“Pendong! Peace! Kotseng Kuba!” always came to people’s minds whenever they saw a Volkswagen Beetle on the street during the 1990’s. And that’s actually how I learned about the iconic Volkswagen Beetle, because I used to play that game. “Kuba” is the Filipino term for hunchback.
The first time I drove a Beetle was when I was in my second year of high school. Since then, I’d always wanted to have one! Well, who wouldn’t?
Today, the third generation of the Volkswagen icon is officially back: The one and only Beetle. Although it sports the same “hunchback” shape that’s made it an instantly-recognizable icon for decades, the latest Volkswagen Beetle is more masculine and it offers appealing interior and packed with more features than those of the previous generations.
A look back to the start: at the beginning, Volkswagen built one of the most successful cars of all time and did not give it a name. Why would they? After all, it was the Volkswagen! The People’s Car! People from all generations and cultures loved it, and on all of the world’s continents the small car was nicknamed according to precisely what it looked like: a Beetle. It embodied the automotive concept itself and symbolized the democratization of mobility, with 21.5 million cars sold since its first production in 1939 to 1997.
Then the New Beetle arrived in 1998. It introduced a new automotive feeling to the world and brought with it Beetle Mania. In 2010, the Final Edition completed the New Beetle series that had sold more than one million cars. And now, looking forward, the future of the most famous car in the world begins in a completely new generation.
The Beetle is an icon. It has inspired countless stories all over the world, Hollywood included. It is a story by itself. The success story of the Volkswagen Beetle has played no small role in making it an icon in the automotive history. The new generation now bridges the gap from old and familiar to new lifestyles. With a new design and the latest technologies, the Beetle reveals itself as a car of the 21st century – bolder, more dynamic and truly engineered for play.
“The Beetle has always been special to me. I first learned how to drive with a Beetle and will always have fond memories, as I’m sure many Filipinos do. And now, I am extremely proud to be heralding the return of the world’s most iconic car back to Philippine shores”, said Mr. JP Orbeta, president of Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI), the official importer and distributor of Volkswagen cars in the country.
The new Beetle breaks free of the geometry of the previous model and displays impressive sports appeal – primarily in its extended bonnet, sharply swept-back windscreen and a longer wheelbase. Modified interior ergonomics have produced an agile, driver-oriented coupé experience in the new Beetle. In addition, it offers a distinctly improved feeling of space with its longer roof section.
Specifications:
Beetle 1.4 TSI Design DSG
- Beetle 1.4 TSI with 240 Nm at 1500-4500 rpm
- Power: 160 Ps at 5800 rpm
- New Direct Injected Gasoline Engine with Twincharger
- 7-speed DSG transmission
- Electromechanical speed-sensitive power steering
- Bi-xenon head lights with automatic headlight activation and LED daytime running lights
Beetle 1.2 TSI Design MT
- Beetle 1.2 TSI with 175 Nm at 1400 rpm
- Power: 105 Ps at 4500 rpm
- New Direct Injected Gasoline Engine with Turbocharger
- 6-speed Manual transmission
- Electromechanical speed-sensitive power steering
- Halogen head lights with automatic headlight activation and separate daytime running lights
Dimensions
- Length: 4,278 mm
- Width: 1,808 mm
- Height: 1,486 mm
- Wheel base: 2,537 mm
Beetle 1.2 TSI 6-speed M/T is at Php 1,590,000 and Beetle 1.4 TSI 7-speed DSG is priced at Php 1,790,000 and Php 1,840,000 for the Oryx White.
The Volkswagen BGC showroom is located at 28th Street City Center, Bonifacio Global City. Showroom hours are from Monday to Thursday 8am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday 8am to 7pm, and Sunday 9am to 6pm. For more information on Volkswagen or to request for a test drive, visit www.volkswagen.com.ph or email customercare@volkswagen.com.ph