Auto Sales By Segment In The USA And Canada - March 2011

After a trip south of the border, Canadians never cease to mention the huge number of trucks and sport-utility vehicles on American interstates. Based on March 2011 sales figures, however, it's the Canadian bunch which possesses the propensity for purchasing pickup trucks.

Seen in pie chart form, the difference between the Canadian and U.S. auto markets is stark but not at all what you'd expect based on Canada's higher fuel prices and higher vehicle prices. Nevertheless, when split up more thoroughly - as has been done all month on GoodCarBadCar.net - the smallest models make up the vast majority of Canadian car sales. Three in every ten new vehicle sales in Canada in March were part of this Graph. In the United States, on the other hand, the best-selling car is almost always a midsizer.

Just to clarify, the green "other" section of the U.S. Graph below is filled with defunct models which no longer appear in GCBC's charts like the Ford Crown Victoria and Kia Rondo as well as brands like Maserati which don't offer a model-by-model sales split. Those sorts form an inconsequential portion of the Canadian market. 

And how 'bout them Sprinters and Econolines? 

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Mitsubishi Eclipse Sales - Why They're Killing It

Production of the Mitsubishi Eclipse will end in August. Only the first two Eclipse generations had truly appealed to enthusiasts. The third-generation Eclipse maintained a measure of desirability. In the product planning stage for the fourth-gen Eclipse, Mitsubishi lost sight of what an Eclipse should be. The Eclipse isn't pretty. It isn't sporty in any meaningful way. It has muddied Mitsubishi's message in a way only the Lancer Evo X can replicate.

And so, Mitsubishi is halting production of the Eclipse at its Normal, Illinois, plant while also killing off the tremendously unpopular Endeavor. Filling the void in Normal will be the Outlander Sport, initially a success for Mitsubishi.

Current U.S. prices for the Eclipse began at $19,499 and rose to $29,408 for the V6-powered GT. The Eclipse Spyder is a $27,999 car, or $32,828 for the GT. Compare that the more powerful $22,145 2011 Ford Mustang, more refined $23,695 2011 Volkswagen GTI, more desirable $30,950 BMW 128i, or more unique $19,345 2011 Honda CR-Z.

Did Mitsubishi make a mistake in deciding to prematurely end the Eclipse's life? Obviously you haven't looked at the chart yet. Yearly volume for the Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder has fallen dramatically over the last decade. U.S. Eclipse sales dropped from over 72,000 in 2002 to just 4282 in 2010. 2010's Eclipse volume represented a 36% decline from 2009. 

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Sporty Car Sales And Premium Sporty Car Sales In Canada - March 2011

13 Canadian residents took possession of a 563-hp, 479 lb-ft V8 in March, a V8 ensconced in a gullwing body with a blunt, Mercedes-Benz-badged nose and AMG lettering on the trunklid. Love it or loathe it, the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG has the sort of presence a regular SL-Class Benz (18 March sales, down 25%) could only dream of carrying. 

Don't let yourself believe that Nissan GT-R sales are so low because its price is so high. The SLS AMG is twice as expensive, an Audi R8 is between 45 and 75% more expensive, and the naturally-aspirated Jaguar XK is similarly priced. No, the Nissan GT-R is no longer selling because those who wanted one got one and nearly every other buyer with $100,000 wants a premium badge. GT-R sales were off 88% in March and are down 79% year-to-date.

The GT-R wasn't the only sporting Nissan car with falling sales in March. The $40,898 2011 Nissan 370Z and $47,398 370Z Roadster dropped from 123 sales in March 2010 to just 45 in March 2011. Sales of the 370Z's value-oriented competitor, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, also dipped, but not nearly as badly. While the 4-door Genesis suffered a decline of 42%, the Genesis Coupe was down 18%. Amidst all the talk of Hyundai Canada's best ever month, only the Elantra and Sonata (and obsolete Entourage) posted year-over-year improvements. The Accent, Tucson, Santa Fe, Veracruz, and Genesis duo lost a combined 1086 sales last month. 

As for the greatest gains in the first chart you'll see below, those were put up by the Mazda RX-8 (up 400%) and Audi TT (up 32%). The Mitsubishi Eclipse was level at 49. All other posted declining sales.

