The Volkswagen Beetle has been around practically since the first ambitious fish crawled out of the water, evolved into a human, and said “can somebody give me a ride?” Now here we are in 2011, and the latest in this very long line is about to be unveiled. And, much like that first walking fish, it shares many of its predecessors’ characteristics while also being a whole lot better at getting around.
On the outside, it looks a lot like the Beetle you’re familiar with. The roof is extended somewhat, the windshield is a little further back, and the fenders and bumpers are a little sleeker, but otherwise it’s the good ol’ Beetle you know so well.
Under the hood, you’ve got the choice of a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder with 170 horses, the 2-liter TDI diesel at 140hp, or the 2-liter four-banger at 200hp. It’s also got a re-designed dash that’s supposed to make you feel less uncomfortably “upright” than in the previous model, and room for all the options like GPS and an ear-splitting sound system (designed by Fender no less).
