2003 Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
07/16/2003
Greg A. Godsell
This car drew a lot of attention when it was released. It had some built up hype because it took VW an inexplicable 5 years to bring to market following the rebirth of the Beetle for the 1998 model year.
The test model was a silver car with a black top and black interior. It was sharp. It was perhaps the most sporting possible combination of colors that could have shown up. Honestly, I was a little apprehensive about the yellow and cream combinations I had seen at the auto show. Not that there is anything wrong with this, I just tend to think like Henry Ford that all cars should come in black. So the silver and black was a decent enough looking color scheme.
The guy that delivered the car showed up with his cap brim pulled low and complained of getting passed in traffic -- Not a good start. Maybe 20-something males aren't in the target demographic.
Walking around the car, the hatch on the standard Beetle is replaced by a small trunk. Virtually all the lines of the coupe are retained on the convertible. A form-fitting top retains most of the characteristic shape of the hardtop, but the thicker C-pillar looks a bit more PT Cruiser than Beetle. You flip a latch (which required an instruction sheet) and then the top is fully power operated after that point. A soft cover more or less snaps in to place to add a more finished look. With the top up or down, the Beetle is unmistakably a Beetle.
Overall, one thing that you will notice about the Beetle Cabriolet is that it is a pretty sophisticated car. The $24K GLS model is a well-equipped Beetle with Monsoon stereo system, a six-speed Tiptronic transmission, and a power-operated top. Most Beetles I encountered growing up were very basic transportation with almost no frills.
This is the first drive in a Beetle in a while. The New Beetle has a very interesting driving perspective. The hood, windshield and dash meet several feet in front of the steering wheel. Actually this makes the car trickier to park than one would expect.
For cruising around town, the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder powered Beetle does well enough. Beyond that, it's not a speed demon. Take a slightly underpowered Beetle with only 115 horsepower, add the weight of a fairly complex power-operated top to the car, and it's not going to scare any Honda S2000 drivers.
At $24K, this is a relatively pricey car. In my mind, a Beetle should be somewhere in the price neighborhood of a Kia/Hyundai compact sedan. However, it is generally well executed, and the target buyers will most certainly appreciate it. The New Beetle is all about form over function. With adorable styling and top-down motoring, it's sure to put a smile on those who have been waiting for it.