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Minivan Sales And Truck Sales In Canada - March 2011

Chew on these facts. First, of the 27,869 new pickup trucks acquired in Canada in March 2011, 92.1% were sold by Dodge, Ford, and General Motors. Add to that the Japanese-badged trucks that are built right here in North America. 18.1% of all new vehicle sales in Canada last month were trucks. Compare that with the truck segment's 12.6% market share in the United States for a better idea of just how strong truck sales in Canada have been of late.

There were disappearing acts, however. Suzuki sold 6 Equators in Canada in March 2010 but none so far this year. It's still shown as the $34,995 2010 Suzuki Equator on Suzuki's Canadian website. Dodge Dakota sales, meanwhile, fell 10% in March and are off 13.2% year-to-date. Toyota truck sales dropped 16.8%. Honda Ridgeline sales were almost cut in half. And as you'd expect given their death notices, sales of the Ford Ranger and Mazda B-Series dropped 27.5% and 24%, respectively.

Yet sales of the Ford F-Series, Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado, and GMC Sierra - the major players - all increased thanks to huge incentives that helped some consumers quit their fretting over high fuel costs. Of that quartet, the Silverado's gain was greatest as Chevrolet posted a 28% increase in sales of Canada's fourth-best-selling truck.

The term, "minivan sales in Canada", has always been very nearly synonymous with, "Dodge Grand Caravan sales in Canada." 61% of the Graph below is taken up by a big blue slice of DGC, not to mention the 234-sale slice afforded to its twin, the Chrysler Town & Country . Toyota Sienna sales jumped 72.7% in March, Mazda 5 sales dropped 8.8%, and Honda Odyssey sales were up 51.1%. Nissan, just getting the Quest off the ground, saw sales of 2011 model increase tenfold over what was a basically un-marketed, defunct Quest in March 2010.

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Large Luxury Car Sales And Large Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - March 2011

53% of all BMW 7-Series sedans sold in Canada so far in 2011 came in the month of March. 46% of all new vehicles sold in Canada in 2011 were acquired in March, so it's not that crazy to see that March was worth so much to the big bruiser of a Bimmer. Lexus LS sales plummeted 61% in March to just 12. Only one Lexus LS600hL was sold in March, down from 5 in March 2010. Porsche Panamera sales took a slight dip, down four units (10%) to 36, but are up by one unit (1.3%) year-to-date. 

Sales in Jaguar showrooms across Canada increased 8% in March 2011, no thanks to the Jaguar XF's 25% decline nor the Jaguar XK's 13% drop. One year ago Jaguar Canada didn't sell a single XJ; this year Canadian residents picked up 23. XJ sales are up 378% in 2011. 

Similarly strong growth was posted by Audi Canada with its new A8 sedan. From two sales last March, sales of the A8 grew 750% to 17. Year-to-date totals are up 1225% to 53, or about the same as BMW's 7-Series total in March. Finally, sales of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (and its CL-Class coupe sibling) increased by 13 units to 70 and are up 23 units so far in 2011.

As for jumbo luxo sport-utility vehicles, there is not as much balance as we just found in the large luxury car segment. Nearly four out of every ten large luxury SUVs sold in Canada in March were Mercedes-Benz GLs (or, rarely, G-Wagens). Barely fewer than one-fourth were Cadillac Escalades. Sales of all others combined don't measure up to Mercedes-Benz's total. Speaking of Cadillac, 23 of the Escalades sold were of the long-wheelbase Suburbanesque ESV sort, another 18 were Avalancheesque EXT trucks. The remaining 65 were regular Escalades.

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2012 Hyundai Accent Pictures, Price, Specs And Fuel Economy Details

The New York Auto Show hosted the non-Coachella U.S. debut of the 2012 Hyundai Accent today. At the very least the new Accent is a huge leap forward over the old model. At best, arguably, the Accent will be best-in-segment, alongside its brother from another mother, the 2012 Kia Rio.

GoodCarBadCar.net has already displayed an image comparison of the 2012 Hyundai Accent and 2012 Kia Rio. Instead of spending too much time analyzing the subcompact's style, we'll just straight to the spec sheet before looking at the 2012 Accent's U.S. pricing. (Prices are sure to be different in Canada, but the spec chart could be too, so Canadian readers shouldn't assume everything will stay the exact same.) You'll find pictures in the Gallery after the jump.

