Volkswagen Beetle (A5)

Volkswagen Beetle
2012 Volkswagen Beetle (US)
Overview
Manufacturer	Volkswagen
Also called	Volkswagen The Beetle Volkswagen Coccinelle (France) Volkswagen Maggiolino (Italy) Volkswagen Fusca (Brazil)
Production	2011–present
Assembly	Puebla City, Mexico
Designer	Walter de Silva Marc Lichte
Body and chassis
Class	Compact car (C)
Body style	3-door coupe 2-door convertible
Layout	front engine, front-wheel drive
Platform	Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform
Related	Volkswagen Golf Mk6
Powertrain
Engine	petrol engines: 1.2 L I4 TSI 1.4 L I4 16 valve TSI 1.8 L I4 16 valve TSI 2.0 L I4 16 valve TSI 2.5 L I5 20 valve diesel engines: 1.6 L I4 TDI 2.0 L I4 TDI
Transmission	5-speed manual 6-speed manual 6-speed automatic 6-speed DSG
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,537 mm (99.9 in)
Length	4,278 mm (168.4 in)
Width	1,808 mm (71.2 in)
Height	1,486 mm (58.5 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Volkswagen New Beetle

The Volkswagen Beetle (also sold as the Volkswagen Coccinelle, Volkswagen Maggiolino, Volkswagen Fusca in some countries) is a compact car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen introduced in 2011 for the 2012 model year, as the successor to the New Beetle launched in 1997. It features a lower profile while retaining an overall shape recalling the original Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle.

One of Volkswagen's goals with the model was to give it a more aggressive appearance while giving it some stylistic aspects reminiscent of the Beetle's design. This was an attempt to distance the new model from the Volkswagen New Beetle, produced from 1997 to 2011, which never approached the success of the first Beetle.

The second generation "new" Beetle shares the "A5" (PQ35) platform with the current Volkswagen Jetta and is built alongside the Jetta, Golf Variant and the old Jetta ("Clásico") at Volkswagen's plant in Puebla, Mexico. It is longer than the previous New Beetle (now 4,278 mm (168.4 in) and also has a lower profile, 12 mm (0.5 in) lower than its predecessor, and 88 mm (3.5 in) wider. The trunk is now 310 L (11 cu ft), up from 209 L (7.4 cu ft).

A convertible version followed the coupé for the 2013 model year, first shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November 2012 when it also went on sale. A performance version, called Beetle R, is projected to follow later.

On 22 November 2010, on the final episode of the Oprah's Favorite Things special, Oprah Winfrey and Volkswagen announced every audience member that day would receive one of the Beetles upon its release in 2011. VW staff gave the audience their special keys to the car. This was followed by a teaser commercial during Super Bowl XLV in February 2011.

To celebrate the global reveal, VW partnered with MTV, to make a debut on three continents on 18 April. The reveal began in Shanghai, China with a MTV Sound System celebration hosted by MTV VJs, followed by MTV World Stage events in Berlin and New York City.