Volkswagen has dropped a new turbocharged engine under the bonnet of the Beetle that makes its style not the only reason to smile. But two doors and a turbo don’t make a sports car
Volkswagen may have been the talk of the town when it launched its new Beetle back in early 2000, but with growing numbers on Australian roads, the reincarnated people’s car is no longer the novelty it was.
So in order to reinvigorate sales and create renewed interest in the car, the German maker has added some dash to its panache, with the launch of the Beetle Turbo.
It was always on the cards that the nostalgia-inducing retro-mobile would gain a broader spread of powerplants and the ubiquitous 1.8-litre turbo engine was a likely frontrunner.
Those familiar with the VW Group, whose products wear the badges of Audi, Volkswagen, SEAT, the soon to be relaunched down under Skoda, Lamborghini, Bentley and Bugati, will know that a great part of the firm’s success is down to economies of scale.
And nothing achieves easier than sharing engines and platforms. For Australian motorists, the 1.8 turbo can be found driving the Audi A3, the VW Golf GTi and the larger Passat sedan while the Beetle shares its underpinning chassis with the Golf and A3. Read more...