In GLS, SE, and GS trim levels, the 2012 Accent comes with a 138-horsepower (up 28), 123 lb-ft (up 17) 1.6L 4-cylinder, identical to the size of the dying Accent's engine. Featuring direct injection and dual continuously variable valve timing, the relatively powerful Accent is said to deliver 30 miles per gallon in the city and 40 miles per gallon on the highway, fuel economy not unlike that of its larger sibling, the 2011 Elantra. Power is sent to the front wheels through a 6-speed auto or 6-speed manual transmission.

Hyundai Canada Sets 2012 Hyundai Accent Prices

The 2012 Accent GS and SE hatchback is 162 inches long, 66.9 inches wide, 57.1 inches high, on a 101.2-inch long wheelbase. The only real dimensional change with the GLS sedan is length, at 172 inches. Rear legroom in both the sedan and hatch is 33.3 inches. The sedan's trunk holds 13.7 cubic feet, its passenger compartment holds 89.7 cubic feet of.... passengers. With the rear seats up, the 2012 Hyundai Accent hatchback has a cargo capacity of 21.2 cubic feet. That figure increases to 47.5 cubic feet of cargo capacity when the Accent's seats are folded. The passenger compartment is narrowly larger than the sedan's at 90.1 cubic feet. Accents will weigh between 2396 pounds (GLS sedan with a 6-speed manual) to 2654 pounds for the 6-speed automatic-equipped hatchback. The current Accent weighs between 2365-2533 pounds.

Check Out GoodCarBadCar's 2012 Hyundai Accent GL Sedan Review

Hyundai clearly spends most of your money on safety equipment. ABS, EBD, stability control, 4-wheel disc brakes, and six airbags are standard. Power windows, mirrors, keyless entry, and air-conditioning are not, although they are available as options in convenience packages. Step up to the SE or GS, however, and in addition to the aforementioned features, you'l gain a six-speaker stereo, driver's armrest, height adjustable seat, and on the SE 5-door, sport-tuned suspension, cruise, Bluetooth, leather-wrapped shifter and steering wheel, and bigger wheels and tires. 

The basic 2012 Hyundai Accent costs $12,445 in the U.S. Pay another $2750 ($15,195) and you'll gain air-con, power windows and mirros, and the six-speed automatic tranny. Then there's a premium package for $1300 which adds Bluetooth, cruise, and keyless entry, among other things. 

The 2012 Hyundai Accent GS 5-door starts at $14,595. The $1200 automatic transmission brings cruise control, too. The base price for the 2012 Hyundai Accent SE 5-door is $15,795; an automatic adds $1000 to the MSRP. 

As a reference point, the outgoing 2011 Hyundai Accent 3-door hatch starts at $9985. That bargain basement model basically disappears. The current GS and SE range from $13,695 to $15,345 before a 4-speed automatic is taken into account. That Accent was not only smaller but less powerful, less efficient (29/34 mpg), and completely lacking in safety equipment. The current Accent GLS sedan is priced from $13,695 or $14,695 as an automatic. If the 2012 Accent didn't look strong enough already, the soon-to-be-defunct third-generation Accent certainly helps strengthen its image as a mighty good deal.

Why so much attention to a new small car like this Accent when GoodCarBadCar.net generally focusses only on Sales Stats? To put it bluntly, The Good Car Girl is a very likely paying customer. But some sales data has been thrown in after the jump to stick with the main mission.

Calendar Year	U.S. Accent Sales	Canada Accent Sales
2004	43,258	19,172
2005	41,012	15,679
2006	34,735	17,784
2007	36,055	16,390
2008	50,431	29,751
2009	68,086	25,220
2010	51,975	24,017

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Small Luxury SUV Sales And Midsize Luxury SUV Sales In Canada - March 2011

Lincoln MKX sales more than doubled to 597 in March 2011, but that wasn't enough to unseat the Lexus RX as Canada's most popular luxury utility vehicle. Of all premium brand vehicles, the MKX was the fourth-best-seller last month, an impressive feat for a vehicle which managed to find just 295 buyers in March 2010. Lexus RX sales rose 5%, pretty much on par with the overall market's year-over-year increase.

Though at first glance MDX sales appear healthy, sales of Acura's largest utility vehicle actually dropped 16% in March. Of the seven Acura nameplates on sale in Canada only the awfully slow-selling RL posted a year-over-year increase. The Acura ZDX had it roughest - sales plummeted from 56 to just 13. Is that because Canadians are listening more intently to GoodCarBadCar.net's The Bad 8? We wish.

