The new 3rd Generation Beetle – Malaysian Specifications revealed!

 

 

 

The icon is finally here …. a car that has been gracing our roads since the 50s and those who are privileged to have driven and owned one are forever changed by it. In today’s era where new models are introduced every 5-6 years, iconic cars like the Beetle does not follow your typical product life cycle … similarly, replacing an iconic car is not as simple as penning some strokes on a sheet of paper and pass it to technical and ask them to figure out how to make it into reality.

 

Like watching a blockbuster trilogy movie with the hype taking more than 60 years in building, VW has to make sure they hit all the right buttons when it comes to launching the new incarnation …. and I’d say they did so, brilliantly.

 

 

Design

 

 

 

Measuring 4,278mm in length, 1,808mm in width and 1,486mm in height, the new Beetle is almost the same length and height as a Ford Fiesta and almost as wide as a C segment Peugeot 408 (so if you think of squeezing through lorongs and alleyways, beware). Wheelbase is 2,537mm and the closest car that matches that wheelbase is a Nissan Sentra.

 

Visitors to the Das Auto show would get to see both 1.2L and 2.0L model on display. Externally, the differences include:

 

 

 

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1.2L gets normal halogen with reflector headlamps whereas the 2.0L has Bi-xenon projector lamps with 15 LEDs framing the xenon module on the outer perimeters of the headlights. The LEDs function as DRLs that, for once is no a slanted ‘U’ profile.

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2.0L gets a rear spoiler large enough to function as a picnic table. 1.2L has none

 

 

 

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Single vs dual tail pipes

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The 1.2L gets ‘Whirl’ 6.5J x 16 alloy wheels with tyres 215/60 R16 whereas the 2.0L sports ‘Twister’ 8J x 18 alloy wheels with 235/45 R18

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The 1.2L has its door mirror housings painted in body color whereas the 2.0L features black housings

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Performance

 

 

There is supposed to be 3 engine variants for the new Bug but somehow, VW Malaysia have elected to launch the entry level 1.2L direct injection, turbocharged engine (as found in the Polo Sport). No news of when the 1.4L TSi is going to be launch at the moment but the 2.0L has been launched on 7 November 2012.

 

 

 

 

Similar to the other models using the same engine, the 1.2L is paired to a 7-speed direct shift gearbox DSG whereas the 2.0L gets the 6-speed DSG.

 

 

 

Zero to hundred for the 1.2L is 10.9 seconds (making this the 2nd model in VW’s Malaysia line-up that’s not a sub-10 seconds car next to the Polo Sedan) while the 2.0L’s century sprint is at 7.5 seconds, 0.6 seconds slower than a Golf GTi. Not surprising since the Beetle is slightly heavier with a kerb weight of 1,469kg vs the GTi’s 1,414kg. Still, it’s pretty novel to picture a GTi zooming past with a Bug chasing after it’s tail. Chipping the Beetle may potentially further turn the 2.0L into a sleeper car. The 2.0L has a rated top speed of 223km/h making this one helluva fast metal bug on the road.

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After seeing how the 2.0L looks like, the 1.2L engine above looks somewhat …. plain.

 

 

Petrol tank size is 55litres and can accept RON95 fuel.

 

 

 

Ride and Handling

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I tested the 1.2l and came away very impressed with its ride and handling characteristics. You can read about it HERE

 

Until we go for a test drive, nothing much to report here about the 2.0L except that it is equipped with Sport suspension and gets a 4-link rear suspension. No DCC like the Golf GTi so the sport setting is fixed.

 

 

 

Cabin Convenience

 

 

 

 

One of the novelty of the Bug, aside from its never-found-in-any-other-model 3-spoke steering wheel is the dash pad that’s either painted in body color (as found in the 1.2L like the one above) or covered in carbon fibre look (as found in the 2.0L in the 2nd picture).  Both variants will have leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, a touchscreen RCD 510 headunit and the usual Multi-Function Display that gives you more info than you really need to drive this car.

 

 

 I like the shape of the steering where it has a slight “wing-ed” look in tribute to the original Beetle.

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I think you can guess which model gets aluminium pedals, no?

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You’d also find a panoramic sunroof that can be tilted and opened in the 2.0L variant.

