original Volkswagen (VW) Beetle popping up on almost every list. It’s possibly the world’s most famous car ever, with 22 million sold over 65 years across the globe. Hitler, Hollywood and hippies gave the Beetle a cult-like following and a special place in the automotive hall of fame.
India, however, was never really part of the Beetle history. Our equivalent was the Ambassador and then the Maruti 800, our very own people’s car. By the time our market was opened to the outside world, to global auto makers like VW, which finally came to India in 2007, the iconic Beetle was long gone.
However, VW didn’t completely abandon the Beetle. In 1998, the Bug returned, albeit more in spirit than anything else. The front-engine, front-wheel-drive New Beetle had nothing in common with its ancestor other than the rounded silhouette, but it at least kept the lineage going.
The thing is, a VW range without a Beetle is like an Udupi restaurant without sambhar—it just has to be on the menu, even in India. That’s why VW is reviving the Beetle yet again, even though there may be few takers for it. VW sold just around 250 units of the New Beetle over four years in India, before it was discontinued in 2013.
The new car, launched here on 19 December and just called the Beetle, is VW’s second shot at a modern avatar of the famous original. The new design is cleaner looking and more masculine than before, with the aim of attracting male buyers who were put off with the previous car’s girlie looks. Bigger, wider and more spacious, and underpinned with modern mechanicals, the current Beetle is relying less on the nostalgia quotient and more on product attributes for its appeal.
The last Beetle felt clunky on Indian roads and lacked the dynamic prowess to be anything more than a fashion accessory. The new car, however, promises to be more engaging to drive.
VW India has launched the Beetle with just one engine and gearbox option—a 147.5 bhp, 1.4-litre turbo petrol mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The 1.4 TFSI engine is a more modern and powerful derivative of the 1.4-litre turbo petrol in the Indian Jetta sedan. Using a “twincharger”, or a turbocharger and supercharger, to provide grunt at both ends of the revolution band, the Beetle springs into action more like a scalded cat than a slow bug. In fact, it’s more performance-minded than we expected. The engine is silky smooth, delivers easy performance and revs quite freely too.
It doesn’t handle with the same verve as other VW cars, however, and there’s an overall sogginess to the dynamics that doesn’t encourage you to push too hard. The steering too lacks precision and feels a little vague off-centre.
The ride quality, however, is quite cushy, and unlike the previous iterations, absorbs imperfections far better. The grip is pretty impressive too, and the Beetle hangs on gamely through corners, but there’s a fair bit of body roll, which discourages you from pressing on harder.
Beetle owners will love the interiors, which are typically VW and reek of quality. The switchgear and tactile surfaces are all top-notch and the dashboard’s retro theme has a lot of character. Our test car came with bright-red paintwork splashed across the dashboard, steering wheel and the tops of doors. This seriously livens up the interiors and I hope that VW India will offer this option over the regular all-black theme.
The dashboard itself is a bit retro, with rounded ends that hark back to the original Beetle. The vertical dashboard and the old-fashioned glovebox remind you of the original too, while the flat-bottomed steering wheel adds a sporty touch. The seats are generous, though on the firm side, and short drivers may have a problem peering over the tall dashboard. The rear seat is more spacious than in its predecessor but the Beetle can’t really be classified as a proper four-seater. However, the 310-litre boot has a generous amount of space which can be further enhanced by flipping down the rear seats. The Indian car will come with goodies like a panoramic roof, six airbags with an electronic stability programme and anti-lock braking system safety features, and bi-xenon headlamps with daytime running lights as standard.
The Beetle is now bigger, better and nicer to drive than its predecessor, and is priced at Rs.28.73 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). For the same money, there are more practical choices out there, but it’s not about how it drives. The Beetle’s distinctive styling and enduring image are the main reasons to buy one.