These two categories are difficult to isolate; that's part of the reason for displaying them in the same post. Nevertheless, with the definition used here, there were 3394 "midsize" luxury SUVs sold and 2248 "small" luxury SUVs sold in Canada in March. Combined, that's down 4.5% compared with last year. Don't blame the Land Rover LR2, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Volvo XC60, or Cadillac SRX for that fact. Those five vehicles together found 499 more buyers this March than last. Sales of the Good 12-winning Audi Q5 jumped 40.5%. The second-generation X3 brought about a 72.3% boost.

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Combined, the Audi A6, Hyundai Equus, Hyundai Genesis sedan, Infiniti M, Jaguar XF, Lexus GS, Lincoln MKS, Saab 9-5, Volvo S80, and Volvo XC70 weren't as popular in Canada in March 2011 as the BMW 5-Series. Those ten cars didn't accumulate as many sales as Mercedes-Benz did with the E-Class and CLS-Class, either. 5-Series sales shot up 106% in March; sales of the E/CLS duo were up 19%. 

With five available bodystyles it perhaps isn't all that surprising that the E-Class does so well, but it's to Mercedes-Benz's credit that the company has seen a market for a midsize sedan, wagon, coupe, cabriolet, and rakish coupe-like sedan and then conquered that market by flooding it with every option known to mankind. The sedan and ugly hatchback Munich make available to North Americans currently start with the $53,900 2011 BMW 528i and top out with the $79,900 2011 BMW 550i xDrive Gran Turismo. A terribly pricy M5 based on the F10 5-Series is coming. The Benz range goes from the $59,900 E350 Coupe through to the $106,900 E63 AMG and finally the $126,000 CLS63 AMG.

Many Canadians chose to put a much less expensive German car in their driveway in March. The C-Class, which has a base price of $38,800 and can be financed over five years at 2.4% right now, was Canada's best-selling premium brand vehicle last month with 1082, up 20% from March 2010. The $29,900-$32,400 B-Class added another 271 sales to Mercedes-Benz's tally. 

Mercedes-Benz Canada will have more challenging opposition once BMW finishes off-loading current 3-Series sedans in favour of the yet-to-be-revaled F30 3-Series. Even now, the 3-Series remains a major player. It was 2010's best-selling luxury vehicle in Canada and came out ahead of the C-Class as recently as February.

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Official: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle Pictures And Specs

*updated @ 10:56 AST 4/18/2011*

The Volkswagen New Beetle is new again. Volkswagen is putting the 2012 New Beetle through a debut triple play in Shanghai, New York, and Berlin today. Pictures are in the Gallery below.

You've already begun scanning the images, so rather than go in to a rambling design review, how 'bout just a quick hit of opinion. The 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle looks better than the, er... old New Beetle. Appearing to ride strangely yet pleasantly high because of that pseudo running board and vast front and rear fenders, the 2012 Beetle evokes a bit of the Beetle's Dune Buggy history while certainly preserving much of the Volkswagen Ragster Concept's sportiness.

Does it matter how good the 2012 New Beetle looks? Buyers had pretty much left the Beetle alone as the model aged, and aged.... and aged since its 1998 rebirth. U.S. Volkswagen New Beetle sales totalled 49,549 in 2002, 56,971 in 2003, 42,157 in 2004, 36,339 in 2005, 35,110 in 2006, 31,021 in 2007, 26,477 in 2008, 14,085 in 2009, and 16,537 in 2010 before falling 83% so far this year in the lead-up to the 2012 New Beetle's launch. Certainly a new model, particularly one that looks this good, could help.

Calendar Year	U.S. New Beetle Sales	Canada New Beetle Sales
2004	42,157	1781
2005	36,339	1505
2006	35,110	1604
2007	31,021	1707
2008	26,477	1606
2009	14,085	937
2010	16,537	799

When fitted with the diesel-powered 2.0L TDI, the 2012 Beetle is rated at 33 miles per gallon in the U.S., Volkswagen says. That's 29 mpg in the city and 40 mpg on the highway. The 2.5L 5-cylinder makes 170 horsepower and is rated at 25 mpg overall. The 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder generates the expected 200 horsepower and is also rated at 25 mpg overall. The diesel and 2.0T are both available with a 6-speed direct-shift gearbox. 