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The Beetle is a 2 door 4 seater and looking at some of the visitors of the Das Auto show checking it out, it looks pretty comfortable behind.

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Frameless windows …. is this becoming a norm nowadays? Not that I’m complaining, of course

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Boot space is relatively good for the Beetle; you’ll get 310 litres worth of space … not sure if it can fit golf bags but grocery bags are certainly not an issue. If you insist on stuffing Golf bags in, then you’ll have to recline the rear seats which then improves the space to 905litres.

 

 

 

Under the boot cover, you’ll find the necessary tools to replace a flat with a space saver tire.

 

Safety

 

 

The 1.2L and the 2.0L variants shares the same extensive safety list with 2 exceptions:-

 

• 3-point seat belts, front with seat belt tensioners
• Anti-lock braking system ABS
• Brake assist BA
• Combined side airbags and thoraz airbags for front passengers
• Dual front airbags with front passenger airbag deactivation
• ESP
• Electronic vehicle immobilization device
• Hill-hold control
• ISOFIX preparation for child seats
• Safety optimised front headrests
• Two 3-point rear seat belts

 

The 2.0L additionally gets additional side airbags (bringing a total of 4 airbags) and the Golf GTi’s Electronic Differential Lock XDS which maximizes traction when exiting corners. Imagine there’s a straight road after a corner and you decide to stomp on the pedal. The inner wheels are moving at a different speed compared to the outer wheels and some wheel spinning is detected. The XDS sensors then applies just the right amount of braking (and this is done at hundreds of pulses per second) to minimize power wastage and reduce understeer (car not turning as much as you want it to). I can’t help but think of the 2.0L Bug as an insect on steroids at corners.

 

 

Specifications

 

1.2L TSi

 

Exterior

 

• Halogen headlamps
• Door mirror housing painted in body color
• Exterior mirrors; electrically adjustable, foldable and heated
• Front fog lamps and fixed bending light
• Park distance control for front and rear
• Rain sensor
• ‘Whirl’ 6.5J x 16 alloy wheels with tyres 215/60 R16

 

Interior

 

• 3-spoke leather multi-function steering wheel with control for DSG, MFD and radio
• Auto-dimming interior mirror
• Beetle glove box
• ‘Climatic’ air conditioning system with 2-zone temperature control
• Cruise control
• Dash pad painted in body color
• Front centre armrest
• Leather gearshift knob
• Mobile device interface MEDIA-IN with iPod/iPhone adapter cable
• Multi-function display ‘Plus’
• ‘RCD510’ touch screen 6CD changer radio with CD/MP3/WMA replay functio
• 8 speaker system
• Seats in ‘Vienna’ leather upholstery

 

 

2.0L TSi

 

In addition to the 1.2L TSi unless specified otherwise

 

 

Exterior

 

• Bi-xenon headlights with automatic headlight-range adjustment instead of halogen
• Door mirror housing painted in black color instead of body color
• Rear spoiler
• Sport suspension
• ‘Twister’ 8J x 18 alloy wheels with 235/45 R18
• Twin tailpipes

 

Interior

 

• Aluminium pedal cluster
• Ambient lighting (single color)
• Dash pad in carbon look instead of body color

 

 

 

Ownership and maintenance costing

 

 

At this point, nothing yet but VW claims that the 1.2L  sips fuel at 7.3litres/100km for urban, 5.0litres/100km for highway and 5.9litres/100km combined while the 2.0L consumes 10.3l/100km city driving, 6.1l/100km for outstation and 7.7l/100km for going in and out of town. Not bad but the GTi is said to be lower in consumption while the official figures for the Golf 1.4TSi puts it almost on par with the 1.2L Beetle. The 2.0L on the other hand is claimed to have acombined fuel consumption of 7.7 litres/100km and 179g/km CO2 emission.

 

 

The 1.2L has just been launched with a price tag of RM139,888 whereas the 2.0L can be yours for the price of RM219,888. Some have lamented on the relatively high price if the 1.2L but considering a 1.4L Scirocco costing more than a Camry, it’s not that bad for an iconic car. But if it’s a car for me, nothing less than the 2.0L would do for me.