What I Think of the New Beetle

“What's there to dislike about the New Beetle?” It's a car that makes people smile wherever it goes. It stands out like an orange life raft in a grey sea of auto-anonymity. Even if they don't immediately recognise the Beetle connection - and not everyone does - expressions of affectionate interest are instant and heartfelt. What's there to dislike about the New Beetle? Almost everything. Its cartoonish design perhaps, which compromises its practicality in a …

…unleaded fuel. No-one will buy a New Beetle because it's a brilliant car to drive. Nor will it be bought by anyone who places a high value on practicality. No, it is a car that will - must - sell solely on the basis of its appearance. But for how long will its style sustain interest? A year? Two years? The New Beetle will be a fashionable car for a time, but fashions inevitably change.