The new Volkswagen Beetle for 2012 is turning into a big car on the US car market, despite its size, and after the first Beetle tuning from VWvortex, we get this limited edition Beetle Black Turbo Launch Edition. A production run of just 600 is planned for this model, and it can be ordered with a deposit of a mere 495 USD. The model will cost 24,950 USD (taxes excluded), which is equivalent to about 17,400 euros.

The Beetle Black Turbo Launch Edition comes with the 2.0 TSI Turbo engine with 200 hp, DSG gearbox and sports suspension. That’s quite an offer, when you think about it, but on a first come, first served basis, there should be a rush on the limited number. The model is available only in pearl black, with shiny wheels, dedicated graphics and interior carbonfibre trim.

Compare that to the standard Volkswagen Beetle entry level model for the US which is based on the five-cylinder, 2.5-litre aspirated engine with 170 hp costing 18,995 USD, and you’ve got yourself a near bargain. Here in Europe, the 2012 Beetle will arrive in autumn with a range of turbo TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines.

Volkswagen Beetle Black Turbo Launch Edition for US

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What looks good on a Porsche 911 GT3 RS won’t always look good on a Volkswagen, and I personally find this a rather garish effort for the first new 2012 Beetle tuning. But then again, we are in the world of tuning where exaggeration is prized, and we’re talking a big arrival on the car market this year in the form of the 2012 Volkswagen Beetle.

The Beetle RS Stage 1 comes from the guys at VWvortex and the eye-catching livery is inspired by the Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The model seen is a pre-production Beetle as the car won’t actually be on the market for tuners to get their hands on for another few months. This tuned Beetle has a set of VMW 710 20-inch wheels in orange, and Continental ExtremeContact DW tyres. Bright red callipers are thrown in for good measure.

A few graphics, brushed titanium and some blacked-out chrome trim finish the exterior, although you might be wondering with a name like “stage 1″ what stage two might involve. According to the guys at CarScoop it will be a 997 GT3 RS inspired rear wing.

Continue reading: Volkswagen Beetle Project RS by VWvortex

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We love what Volkswagen is doing with its new 2012 Beetle car commercials. Here we see the first Volkswagen Beetle commercial take up the original Superbowl teaser video and get all masculine and mean. With the Black Betty soundtrack and some great animation of the beetle doing some sliding around the bends, we’re hoping the new “driver oriented” feel lives up to expectations.

There is likely to be a future Volkswagen Beetle R to help in that enterprise if the standard model doesn’t quite make it. If it makes it to production, it will probably use the 2.0-litre turbo engine of the Golf R and Scirocco R, and we can see that in this video, VW wants us to have fun. The unfortunate reputation of an oversized toy that the previous new Beetle model gained, is being firmly shoved into the background.

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It’s no surprise that the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will get a drop-top version, possibly to arrive as early as next year as a 2013 model. In line with its retro style the Beetle cabrio will have a fabric roof and will most likely get the same engine range as the coupé. In addition, word from the US is that there will be a Volkswagen Beetle R performance version.

Car and Driver says the Beetle R has been confirmed and are predicting the same two-litre turbocharged powerplant as the Golf R. It will still be a front-wheel drive model though, and no arrival date has been revealed at this stage. We think that while VW has confirmed this model, it will probably hold off releasing a Beetle R to see how the new Beetle goes in its revived ‘driver-orientated’ state.

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The new Volkswagen Beetle configurator is already online after the new model recently got its presentation at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show. We probably need to see the Beetle in the flesh to compare the changes made on the revamped model, but in any case Volkswagen is betting on its driver oriented experience coming through. With more competition on the retro revival scene, we doubt the Beetle will conquer the masses as it previously did, but we could be proved wrong. Sportier, more modern and at a competitive price with Mini in its sights, the 2012 Beetle could have an even wider appeal than the first cutesy revival did. In any case, see the Beetle configurator for all the options available.

Continue reading: New Volkswagen Beetle configurator online

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The new Volkswagen Beetle is at the 2011 Shanghai Motor Show and we can see the updated 2012 Beetle pics here. Since revival and retro models are fashionable in the new millennium, it’s easy to underestimate what it means from a historic and nostalgic point of view to see a new Beetle arrive. It’s a model which has for decades marked the story of the Volkswagen brand and while the “cute” model previously exploded onto the market, this time round it has been a harder business case for VW with more competition.

Which is why the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle is more “driver oriented” and “dynamic and masculine”. We can see more of the sports coupé inspiration in this updated model, which is 15cm longer than the previous one. It is lower, more aggressive and sportier and that will all come in handy when it hits the market.

According to Autoblog, the live New York Beetle presentation had Luca de Meo indicating that this model has to bring back the spirit of the original, which we assume means it got lost along the way with the first revival. It is designed to be “affordable, tough, and easy to use” but needs to be relevant to the 21st century. The interior looks pretty snazzy and we’re quite taken with the Beetle in red, too.

We should see the Volkswagen Beetle in Europe in autumn and will get a thoroughly modern engine range compared to the previous line-up from the Golf IV. The Beetle engines, petrol options, are: TSI 1.2 litre with 105 hp, 1.4 with 160 hp and the 2.0 with 200 hp. The diesels are: 1.6 TDI with 105 hp and a 2.0 with 140 hp. Packing a little more technology into the thing, is also the DSG dual-clutch transmission and an XDS electronic front differential.

