Rendered Speculation: VW Porsche-fying next-gen New Beetle Date: Wednesday, August 08 @ 11:22:21 Topic: Heard a rumour lately? Here's a rendering of the new, new, New Beetle, courtesy of AutoBild. The 2009 edition of the remade icon still hasn't been shown in public, but that hasn't stopped artists and prognosticators from sharing images of a likely form for this most legendary people's car. In a sort of twist on the normal gameplan, it is believed that the cabrio will debut before the coupe this time around, and there's even a talk of a Microbus variant in the mix! The Beetle should share the VW Golf VI platform, but the Microbus would likely use older Golf and Touran parts. Either way, the new look of the Beetle is sportier, with a hint of Porsche in the front fascia. Okay, more than a hint. Looking at the clipped pic at right, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a 997. The new Beetle should also share powertrains with the Golf VI, and therefore the Golf V, as most are expected to carry over from the current models. A VW spokesman described the report as "speculation". "We have said in the past that the successor would come at the end of the decade but that does not mean it will be in 2009," the spokesman said. The spokesman confirmed that the New Beetle would remain part of the VW model line-up. "The New Beetle is a successful car that cannot be copied," he said. According to the Auto Bild report the top of the range New Beetle II would be fitted with a 147 kW/200 hp engine. A Microbus version was in the project phase including many elements from the Golf Plus II and the next Touran. This article comes from New Beetle .net :: News, Views, Reviews and Comments about the VW New Beetle from Volkswagen http://www.newbeetle.net The URL for this story is: http://www.newbeetle.net/article.php?sid=132