Volkswagen intends to launch a brand new Beetle by the year 2012 to mark higher sales in America. So far this year, the New Beetle coupe is down 9.8% in sales while the convertible is off -19.7%. “Beetle would be a halo car for the VW group,” says Stefan Jacoby, President and CEO of VW Group of America. "There is a great opportunity with the Beetle and the emotional fabric it has to offer. More space inside and better packaging are essential,” he said addressing the issue of current model that has cramped rear seat though the car will not be any bigger than before.
According to Walter de Silva, VW Group’s head designer, it will be a big step for the brand with the new model coming up with latest design and face-lifted features. New features being planned for the next-gen Bug are availability of a DSG gearbox and even a speedster model that could hint at a performance variant.
Moreover, more Americans are ditching their gas guzzling models and opting for more fuel efficient small cars. Thus, 2012 will be a perfect time to launch the model as more American will want a smaller luxury vehicle like VW Beetle.