At 71.2 inches wide (1808 millimetres), 58.5 inches high (1486 mm), and 168.4 inches long (4278 mm), the New Beetle is 3.3 inches wider, nearly half an inch lower, and 6 inches longer than the outgoing Beetle. Wheels can be upgraded to big 19-inchers. 12 different colours are available. Cargo capacity has grown from 7.4 cubic feet (209 litres) to 10.9 cubic feet (310 litres).

Scan the images in the Gallery, and check out Volkswagen's thorough press release after the jump.

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VOLKSWAGEN PRESS RELEASE

A look back to the start: at the beginning Volkswagen built one of the most successful cars of all time and did not even give it a name. Why should it? After all, it was the Volkswagen! People loved it, and on all of the world's continents the small car was nicknamed according to precisely what it looked like: Beetle, Käfer, Vocho, Coccinelle, Fusca, Maggiolino or 甲壳虫! It embodied the automotive concept itself and symbolised the democratisation of mobility. 21.5 million cars were sold. Then the New Beetle arrived in 1998. It introduced a new automotive feeling to the world and brought with it Beetle Mania. In 2010, the Final Edition completed the New Beetle series that had sold more than one million cars. And now? A look forward. The future of the most famous car in the world begins now. In a completely new generation. It's The Beetle! And because Volkswagen and the Beetle call the globe their home, the new car is celebrating a transcontinental world debut - simultaneously in Shanghai, Berlin and New York .

Technological goal: high-tech in harmony with the environment

Volkswagen Beetle is an icon. This car tells a story. Only someone who knows its history could make a new generation of this Volkswagen a reality. The task ahead for the engineers was very clear. They had to develop a high-tech car that was still affordable, did not leave any stone unturned, integrated the communication technologies of our times and of course achieved the lowest environmental impact. It also had to be a car that places driving fun at the forefront. The new generation VW Beetle would have to be a very agile, dynamic performer, and the people who developed the Golf GTI would also be able to achieve this.

No previous Beetle was this fuel efficient. High performance no longer suffices by itself: At 4.3 l/100 km (European 1.6 TDI) and 33 mpg (American 2.0 TDI), the new Volkswagen Beetle is the most fuel-efficient Beetle ever.

Design target: "Design a new original!"

The most recognisable automotive design in the world. Coke bottle, iPhone, Ray Ban Aviator, Beetle - how does one reinvent a design that is so recognisable and independent? There is a clear answer to this: It is necessary to understand the product and the brand; then it works! Volkswagen Design Chief Walter de Silva (Group) and Klaus Bischoff (Volkswagen Brand) "understand" both and therefore they set this as the objective for the Beetle: "Design a new original!"

Challenge as a thrill. The team began its task under Bischoff's guidance. The challenge of designing a new Volkswagen Beetle was inspiring. The designers knew that they wanted to develop the original Beetle profile more than on the 1998 New Beetle. They also made very dynamic proportions a high priority. An interesting aspect was that more than a few team members actually own their own air-cooled Beetles. It has also become a cult car among younger designers at Volkswagen. And that is how the final design of the 2011 Beetle came to be in Wolfsburg - a car of today as well as a design tribute to the automotive seed of an entire corporate group. And unmistakable indeed: If one were to take the first Beetle and the new Beetle and place them in a room together - shining light just over the roofs and viewing them from the side - one would see that the lines of the rear sections are nearly identical.

No standing still: "We remade every part."

Bolder, more dynamic, more masculine. A comparison to the 1998 New Beetle shows this: nothing remained as it was on the old car: "The Beetle is now characterised by a clean, self-confident and dominant sportiness. The car not only has a lower profile; it is also substantially wider, the front bonnet is longer, the front windscreen is shifted further back and has a much steeper incline. All of this creates a new dynamism," explains Klaus Bischoff. While the New Beetle was defined by three semi-circles (front wing, rear wing, domed roof above it), the new model has broken free of this geometry. The roof profile actually runs distinctly lower and can be considered a continuation of the Ragster concept car shown in Detroit in 2005 - a type of hot rod based on the New Beetle. The new Beetle is bolder, more dynamic, more masculine.

