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Tue Sep 23, 2008 1:52 pm

Had a thought last night.

With the Fuel Demand, and prices skyrocketing, I wonder why
VW doesnt fire up the Production lines in Mexico again and start producing the Superbeetles once again. Seems like they could slap a small Catalytic converter on them and sell the hound out of them.

Some people ( me included ) dont need all the fancy luxuries such as heated seats nav systems etc...

It would be sweet to see an 09 or 2010 model superbeetle ( the real one ) sitting on the VW dealers lot. I know I'd buy one. Love to see them bring the Bus back as well.

Do you remember when you could go to a dealer and buy just a plain jane model of any car ( roll up windows, AM/FM radio, etc... ) for a whole lot less than the cars with added luxuries ? Then cars were about Transportation rather than Social Status. I miss that concept.

Anyway just a thought. It would be nice to see VW start producing the Real Beetle again.

Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:21 pm

that would be cool, but I think its more than the emissions stuff. I think it wouldn't meet the safety standards here.

Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:26 pm

rustfree1967bug wrote: that would be cool, but I think its more than the emissions stuff. I think it wouldn't meet the safety standards here.

If that silly little miniature "SMART" car can meet the standards how hard could it be to tweak the VW body to do so?

Dave

Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:34 am

djkeev wrote: rustfree1967bug wrote: that would be cool, but I think its more than the emissions stuff. I think it wouldn't meet the safety standards here.

If that silly little miniature "SMART" car can meet the standards how hard could it be to tweak the VW body to do so?

Dave
dont think it would be hard at all.
guess they dont want to make a crapload of money,i know i would buy one.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:12 am

Yeah, I guess some of the small cars out right now are probably no safer than the beetle.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:22 am

They'd have to be re-engineered with crumple zones, air bags, LATCH anchors, etc. Re-engineering costs money. I don't see how the American public, in love with huge gas-guzzling vehicles (not so much anymore, but a whole lot more than any other country), would buy enough of them for VW to make a profit. I mean, how well is the new beetle selling? Doesn't that get as good if not better gas mileage than an old beetle?

Would it be neat? Sure. Would it be practical? Nope. Are Germans practical? Yeah, you could say that.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:38 am

It would probably be cheaper and faster for VW to either produce a "standard" version of the current beetle, or bring over the polo or lupo models that get 70-80 mpg on diesel.

These models have available in Europe for years, but still not available here... talk about making a prius look like a buick in comparison. They are simply missing the boat. :roll:

Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:43 am

VW Doesn't want the practical reliable label anymore. They want the SUV / MINIVAN crowd that existed until about 6 months ago...

VW is now the Chrysler of 2002, except they have a neat talking car as spokesperson.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:14 am

I never understood that safety crap they've been trying to sell us for years, take the YUGO for instance in the mid 80s, there is no way that car was safer than a beetle being produced in Mexico at that time, the country of Yugoslavia had to go out of bussines to make that ticking time bomb of a car go away for good, other than really hot female tennis players, we can't name one good thing that ever came out of that part of the world.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:28 am

mannys66 wrote: I never understood that safety crap they've been trying to sell us for years, take the YUGO for instance in the mid 80s, there is no way that car was safer than a beetle being produced in Mexico at that time, the country of Yugoslavia had to go out of bussines to make that ticking time bomb of a car go away for good, other than really hot female tennis players, we can't name one good thing that ever came out of that part of the world.

Years ago I worked with a Russian who came to the USA with his family. He had been in the Russian army and stationed in Yugoslavia. He said it was senseless, he would walk down the street and shoot at people....Why?.... just because, and guess what? They shot at him for the same reasons! He never saw such a pointless conflict.

So, he came to America, became a citizen, his family did the same.
His son grew up and joined the US military, you see it coming, his son got stationed in Yugoslavia!!!!!
He used to mutter words I didn't understand about that happening!

Dave

Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:51 am

VW ended up with the Yugo assets, as well as Skoda.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 4:28 pm

djkeev wrote: rustfree1967bug wrote: that would be cool, but I think its more than the emissions stuff. I think it wouldn't meet the safety standards here.

