2012 Volkswagen Beetle will arrive in British showrooms next spring with a starting price of £16,490 OTR

The brand-new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will arrive in British showrooms next spring with a starting price of £16,490 OTR. However, the German firm is accepting orders from today.

In the UK, the new Beetle will launch with two available petrol engines, a 1.2-litre TSI unit with 105-horses linked to a seven-speed DSG transmission and a 1.4-litre TSI delivering 160HP with a six-speed manual gearbox.

Buyers can choose from three trim levels Beetle, Design and Sport. The 1.2-litre is offered in Beetle or Design trim from £16,490 (RRP OTR) and the 1.4-litre in Design or Sport trim from £19,470.

The based Beetle comes equipped with standard air conditioning, remote central locking, an RCD 310 CD system with DAB radio and rear Isofix seat preparation.

The mid-level Design grade adds 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth with MDI (multi-device interface) and iPod connectivity, front fog lights, an alarm, an RCD 510 DAB CD/radio, multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel and body-coloured door and dashboard panels.

The Sport trim brings in 18-inch alloys, tinted glass, cruise control, sports seats, parking sensors, gloss black door mirrors, dashboard and door panel and 2-Zone electronic climate control.

Volkswagen will further enhance the Beetle's range in the UK with the introduction of three more powerplants including a 1.6-litre TDI BlueMotion diesel with 105HP, a 2.0-litre TDI diesel with 140HP and a 2.0-litre TSI petrol with 200HP, along with the option of a 6sp manual gearbox for the 1.2-litre TSI model, in the second half of 2012.

VW Bulli as a Microbus Successor

VW management is “very seriously” considering a plan to put the Bulli concept MPV into production according to media reports. The Bulli was launched at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show as a study about a modern, eco-friendly replacement of the iconic Microbus of the ‘60s.

Initially there was no intention to produce the Bulli, but the public’s positive reaction to the concept study has made VW reconsider.

After all, along with models such as the Beetle, the microbus concept is part of VW’s heritage. And at a time when the competition is particularly fierce, the Wolfsburg-based carmaker is thinking about placing its rich heritage to good use.

If the Bulli project receives gets the green light, it will be built at VW’s Puebla plant in Mexico alongside the brand-new Beetle with which it will share its platform architecture. The choice of Puebla makes perfect sense, since the majority of Bulli’s production would be directed to the US market where the original Microbus was most popular.

The Bulli concept is a small, five-seat MPV measuring 3.99 m in length, 1.75 m in width and 1.70 m tall, with 2.62 m long wheelbase.

VW Group’s head of design, Walter da Silva, recently told Autocar magazine that the company is positive about producing the Bulli: “We don’t have space for another MPV, but as a designer I am convinced by this idea. This one would be desirable on a different level, combining practicality with heritage appeal”.

The study that VW presented in Geneva was a pure electric vehicle with a 40 Kw lithium-ion battery that can be charged in less than an hour at a charging station. The electric motor produces 85 Kw (114HP) and 270 Nm (199 lb-f) of torque. If deemed necessary, the Bulli can also incorporate a gasoline or diesel range extender internal combustion engine.

As a pure EV, its maximum range is 185 miles (300 km), it accelerates from 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in a brisk 11.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 87 mph (140 km/h).

If it finally gets the go-ahead, it could go on sale as early as 2014.

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Volkswagen Beetle Limited Run Black Edition Photos

New Cars, Reports, VW, VW Beetle,

As the name suggests, the first 2012 Beetle available for pre-order is based on the 2.0L TSI model fitted with a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine pumping out 200-horsepower and 207 lb-ft. of torque, coupled to a standard dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Only 600 examples will be built, all finished in an exclusive black pearl paint with gray Turbo decals on the side. Other standard features include 18-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, beefed up brakes with red calipers, a “kaeferfach” additional glovebox that is similar to that of the original Beetle, sport cloth seating surfaces, foglights, and alloy pedals. Bluetooth technology, iPod connectivity, three-color ambient lighting and an RCD 310 sound system with eight speakers are also offered as standard.

Pricing for the 2012 Beetle Black Turbo Edition is set at $24,950 plus a $770 delivery charge. Volkswagen asks potential buyers to pay a $495 reservation fee that goes towards the final purchase of the car, with the company promising a “no hassle” refund policy for those that change their mind down the road.

Once the car goes on sale this fall, U.S. customers will also be able to purchase the 170HP 2.5-liter model at a starting MSRP of $19,765, the standard 200HP 2.0 TSI version priced from $24,165 and the 140HP 2.0-liter diesel model, the price of which has not yet been announced.

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2012 Volkswagen Beetle Inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS

The 2012 Beetle RS Stage 1 is the creation of the Volkswagen-loving crew at VWvortex who were given a pre-production model by the German firm to work on. Since the vehicle came with no registration and license plates, the team decided to skip on the engine modes for now and concentrate on the styling aspect of the tune, which as you may have already guessed by now, was inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3RS.

Starting with the wheels, VWvortex fitted the new Beetle with a set of VMR710 20-inch alloys with a 35 offset. The rims are finished in orange and are wrapped around in Continental ExtremeContact DW 245-35ZR20 tires. Behind the front wheels is a Brembo Stage II brake kit with 14" front two-piece cross drilled rotors, four-piston radial mount calipers, aluminum mounting brackets, stainless braided lines and pads.

The exterior makeup is limited for now to Beetle RS graphics finished in orange on either side of the car, the blacked out chrome strips on the lower part of the doors and the front grille, plus the 3M Titanium Brushed wrap for the rear VW logo. The team’s next upgrade will include a 997 GT3 RS-style rear wing.

Once VW comes out with the series production model, the plan is to move on with the performance upgrades said to include a turbo and exhaust system upgrade, and a locking torque-biasing differential.

Source: VWvortex 

It Came from eBay Hell: Thunder Ranch Riot with Scat Crate Engine

If Geo had asked Isuzu to design them a car that would appeal to California’s surfer crowd in the mid-1990s, chances are it’d look a lot like the Thunder Ranch Riot. A fibreglass bodied, Volkswagen Beetle-based turnkey kit car, the Riot looks like a Geo Storm that’s been cut, shut and had Dodge Viper parts tacked on to its exterior. And it can be all yours for the low, low price of US$12,000.

Assembled over two years starting in 2007, this particular example has the floor plan from a 1972 Bug. It’s since been retrofitted with a Scat crate engine, customer paint, front disc brakes, CD player and wood grain dashboard.

In all fairness, this particular Riot appears to be well built and well looked after by its current owner. That’s more than we can say for some of the cars we’ve featured previously on the site. You can check out our full gallery and leave a comment below if you wish.

By Tristan Hankins

Link: eBay

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