The figures confirm this: The new car is 1,808 mm wide (84 mm wider), 1,486 mm tall (12 mm lower) and 4,278 mm long (152 mm longer). This has resulted in entirely new proportions. The gain in length meant that the roof could be extended further, the front windscreen could be shifted back, and the rear section could follow the contour of the original Beetle. The new focal point is the C-pillar. In parallel, the development team increased the car's track widths and wheelbase. All of this gives the VW Beetle a powerful appearance with muscular tension.

Typical Volkswagen, typical Beetle: a new DNA

2011 styling. Despite all of its individuality, the styling follows the Volkswagen design DNA created by Walter de Silva and Klaus Bischoff. It clearly expresses itself in the horizontal image of the front bumper, front air inlet, straight lines of the bonnet edges, the precisely drawn line between the A-pillar and C-pillar and the styling of the rear lights.

Beetle, Microbus, original Golf. And yet it was possible to preserve all of the Volkswagen Beetle's typical styling characteristics. This should come as no surprise; after all, it was vehicles like the Beetle, Microbus and original Golf that had a decisive influence on Volkswagen's "design DNA." Of course, some of the Beetle's longstanding characteristics remain: these include its round headlights (optional bi-xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights are available for the first time in this model series), the flared wings, the shapes of the bonnets, sides and door sills and - more than ever - the large wheels (up to 19 inch) that can be integrated. A new feature is the rear spoiler that is homogeneously integrated in the design (standard for TSI engines with 118 kW / 160 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS); it aggressively maintains contact with the road on this Volkswagen, which has a top speed of up to 225 km/h, depending on the engine, and is available in the three equipment lines "Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". Incidentally, the top surface of the rear spoiler is always black, while its underside is painted in body colour. These colours - 12 different hues - will make everyday car driving more vibrant with names such as "Saturnyellow" and "Denim Blue".

An original interior like no other

The cockpit makes a visual impression. Is it possible for a cockpit to make an impression? Are you kidding? By its very nature! Car drivers sit in the cockpit. Sometimes for hours at a time. And yet, there are cars whose cockpits do not leave any lasting impression. They have a "look alike" appearance, as the marketing people say - one easily mistaken for another, lacking charisma. The VW Beetle's cockpit, on the other hand, is unique, unmistakable, cool, classic and designed with a passion for detail. This cockpit is perceived as something special.

Everything within reach and sight. The shape and use of colour in the painted or carbon-look front facia panel of the dashboard hark back to the design of the first VW Beetle, yet the new car does not have a retro look. In Europe, for example, this facia is styled in "Schwarz uni" (Black) on the base model ("Beetle"); in the "Design" equipment line, it is always painted in the specific exterior colour. Customers choosing the "Sport" level get the carbon look ("Carbon Fibre"). Regardless of which colours are used, Volkswagen drivers will be able to locate every interior feature with their eyes closed.

And yet everything has been redesigned. Three round instruments arranged in front of the driver (tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge) provide all key information; integrated in the speedometer (middle position) is a multifunction display. From the "Design" equipment level, the adjustable air vents and the instruments have chrome bezels. This also applies to the audio/navigation systems optimally located in the driver's visual field on the dashboard, framed by two air vents. This also includes the controls for the climate control system. Everything is within grasp and sight.

Comeback of the glovebox. Similar to the original Beetle, the new car has an extra glovebox integrated in the front facia whose lid folds upward (the standard glovebox that is also integrated opens downward). Another classic feature: the optional auxiliary instruments above the selected audio/navigation system: oil temperature, clock with stopwatch function and boost pressure gauge. Also new: the steering wheels specially designed for the Volkswagen Beetle with optional painted accents in the spokes depending on the equipment line. Details like these clearly indicate that the occupants are in a Beetle - there's no mistaking it.

Air-cooled Beetle. New Beetle. The Beetle. A distinguishing feature of The Beetle - the third generation if you will - is that its interior ergonomics and packaging are based on completely new parameters. While drivers in the air-cooled Beetle travelled in a very low-slung seat, and drivers of the New Beetle felt as if they were chauffeured because the bonnet was so far forward, the latest Volkswagen Beetle now offers an agile, driver-oriented coupé experience. Every feature is within easy reach. In addition, Volkswagen has once again succeeded in implementing a quality of materials that goes beyond all class limits. The car's styling, ergonomics, operability and quality interact to create a new, friendly car with a highly individual nature.

