Volkswagen Beetle: lineup overview

It is difficult to find a car with a more interesting history than the German Volkswagen Beetle. The best minds of pre-war Germany worked on its creation, and the result of their work exceeded the wildest expectations. Currently, the VW Beetle is experiencing a rebirth. How successful it will be, time will tell.

History of the Volkswagen Beetle

In 1933, Adolf Hitler met the legendary designer Ferdinand Porsche at the Kaiserhoff Hotel and set him the task of creating a people's car, reliable and easy to operate. At the same time, its cost should not exceed a thousand Reichsmarks. Officially, the project was called KdF-38, and unofficially - Volkswagen-38 (that is, the people's car of 38 release). The first 30 successfully tested vehicles were produced by Daimler-Benz in 1938. However, mass production was never launched due to the war that began on September 1, 1939.

Legendary designer Ferdinand Porsche demonstrates the first mass-produced KdF car, which will later be known as the "Beetle"

After the war, in early 1946, the Volkswagen plant produced the VW-11 (aka VW-Type 1). A boxer engine with a volume of 985 cm³ and a power of 25 liters was installed on the car. With. During the year, 10020 of these machines rolled off the assembly line. In 1948, the VW-11 was improved and turned into a convertible. The model was so successful that it continued to be produced until the early eighties. In total, about 330 cars were sold.

In 1951, the prototype of the modern Beetle underwent another important change - a 1.3 liter diesel engine was installed on it. As a result, the car was able to accelerate to 100 km / h in one minute. At that time, this was an unprecedented indicator, especially considering that there was no turbocharger in the engine.

In 1967, VW engineers increased engine power to 54 hp. with., and the rear window has acquired a characteristic oval shape. This was the standard VW Beetle, which was driven by entire generations of motorists until the end of the eighties.

The evolution of the Volkswagen Beetle

In the process of its development, the VW Beetle went through several stages, each of which produced a new car model.

Volkswagen Beetle 1.1

VW Beetle 1.1 (aka VW-11) was produced from 1948 to 1953. It was a three-door hatchback designed to carry five passengers. It was equipped with a boxer engine with a capacity of 25 liters. With. The car weighed only 810 kg and had dimensions of 4060x1550x1500 mm. The maximum speed of the first "Beetle" was 96 km / h, and the fuel tank contained 40 liters of gasoline.

The first car Volkswagen Beetle 1.1 was produced from 1948 to 1953

Volkswagen Beetle 1.2

The VW Beetle 1.2 was a slightly improved version of the first model and was produced from 1954 to 1965. The body of the car, its dimensions and weight have not changed. However, due to a slight increase in the piston stroke, the engine power increased to 30 hp. with., and the maximum speed - up to 100 km / h.

Volkswagen Beetle 1300 1.3

VW Beetle 1300 1.3 is the export name of the car under which the "Beetle" was sold outside of Germany. The first copy of this model left the assembly line in 1965, and production ceased in 1970. By tradition, the body shape and dimensions remained unchanged, but the engine capacity increased to 1285 cm³ (in previous models it was 1192 cm³), and power - up to 40 hp. With. VW Beetle 1300 1.3 accelerated to 120 km / h in 60 seconds, which at that time was a very good indicator.

Volkswagen Beetle 1300 1.3 was intended for export

Volkswagen Beetle 1303 1.6

Volkswagen Beetle 1303 1.6 was produced from 1970 to 1979. The engine displacement remained the same - 1285 cm³, but the power increased to 60 hp due to a change in torque and a slight increase in the piston stroke. With. A new car could accelerate to 135 km / h in one minute. It was possible to reduce fuel consumption - on the highway it amounted to 8 liters per 100 kilometers (previous models consumed 9 liters).

In the Volkswagen Beetle 1303 1.6, only the engine power has changed and there are direction indicators on the wings

Volkswagen Beetle 1600 i

The developers of the VW Beetle 1600 i once again increased the engine capacity to 1584 cm³. Due to this, the power increased to 60 liters. with., and in a minute the car could accelerate to 148 km / h. This model was produced from 1992 to 2000.

Volkswagen Beetle 1600 i was produced in this form from 1992 to 2000

Volkswagen Beetle 2017

The first photos of the third generation Beetle were shown by Volkswagen in the spring of 2011. At the same time, the novelty was presented at a car show in Shanghai. In our country, the new Beetle was first shown at the Moscow Motor Show in 2012.