New 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

Continue reading: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle official pics

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The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will debut at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show - an announcement which seems to have irked US customers a little, given the huge success the New Beetle originally had on that market. But after a cute Beetle Superbowl ad, Volkswagen has managed to find the solution to appeasing the US as well, with a live streaming MTV event for the Beetle.

As the new Volkswagen Beetle is unveiled in China at the Shanghai show, an MTV live streaming service will broadcast to New York and Berlin, as well, with money being splurged on a Black Eyed Peas live performance, too. That’s a big ticket event for the Beetle in the US and follows a give-away on the Oprah show in the “favourite things” slot. If you don’t happen to be in Shanghai, Berlin or New York, you should be able to see this online.

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The new Volkswagen Beetle will be the star of the European advertising effort at the US Super Bowl event. We were hoping for an early release for the 2012 Beetle either over the weekend or at least some time in March, but it looks like Volkswagen will drag this one out to maximise interest (autumn is promised as the arrival date of the new Beetle). We got another teaser video instead, but we still like it.

We’ve previously spoken of the advertising phenomenon that is the Super Bowl, and for Europeans it’s a curious thing to look on at the new ads produced every year in this particular battle ground. We’ve nominated the 2012 Beetle advertising as the star because they’ve managed to produce a cute but cool car commercial that is likely to give the new Beetle that extra sports flavour it needs.

After the jump, you can also see the Super Bowl ad for the Volkswagen Passat. It takes on a cultural icon like Star Wars and makes what isn’t a bad video. We like it just for the father’s expression at the end. It’s clearly not in the same league as the Beetle commercial, but we can see that Volkswagen could be gaining ground on the US car market, and a Super Bowl advertising presence is more than essential.

Continue reading: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle star of Super Bowl: Europe in America

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The new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will be unveiled on February 6, as shown in this Beetle video teaser just 16 seconds long. We love the video, and its style suggests what we’ve already been lead to believe about the new VW - the Beetle will be sportier, more fun to drive and of course, more efficient. We’ve already seen plenty of spy shots and the Oprah Winfrey favourite things Volkswagen Beetle giveaway has generated much interest for a model with which Volkswagen hopes to get some of its retro mojo back. The new Beetle should feature at the US Superbowl event meaning the American car market is getting some special attention from the new Volkswagen. February 6 is just a scuttle away for this new model (if it’s getting a full reveal at the Superbowl event), and we’ll be keen to see the showdown with Mini and the Fiat 500.

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The new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle silhouette has been revealed by Oprah Winfrey as she does a Beetle giveaway as part of the “Oprah’s Ultimate Favorite Things” giveaway. The US television host is winding up her career with this kind of gesture as audience members get expensive gifts bestowed on them.

Brand endorsement of this level will only be a coup for the new Volkswagen Beetle, especially as the popularity of the model has fallen away, particularly with revival challengers like the Mini and Fiat 500 on the market. VW USA has confirmed that it was Oprah who approached them about the giveaway. She has apparently seen the completed new car but the new Beetle won’t be officially revealed until spring next year and the audience members present at the show will receive their car in autumn next year.

As we already guessed the 2012 Beetle will be a sportier model with stiffer suspension, dual exahusts, 19-inch wheels and sports seats. It will also get all the modern comforts like Bluetooth technology and touch screen console. Given the emergence of this new marketing project, it would seem that the Beetle is production ready, confirming the spy shots we’ve seen recently. It will be available with diesel and petrol engines but there’s no word on a performance or hybrid model yet.

Source | Autoblog.com

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These spy shots of the Volkswagen New Beetle show that in the new version of the new bug we’ll be getting something a lot sportier than previously. The New Beetle has a lowered and more sloping roof line and what looks like a wider and lower wheelbase. The wheel arches seem to take on a slightly more flared look as well. VW might not be able to replicate the original success of the Beetle revival but this is certainly what it needed to modernise it more.

When you think about it, the New Beetle is really more of a 90’s car and now that we’re nearly in 2011, a few tweaks were well overdue. This, especially considering the massive success of the Mini revival and the Fiat 500 following closely behind, the New Beetle needed to stay vintage cute but tap into its sports soul a bit more.

Rumours are that the New Beetle could be revealed at the Los Angeles show and while clearly what we’ve got is a near-ready car, it’s still in testing phase at the moment. If you wanted this for Christmas, you might have to wait. The 2012 Beetle will be based on the Golf VI platform and while it should include VW’s 2.5-litre petrol plant and the 2.0 TDI diesel, company sources say that something more powerful will also be available. To be precise, something you can take to the track….

Volkswagen 2012 New Beetle spy shots

Source | Autoblog.com

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The Volkswagen New Beetle is set to debut in 2012, with a bigger back seat and hopefully some other changes that will revive its lagging fortune. The small city car has proved to be a model that Volkswagen subsequently ignored, but the success of the Fiat 500 shows there’s still a market out there for small car revivals.

If our reports last year are anything to go by, the Volkswagen New Beetle could get sporty, making it far more competitive to the Mini and Fiat 500 than it previously was. While sources indicate that Volkswagen is going for a low-cost, entry-level vehicle, we think that the new-new Beetle is going to have to be something special to get back the sales it first had on appearing in 1998. We’re thinking coupe, sports-style (Mini coupe concept anyone?), meaning that the low-cost bracket might not be so achievable.

Source | Autoblog

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