The New Beetle was a cathedral inside. In front, the Beetle is now somewhat lower in profile, since the domed roof of its predecessor has been eliminated. It now offers 1,044 mm interior height instead of the previous 1,082 mm. However, the 38 mm will hardly be missed, even by very tall drivers, since the New Beetle's interior was a "cathedral" among compact cars. Meanwhile, in the rear seating area, the longer roof section results in a distinctly larger feeling of space. The bootspace is significantly larger; it now holds 310 instead of 209 litres. As usual, the car has a split, folding rear seatback, and a wide opening bootlid making it is easy to load and unload.

More optional features: individualising the VW Beetle

"Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". The new Volkswagen will be available worldwide in the three equipment lines "Beetle", "Design" and "Sport". Each of these versions has a very unique character. In addition, individual markets themselves will emphasise certain aspects. Volkswagen will announce individual parameters of these customisation levels at an international driving presentation for journalists. In addition to the three equipment lines, the Beetle can be customised with a wide choice of optional features. An overview of certain key features:

Bi-xenon headlights and LED daytime running lights. Volkswagen is offering the Beetle with bi-xenon headlights for the first time. 15 LEDs frame the xenon module on the outer perimeters of the headlights; they implement the daytime running lights and parking lights.

Panoramic roof. It is transparent, and it can be tilted or opened. Therefore, the exact name is: panoramic tilt/slide glass sunroof. Much more important: It is 80 percent larger (glass surface area) than on the previous model. Incidentally, the insulating glass blocks 99 percent of UV radiation and 92 percent of heat energy.

Radio-CD and radio-navigation systems. The New Beetle was exclusively available with radio-CD systems specially designed for this model. No navigation systems were offered. Now, Volkswagen is taking a completely different approach and is offering all of the systems available in other model series such as the Golf, Jetta or Passat on new VW Beetle as well. Standard in the Beetle is the RCD 310 with 8 loudspeakers, which is a very good audio system (includes dual tuner). The top audio system is the RCD 510 with integrated CD changer, interface for SD cards and touchscreen. An attractively priced entry-level radio-navigation system is the RNS 315 with 5-inch touchscreen (400 x 240 pixel), CD player, SD card slot and dual tuner. The top radio-navigation system model is the RNS 510. It offers refinements such as a 6.5-inch touchscreen, DVD player, voice control, SD card slot and 30 Gigabyte hard drive.

Premium sound system by Fender. Anyone knowledgeable about the world of rock music is familiar with such greats as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. The first played Fender guitars, while the latter still does. Now, the legendary producer of US musical instruments and amplifiers - in a joint venture with Panasonic - is exclusively sharing its know-how with the Volkswagen brand. The result is an optional Fender sound system that is being offered in the Volkswagen Beetle with an additional woofer and 400 Watts of output power. Those choosing this sound system also get adjustable interior ambiance lighting. Besides providing indirect illumination, it also includes two light rings around the loudspeaker boxes in the doors. In Europe, the Volkswagen Beetle is the first car to offer a Fender sound system.

Keyless Access. The Keyless Access locking and engine starting system is appearing for the first time in the Volkswagen Beetle; it operates without a door or ignition key. When one of the front door handles is touched, the system detects access authorisation from a transmitter carried in the person's jacket, trousers or hand bag; it then unlocks the Beetle and enables an engine start via the engine start button. Locking of the Volkswagen is from the outside, also activated by touching one of the two door handles; in this case, however, a specially marked surface is used.

All round safety. Let's get to the point. In The Beetle, Volkswagen is building an automobile that is one of the safest in terms of both active and passive safety. Naturally, the ESP electronic stabilisation programme is standard, as is an effective network of six airbags that protects in the passenger compartment. Naturally, the car body - much of it laser-welded and galvanised - exhibits one of the best torsional rigidity values in the segment at 26,000 Nm/º. Naturally, because safety is a fundamental quality in a Volkswagen.

Engines: top fuel economy of 40 mpg and 4.3 l/100km

US diesel with 140 PS. When it comes to engines, all signs point toward sustainability. In the USA, the VW Beetle will be offered as a turbodiesel for the first time. The Beetle 2.0 TDI (103 kW / 140 PS) meets all USA emission limits and attains 40 mpg fuel economy in the Highway cycle, 29 mpg in City driving, and 33 mpg combined. As a result, the Volkswagen Beetle is a good choice as one of the most fuel-efficient cars in its class. Incidentally, the Volkswagen not only has excellent fuel economy values in the version with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but also - and this is a technical debut in the Beetle as well - with the optional 6-speed dual clutch transmission.

