The final "modern" Beetle debuted in 2011 based on the underpinnings of the Golf V. Image: Volkswagen
Volkswagen has officially silenced rumours of a Beetle revival by confirming that it won’t be reinventing one its most iconic nameplates for a retro-styled electric vehicle anytime soon.
Discontinued in 2019 when the Puebla Plant in Mexico produced the final example, rumours of a likely modern day model with an EV powertrain flared-up less than a year in spite of prior comments by Wolfsburg’s Research and Development Head, Frank Welsch, denouncing its return.
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“People asked when production starts on the car, so we decided to go that way. Better to have that than having five generations of a new Beetle,” Welsch told Britian’s Autocar on the sidelines of the Geneva Motor Show in 2018.
In a newly released interview, current Volkswagen boss Thomas Schäfer said the Beetle, which had been reinvented twice, first as the New Beetle in 1997 and then as the updated Beetle in 2011, had run its course and won’t be making a comeback at any stage for the foreseeable future.
“There are certain vehicles that have had their day. It wouldn’t make sense to bring it back,” former Volkswagen South Africa Head Schäfer told the British publication this week.
“The brand always has to reinvent itself and bring out new things. It’s similar to when the Beetle’s time was over and the Golf came in. You’ve got to bring new models, but at the same time optimise existing ones.”
In addition to the Beetle, Schäfer said a remake of the Scirocco is also unlikely to happen as the Golf-based coupe has also “had its day” after three completely different generations, the most recent being the internally named 1K8 based on the Golf V’s PQ35 platform made from 2008 to 2017.
“Going forward with balancing all these technologies and the cost that is associated with it, you’ve got to invest money in the best possible place.”
Earlier this month, the automaker confirmed that the Arteon will be withdrawn after the current generation as part of its “Accelerate Forward | Road to 6.5” product strategy aimed at improving earnings amounting to €10-billion by 2026.
Speaking of the decision, Schäfer said while the marque is proud of its heritage and should remember it for years to come, “it’s not what only defines us”.
“We have a lot of names in our history, but there are only, I’d say, a little more than a handful that are really iconic and global. There are the typical ones, the Golf, the Tiguan… Would you do Scirocco or would you do Arteon? Probably not. That is part of our naming philosophy that we are now finalising,” he said.
Back in April, it was announced that the Golf will be renewed for a ninth generation and with an electric powertrain, but only in 2028 as the current Golf 8 will benefit from a facelift next year in reportedly becoming the Golf 8.5.
As reported weeks ago, the revised Golf will not only be the last internal combustion engine model, but lack a manual gearbox for the first time since the original debuted in 1974.
The same also applies to the next generation Tiguan that will premiere later this year after being teased for the first time just under two weeks ago.
Both models are reportedly in the final stages of development and while the Golf 8.5 is likely to come to South Africa once again in GTI and R forms only, a more expansive Tiguan line-up is predicted, although at present, no official confirmation has been made by Volkswagen South Africa regarding either.
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