Volkswagen’s New Beetle has made it onto a list of the ugliest cars of the past 50 years in what is not great timing for the company as it (finally!) prepares the successor to the New Beetle. The list was compiled by Business Week, and includes some classic ugly cars and a few surprises, too. Making the list was also the Jeep Compass, Toyota Prius and 2002 BMW 7-series.

The New Beetle update should appear in 2012 and might be anything from a sportier version, to a low-cost entry level option to revive sales. If this ugly car list is anything to go by, Volkswagen is going to really have to pull the rabbit out of the hat on this one. See all the ugly cars at The Car Connection.

Continue reading: New Beetle makes ugliest car list

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

Continue reading: Volkswagen 2012 new Beetle

Do you know the current New Beetle? The cute Wolfsburg model with a friendly and cartoon-like style that revived the 1938 version…? Yes? Well, forget it because Volkswagen’s got some big changes on its mind for the next little beetle, which will be far less playful the today’s model.

The aim is to increase sales on the current model (which haven’t been entirely satisfactory) by developing a more sporty image and masculine lines. In fact, it’s the male public, generally disinterested in the series, that VW has in its sights.

The new-New Beetle will be on the market in 2010 and will look like a semi-coupè. As revealed by a VW internal source to AutoExpress, the body work will be cleaner and more decisive, and unlike the Mini, the current model and new model will be different from each other.

Continue reading: Volkswagen: the beetle goes sporty