New Beetle natty or nerdy? (VW Beetle 2.0 3dr)

Member Name: beetleuk

Product:	VW Beetle 2.0 3dr
Date:	14/11/01 (316 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Highly specified, Stylish, Good performance

Disadvantages: To be honest?, None!

When VW first mentioned the idea of a retro styled new car, based on the Beetle, I was intrigued. This was way back in 1995.

Time passed an nothing happened. Some more time passed, and nothing happened again.

Just at that! Nothing continued to happen.
Concepts and car shows came and went, but no one was saying whether the car would be built or not. Then VW annouced the imminent arrival of the 'New Beetle' in the USA and the world changed for ever. Well mine did anyway.

In 1998 VW wrote to me and offered me the chance to pre-book one of 900 to be specially manufactured for the UK market albeit in Left Hand Drive. I duly did this and in March 1999 I took delivery of the first NB to be sold by VW in the UK.

What a head turner - I could scarcely take it out my drive way without being accosted with people pointing and pushing their noses against the window.

Many people mis-understand the NB, they see it as a fad, a small car, or poorly appointed but it is none of these things.

Built on the tried and trusted MK4 chassis as used by the Golf, VW Bora, Audi A3 and Skoda Octavia it packs a 2 Litre, 115Bhp engine under the shortened bonnet, yes at the front! And delivers smooth consistent pulling power through the standard 16 inch 'Monte Carlo' alloy wheels.

It includes as standard, Air Conditioning, ABS Brakes, ESP (Electronic Stability Programme - traction control to you and me), driver and passenger front and side airbags, a category-1 immobiliser, central locking, electric windows, height adjustable front seats on both sides, and reach/rake adjustable steering wheel.

That doesn't sound like a poorly appointed car to you now, does it?

My car has now covered more than 60,000 miles and apart from 2 lighbulbs and one loose bolt has not given a seconds worth of trouble.

This is a serious car, with serious pedigree, offering a serious level of specification...just l
ike many top-end cars, but it adds one thing that no other car on the road has....the feel good factor.

Has anyone ever stopped YOU at the side of the road and asked if they could take their picture next to your car?

Does YOUR car make everyone talk to you at filling stations....no, thought not.

Want a good car, built to last, highly specified and with character to boot? Then snap up a beetle.

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