It's hard to approach the status of the Beetle. Only a couple of cars on the road have similar lifetime sales numbers and few have the instantly recognizable shape of the Beetle. The New Beetle arrived in 1998 as a modern car based on the Golf platform with modern technology and a fairly high price. In 2003, the convertible version appeared offering a power-operated soft top that retained the classic styling while down. For 2006, Volkswagen updated the styling by shortening the hood and adding creases to the fascias and fenders. Unlike the fixed-roof Beetle, the convertible is only available with the 2.5L inline 5-cylinder engine. A six-speed automatic is relatively rare in this class of car. Priced at about $22,000, the New Beetle convertible is one of a kind.

What Changed:

A 150 hp 2.5L 5-cylinder engine becomes standard. Outside edges of the curved fenders are flattened adding additional lines to the profile. Front and rear fascias are updated. On the inside, the instrument cluster was updated.