Packed with features, the fuel-efficient and highly customizable 2012 Volkswagen Beetle will showcase a base price of just $18,995. But that’s just the latest good news about VW’s icon, which has been completely re-invented for the 2012 model year to offer an ideal mix of German craftsmanship, European sophistication and all-American motoring excitement, in three bold new flavors.
The Beetle 2.5L, priced at under $19,000, gets things started by offering a responsive 170-hp I5 engine that delivers up to 10 percent better fuel economy ratings than past models with a similarly sized engine. EPA ratings on the car are now up to 22 mpg city/31 mpg highway with a standard five-speed manual transmission and up to 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway when leveraging an optional six-speed automatic.
Also standard are a wide range of features, including a split folding rear seat, leather steering wheel, unique and customizable 17-inch alloy wheels, and an eight-speaker audio system, while options include a “kaeferfach” additional glovebox like the one in the original Beetle, Bluetooth compatibility, heated front seats, and three-color interior ambient lighting.
Next up is the Beetle 2.0L TSI, the sportiest production Beetle to ever hit the road, with a base price of $23,395. It leverages VW’s proven performer—an advanced 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 that makes 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft. of torque—to deliver a dynamic driving experience along with surprisingly strong EPA numbers of its own—up to 22 mpg city/30 mpg highway. The standard transmission here is a six-speed manual, but another much-praised piece of VW engineering, the automaker’s dual-clutch DSG six-speed automatic, will be available as well.
The third member of the new Beetle family is also the most fuel efficient—ever. The Beetle TDI will be the latest Volkswagen to benefit from the company’s high-efficiency clean-diesel technology, thanks to a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine that can deliver EPA ratings of up to 40 mpg highway. (Pricing on this model was not available at press time.)
And remember, all three models will be covered by Volkswagen’s complimentary three-year/36,000-mile maintenance program.
The Beetle 2.5L and 2.0L TSI will debut later this year; the Beetle TDI will go into production early in 2012.
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