The new Volkswagen Beetle 2017 has become lower and has acquired a very elegant appearance

Engine and dimensions VW Beetle 2017

The appearance of the VW Beetle 2017 has become more sporty. The roof of the car, unlike its predecessor, was not so sloping. The length of the body increased by 150 mm and amounted to 4278 mm, and the width - by 85 mm and became equal to 1808 mm. The height, on the contrary, decreased to 1486 mm (by 15 mm).

The power of the engine, equipped with a turbocharger, in the basic configuration was 105 hp. With. with a volume of 1,2 liters. However, if desired, you can install:

• 160 hp petrol engine. With. (volume 1.4 l);
• 200 hp petrol engine. With. (volume 1.6 l);
• diesel engine with a capacity of 140 liters. With. (volume 2.0 l);
• 105 hp diesel engine With. (volume 1.6 l).

For the 2017 VW Beetle cars exported to the USA, the manufacturer installs a 2.5-liter gasoline engine with a capacity of 170 hp. with., borrowed from the new VW Jetta.

Appearance VW Beetle 2017

The appearance of the VW Beetle 2017 has changed markedly. So, the rear lights have become darkened. The shape of the front bumpers has also changed and has become dependent on the configuration (Basic, Design and R Line).

In the new Volkswagen Beetle 2017, the taillights are darker and larger

There are two new body colors - green (Bottle Green) and white (White Silver). The interior has also undergone significant changes. The buyer can choose one of two finishes. In the first version, leather prevails, in the second - plastic with leatherette.

Video: review of the new VW Beetle

https://youtube.com/watch?v=GGQc0c6Bl14

Advantages of Volkswagen Beetle 2017

VW Beetle 2017 has a number of unique options that its predecessor did not have:

• finishing at the request of the client of the steering wheel and front panel with decorative inserts to match the body color;
  

  At the request of the buyer, the inserts on the steering wheel of the VW Beetle 2017 can be trimmed to match the body color
• a wide range of rims made of the latest materials and alloys;
  

  Manufacturers of Volkswagen Beetle 2017 provide the customer with a choice of rims from a wide range
• a large panoramic sunroof built into the roof;
  

  The manufacturer built a large panoramic sunroof into the roof of the Volkswagen Beetle 2017
• two options for interior interior lighting to choose from;
• audio system from Fender, the world famous manufacturer of amplifiers and electric guitars;
• the latest DAB+ digital broadcasting system, providing the highest quality of reception;
• the App Connect system, which allows you to connect a smartphone to the car and broadcast any applications on a special touch screen;
• Traffic Alert system that monitors blind spots and helps the driver when parking.
  

  Traffic Alert assists parking and monitors blind spots

Disadvantages of Volkswagen Beetle 2017

In addition to the advantages, the VW Beetle 2017 has a number of disadvantages:

• high fuel consumption for a 1.2 liter engine (this applies to both gasoline and diesel engines);
• poor handling when cornering (the car easily goes into a skid, especially on a slippery road);
• increased body dimensions (there is no compactness, which the Beetles have always been famous for);
• reduced already small ground clearance (on most domestic roads, the VW Beetle 2017 will experience difficulties - the car hardly moves even a shallow rut).

Prices for Volkswagen Beetle 2017

Prices for VW Beetle 2017 vary widely and depend on engine power and equipment:

• a standard VW Beetle 2017 in the basic configuration with a 1.2-liter gasoline engine and a manual transmission costs 1 rubles;
• the price of the same car with an automatic transmission will be 1 rubles;
• the purchase of a VW Beetle 2017 in a sports configuration with a 2,0-liter engine and an automatic transmission will cost 1 rubles.

Video: test drive the new VW Beetle

Volkswagen Beetle - Big Test Drive / Big Test Drive - New Beetle

Thus, the novelty of 2017 from the Volkswagen concern turned out to be quite interesting. The VW Beetle of this generation is literally stuffed with new technologies. The design of the car is also attractive. However, there are also disadvantages. This is primarily a small clearance. Combined with the high price, it makes you seriously think about the advisability of buying a VW Beetle, which was originally conceived as a people's car, accessible to almost everyone.