If that silly little miniature "SMART" car can meet the standards how hard could it be to tweak the VW body to do so?

Dave
you might want to ck. the safety rating of that "silly little car"

Wed Sep 24, 2008 5:59 pm

Damn it, I want a Polo TDI!

Wed Sep 24, 2008 6:30 pm

safety standards doomed them.

VW is planning a new diesel rear-engined car for like 2012 or so, they say it's going to me a new-new-beetle

Wed Sep 24, 2008 7:09 pm

With the BIG car mentality of the general public in the US, things will not change very soon. I've been to the UK several times and find the transportation mentality over there to be right on the money. Small efficient cars and small efficient trucks are the norm for the most part. Even contractors use smaller vehicles. We have these giant SUVs, 3/4 ton cargo vans and 1 ton trucks because we "need" the space or hauling capacity, or just have a BIG ego. I say BULL___ ! Loose the gas guzzling cars, trucks and SUVs. Put the BIG car makers out of business or at least make them change their building practices.

I would love to see a revisiting of the beetle but doubt it would ever happen due to safety and pollution reasons alone.

Just my opinion.

Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:57 pm

Quote: Put the BIG car makers out of business

Our local ford dealer went under a few months back, then a couple of days ago the next closest one about 20 mi. away went under.

I'm sure toyota came here 40 or so years ago to "take on the big three", well they are winning.

Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:03 am

MODIFIER wrote: djkeev wrote: rustfree1967bug wrote: that would be cool, but I think its more than the emissions stuff. I think it wouldn't meet the safety standards here.

If that silly little miniature "SMART" car can meet the standards how hard could it be to tweak the VW body to do so?

Dave
you might want to ck. the safety rating of that "silly little car"

Oh, I'm well aware of the safety rating. Mercedes Benz has almost always been at the forefront of automotive safety and they didn't stop with the Smart. The reason it is so good is because of its very size. The axles are so close together that on a broadside hit they take a good part of the impact like two steel protection rods. The passenger cage is virtually indestructible as well.
The inherent shape of the old bug is strong, with some beefing up it could be quite a formidable safety cage.

With all of this wishing for the past to magically return, keep in mind that the newest old style beetles really didn't do all that well in the MPG department and that newer water pumpers (as all ready pointed out) far far exceed even the best old air cooled that was ever on the road. The newer air cooled didn't really do all that well in the get up and go department either as compared to almost any new water cooled.
Hmmm, what about handling!
Face it, the old air cooled Beetle is dead guys and most likely won't ever return.

The old Dodge slant 6 died because it simply could not be made to run clean enough for USA standards. It was a GREAT engine that rarely failed, just like the old VW air cooled, probably a better engine than the old air cooled. (and I'm a major air cooled VW fan!)

Dave

Sun Sep 28, 2008 12:48 pm

i work at a buy here pay here car lot, (high interest, bad credit, bankruptcy ok) and we sell a ton of suv's and minivans here.

granted our customers aren't the brightest people in the world. (most of them could get out from under their bad credit with a second job and a little thriftyness) but there is no slowing down the suv train.

gas prices really aren't crippling as much as people seem to think. somehow some way people are willing to sacrifice more in order to drive them. don't ask me why because i really don't know.

i don't see these people buying a beetle, unless they felt they could run over other peoples to feel "safe".

american people in general are not very practical, we'd rather have something be cute or sexy than practical. i see it every day on my car lot, the paint is scratched on the one they can actually afford, but since this other one makes their ego throb, they're willing to pay that much more for it.

i think taxing stupidity is a good start.

but i also think electric bugs would be a great way to help everyone out. we could name it "the zapper". put some 26 inch chrome rims on it, and make it rattle everything inside it apart with huge subwoofers, put some televisions in it, add chrome/shiny stuff wherever you want it, make it sparkle, and tell the new owners that by spending that extra 20 thousand dollars they're saving the earth and they won't have to pay as much for gas, so they will really "save" money too. heh