VW Beetle is a Speedy Gonzalez

Lower, sleaker, snazzier.

The latest (New) Beetle has been re-sculpted and is now also wider, lower and slightly longer than the outgoing model (and yes, the poopsy-woopsy dashboard flower vase is gone as well!). To match its improved looks they also fiddled and tweaked some more with the car's Golf-based underpinnings so that it now clings to the road like a hot hatch.

Cheered on by two really enthusiastic engine choices the new Beetle squirts off the mark and rather quickly gets up to speeds that amazed the small band of local motoring scribes who put the two models to the test. They did just that on a lovely launch run over Franschhoek Pass and past Theewaterskloof down to Hermanus and back to Cape Town along the twisting, scenic coastal road that runs all the way past Gordon's Bay to the N2.

Rather unusually for a group of finicky motoring scribes, after our drive I didn't hear a single grumble about any aspect of either model other than its rather steep prices.

Adding a little aggro

The first thing that catches your eye is the changes in the car's design. The front bonnet has been stretched, the windscreen has been moved further back and is now also wider and angled more to the rear of the car to match the sloping roofline which has now also been pushed lower down to give the car a touch of hot rod aggro. It looks masculine and oozes the kind of muscle that is likely to appeal to guys who would not even have considered test driving the previous rather twee Beetle in case one of his buddies saw him.

But it's out on the road where the latest Beetle really blew my socks off. The car sits on the road with the same kart-like confidence as the reincarnated and BMW-engineered MINI which means that you can fling it into corners with gay abandon. In short, the road-holding is rock-steady, the steering is accurate and the brakes are sharp enough to put a quick stop to any over-enthusiastic horn-growing exuberance and off-tar excursions.

Beware of the large doors in a Cape gale... well, any high wind, for that matter.

The latest model, described by VW as the 21st Century Beetle, is available locally with two model choices - Design and Sport, powered by either a 1.2 litre 77kW/175Nm or a 1.4 litre 118kW/240 Nm TSI engine linked to a six-speed manual transmission. The Sport can also be fitted with an optional 7-speed DSG box.

On the launch drive my first session was at the wheel of a tornado red 1.4 armed with the six-speed manual box and I fell for its cheeky character long before we even reached the Franschhoek Pass. This little beauty is capable of notching up 208km/h rather rapidly and will do the 0-100km/h dash in a lively 8.3 seconds (remember it's only a 1.4 engine!)

Its peppy engine just loves to rev and although the torque muscle kicks in from as low as 1,500rpm you can happily twitch the rev counter all the way to 5,800rpm to get to maxim oomph. There is a zestiness about the car that is very appealing, yet VW claims fuel consumption of just 6.6 litres/100km in the combined cycle and emissions of 153g/km.

Crafty cornering

A feature with particular appeal is its XDS electronic differential lock which sharpens up handling during the quick corners by applying brakes to the wheel on the inside of a curve, preventing it from spinning which in turn improves traction.

In addition to standard equipment my test car also had a number of extras such as keyless entry, panoramic sunroof, a technology package, xenon head-lights, a Media interface device, 18-inch alloys and a navigation system which pushed the normal retail price of R296,600 to R343,900, which is heavy.

There's bags of space in the boot.

After lunch I took the helm of the smaller-engine model, fully expecting to be disappointed with its performance after thrilling to the peppy 1.4 - but I was quite wrong. Although obviously not quite as spirited as the more expensive model the less powerful Design model is far from sleepy or lazy.

It certainly didn't take long for it to put a smile on my face with its cheeky engine capable of zipping out of the stalls to get to 100km/h in 10.9 seconds. What's more, VW reckons it is capable of reaching 180km/h and I must say it felt like it could do this quite easily. Equally impressive are its combined cycle fuel consumption of 5.9litres/100km and emissions of just 137g/km.

This model also had a couple of optionals such as Bluetooth cellphone connectivity, a technology package, xenon headlights and a media device interface which pushed the car's standard price of R235,400 up to R251,200.

Double blast

What gives these two high-spirited Beetles such pleasant driveability is a double blast provided by a supercharger and a turbocharger. Take-off is quick and without hesitation, thanks to the sharp reaction of the supercharger which provides the initial kick. Once up and running the turbocharger kicks in with a feeling akin to a quick shift to a higher gear.

The living quarters have obviously been considerably upgraded and improved and although it doesn't have a retro look, it does have certain features which strongly reminds of the days of the original Volksie. Top of the list is its glove box which doesn't look at all out of place next to the modern instrument lay-out

Oh no, there's no flower vase.

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In front of the driver, three round instruments (tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge) supply all of the key information in the central speedometer (in the middle). Designs vary according to optional kit but basic include climate control panel, also redesigned, a central switch bar for the hazard lights and finally the gear shift grip with the start button for the engine (optional) located to the right of it. An optional interior lighting system offers the choice of red, white or blue lighting at a flick of a switch

The interior reeks of good workmanship and classy finishes. The cabin is quite spacious and the seats are comfortable although rear passenger leg space is restricted and tall ones will not really be comfortable during long distances.

The boot is big enough for 905 litres of luggage and the optional sliding sunroof gives the cabin a bright, airy feeling. The standard sound system is good although VW also offers a superior Fender set up as an optional extra. A nice touch would have been to retain the instantly recognisable traditional VW Volksie ignition key but in line with modern trends, entry is keyless.

True to the original

Being a two-door, getting in and out could be tricky in the Cape South-Easter because the doors are big and open wide and getting in and out of the back seats is a bit awkward.

We liked the fact that the typical round-eyed headlights were retained although snazzy xenon lights with daylight running LED's are available as an option.

The boot lid is big and moves upwards along with the integrated rear windscreen to create a generous cavern in the space occupied in the day by the wheezing engines of the original beetles. It is well-designed to move up and down effortlessly although in the wind it may be a bit tricky.

The price can be a bit heavy if you want all the add-ons, but the ride is very nice.

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However, what VW has succeeded in doing well is to offer a comfortable, spirited, youthful cabin while still retaining to vibe of the Beetle of yonder years.

Where the latest Beetle also scores well is in the safety department (the Beetles of the late '50s didn't even seat belts) with a host of active and passive protection including an ESP electronic stabilisation programme, and a host of airbags. Standard equipment also include ABS, hill hold, alarm immobiliser, child seat ISOFIX, aluminium pedals, cruise control, electric windows, adjustable range headlights, multi-function steering wheel, fully-adjustable steering column.

The original Beetle was a world-wide icon and even the outgoing generation of new Beetle sold more than a million units world-wide (although only about 2,600 in 11 years in this country) and VW SA is, perhaps a tad optimistically, expecting to sell about 150 units per month from now on.

The spruced up and generously upgraded Beetle is a classy, alternative, safe, fun car with a lovely naughty streak and a character not unlike Speedy Gonzalez which is quite apt, because the new beetle is made in VW's Mexico plant. The only thing that might put a slight brake on sales is its price tag and costly optional extras - other than that it is a very appealing choice for those bold enough to be different.

More about the New Beetle

Specifications

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2012 VW Beetle Test Drive & Review

Volkswagen Beetle 2012