US petrol engines with 170 PS and 200 PS. Fuel economy values were also improved in the 2.5-litre five cylinder petrol engine, which was already a success in the previous model. The manually shifted VW Beetle attains 22 mpg (City), 31 mpg (Highway) and 25 mpg (combined). Its counterpart with a 6-speed automatic comes in at 22 mpg (City), 29 mpg (Highway) and 25 mpg (combined) - this represents an increase of up to 10 percent in fuel economy. Pioneering: even the Beetle 2.0 TSI with 147 kW / 200 PS of power attains a combined fuel economy of 25 mpg. The large TSI is also available with an optional 6-speed DSG.

World engines with 105 PS, 140 PS, 160 PS and 200 PS. In markets such as Asia, Australia, Europe and New Zealand, the new Volkswagen Beetle will be offered exclusively with charged engines. All engine versions - all of them with four cylinders - are being used for the first time in this model series. The car exhibits significantly reduced fuel consumption and emission values compared to the previous model thanks to the switch to turbo-petrol (TSI) and common rail turbodiesel direct injection engines (TDI). The three charged petrol engines of the Beetle output 77 kW / 105 PS, 118 kW / 160 PS and 147 kW / 200 PS. The two diesel engines develop 77 kW / 105 PS and 103 kW / 140 PS (TDI engines are not offered in China). All five engines may be combined with a dual clutch transmission as an option.

Engines with 160 PS and 200 PS in detail. Even the fast moving 225 km/h VW Beetle 2.0 TSI with 200 PS of power consumes just 7.4 l/100 km (equivalent to 173 g/km CO2) with a manual transmission. Also extremely economical is the 1.4 TSI with 160 PS shifted by a 7-speed DSG; in the Beetle it consumes just 5.9 l/100 km (139 g/km CO2). Fuel economy data like this makes the Beetle 1.4 TSI DSG (top speed: 207 km/h) a pleasant surprise in the engine programme. By comparison, the previous model with 110 kW / 150 PS attained a value of 8.9 l/100 km in the automatic version. Despite 10 PS more power, fuel consumption was reduced by 3.0 l/100 km or 34 percent.

Differential lock for top petrol engine. To ensure that the power of the two strongest Volkswagen Beetle versions is applied properly to the road in quickly approached curves as well, the models with 160 PS (European version) and 200 PS (worldwide) come with a factory-installed XDS electronic differential lock. This system extends the familiar EDS functionality. XDS improves handling in fast curve driving and calibrates the car toward more "neutral" steering; it does this by using active brake intervention to prevent wheelspin of the unloaded wheel on the inside of the curve, and this improves traction.

Engines with 105 PS and 140 PS in detail. The most fuel-efficient petrol engined model is the Beetle 1.2 TSI with BlueMotion Technology (including Stop/Start system and battery regeneration) and 105 PS with a top speed of 180 km/h. It has a combined fuel consumption of 5.5 l/100 km (129 g/km CO2). The comparable previous model (75 kW / 102 PS) consumed 7.5 l/100 km. Savings: 2.0 l/100 km or 27 percent. An extremely sustainable performer is the Beetle 1.6 TDI with 105 PS. At 4.3 l/100 km (equivalent to 112 g/km CO2), this diesel version is the most fuel-efficient VW Beetle ever built with BlueMotion Technology. Its fuel consumption is 20 percent lower than even the existing TDI engines which have always been very fuel efficient. Incidentally, on the Autobahn, the new Beetle 1.6 TDI with BlueMotion Technology can reach a top speed of 180 km/h - in this case, fuel economy is not gained at the cost of performance. This is especially true of the even higher performance TDI with 2.0 litre displacement and 103 kW / 140 PS. This torque-strong turbodiesel (320 Nm from 1,750 rpm) takes the Volkswagen Beetle to a top speed of 198 km/h and combined fuel consumption of just 4.9 l/100 km (equivalent to 129 g/km CO2). This means that the Beetle for a new era will once again show how it can "go, and go and go ..."