Volkswagen Confirms New Beetle's Launch in 2012

Published: Friday, August 19, 2011, 12:32 [IST]

Volkswagen has confirmed the launch of the third generation Beetle in India. The Iconic Beetle will be seen on Indian roads by next year according to reports. Volkswagen has already begun production of the new car in Mexico.

The second generation Beetle was called the New Beetle and the latest model will only be called as the 2012 Beetle. The 2012 Beetle was unveiled by Volkswagen in the United States recently. The company has focussed on making the Beetle more Masculine after a research found most of the New Beetle's buyers were women. The 2012 Beetle gets a rear spoiler and sportier front end.

The member of the board and director of Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt Ltd., Mr. Neeraj Garg while speaking at the launch of the new Jetta in Mumbai said: “India will soon discover the beauty of our third generation Beetle."

The New Beetle was introduced in India in 2009 with a starting price of Rs.24.10 lakhs (ex showroom price New Delhi). The car was marketed as a niche car and Volkswagen has sold 617 units of the New Beetle so far. It remains to be seen how Volkswagen will price the 2012 Beetle.

Mr Garg while speaking about the Beetle said: “ The Beetle car is an iconic model for the company and it was introduced in the country for its special status and brand positioning and not to gather sales. Till date we have sold over 600 units of the car and that is quite a great achievement in one-and-half years. Now we will soon launch the new generation of Beetle in the country after unveiling it in US plus later this year Europe will unwrap the beauty of the German car."

The Volkswagen Beetle was first launched in 1938 and was once the highest selling car in the world.