The Departing VW Beetle Could Come Back As A RWD Four-Door EV
The VW Beetle won’t be with us for much longer. It’ll go out of production next year, and there won’t be a direct replacement. But, that might not be the end for the famous name.
Autocar reports that an all-electric indirect replacement for the car is being mulled over. If given the green light, it’d be based on VW’s new ‘MEB’ architecture, which is also due to form the basis of the production versions of the ID, the ID Crozz and another retro throwback - the Type 2-inspired ID Buzz.
The lack of internal combustion engine won’t be the only deviation from the old one. “The Beetle of today is a very attractive two-door coupe or convertible, but it is limited in the amount of cars that it can sell because it’s a niche,” VW’s design chief Klaus Bischoff explained. So, a four-door Beetle it is. In fact, Bischoff has already completed a design sketch of such a car, which may end up being rear-wheel drive to give it a stronger link to the original ‘Type 1’ Beetle. The flexibility of electric powertrains means that MEB should be able to have multiple drive layout options.
We won’t be seeing anything like this for a while, however. VW needs to get the high-volume stuff like the production ID out the door first, and then VW will be able to “move into more exotic cars and the field of emotion”. The first of ‘emotional’ car in the ID family will be the Buzz, and that won’t be here until 2022, so don’t expect to see the New New Beetle until 2023 at the earliest.
In the meantime, what do you think about the prospect of this plug-in Beetle? Could it be a worthy successor to the Type 1, or would you rather the name be retired for good?
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
You want some old car inspired electric stuff? Buy the Microlino!
Don’t hate me but I’m kinda excited to see what it’ll look like…
Considering the new VW bus coming out which looks really neat (and with around 350hp if I recall) electric is honestly not a bad look for VW in light of… erm.. recent events…
If VW was smart (which they sometimes are) they would put a flat 4 back in the rear of the beetle driving the back wheels, and it would stay a 2 door.
Autobots role out
So basically a larger Renault Twingo? Sweet
I was getting excited reading it
Then I saw EV
A 4 door EV Beetle?
I thought that idea had already been……
VW, claims to discontinue the beetle to get the ID buzz to production already
And then brings back the beetle as a 4 door just to move units to niche markets
The old Beetle isnt only about looks but more importantly about the unique feeling when driving one.
I cant see how VW wants to make a true succesor as an EV.
As I see it, the beetle split into three cars.
Here’s a better idea… Kill it off and then never, EVER bring it back!