Test drive Volkswagen Beetle 1998 - 2005 compartment

Hard winged

The idea of \u200b\u200ba simple, durable, reliable - folk - car Ferdinand Porsche naked for many years. Once, sitting in a bar with a friend, he painted his dream on a napkin. A friend was none other than Adolf Hitler. And, being a good artist, he made some changes to the sketch. More recently, this piece of paper has left the auction for good money ...

 
The car invented by Porsche had a simple four -cylinder opposite air cooling motor, a gearbox in the database, a compact independent torsion suspension of all wheels and an unusual streamlined semicircular body, reminiscent of which side you look at, the beetle. The consequence of this external similarity was the later known informal name - in all languages.

 
The project of the mass machine fit into the program for the construction of a road network, and the transport ministry instructed Porsche to establish production. In this regard, a Limited Liability Company Volkswagen (folk car) was organized.

 
Germany was preparing for the war, and under the guise of establishing the production of a folk car, a colossal scam was diverted - from those who wanted to have personal cars, they collected money to build a plant, which subsequently provided the German army with staff vehicles and amphibians at Beetle units. However, a certain number of beetles was released in 1936-but extremely insignificant.

 
After the war, production reached a real scope. The car was produced not only in Germany, but also in Brazil, Mexico and South Africa, leaving even Ford T.

 
The last beetle came from the German conveyor back in 1976, giving way to Golf model, but very many still do not want to part with their favorites, unite in clubs, conduct joint trips ... They made a gift - New Beetle, which is a concern Volkswagen showed in Detroit at the beginning of this year (engine #2, 1998).

 
The RIMACK often turns out to be worse than the original. Fearing deep down that this could happen with New Beetle, we still picked up an old beetle - German, the last, 1976, year of release. We understood that there would be very little in common between cars. And they made a mistake: nothing was in common at all.

 
The new model is by no means repetition or variations on the topic of the former bestseller. Taking the contours of the old beetle as a basis, the designers hid modern units constructed anewed shell.

 
The face of New Beetle is funny and superior. Seriousness in it - not a drop! Proportions are a miracle similar to your source. There is not enough cute little things - with an external examination, there is nothing to catch on the eye: all the superfluous (like bumpers, moldings, brilliant chrome details) is absent, and the rest is completely licked. Beautiful, stylish, but if the old beetle is a living beetle, then the new one is only toy. This is not good and not bad - just differently. Now the wrong days are not the same cars ...

 
The car is almost the same in front and from behind - if not for the big red lights, then, looking from the side, the movement of the reversing could be taken for movement forward. The area of \u200b\u200bglazing is much larger than that of the old beetle, the glass is convex and repeat the shape of the body. Between the old -fashioned rear and front wings passes a convex threshold. It is not suitable as a step, but it protects well from road mud.

 
If you look at the car from the side, you understand that the main (or the only) instrument of the designer in this case was the compass, with the help of which both the roof and wings were drawn.

 
At the site of the missing front bumper, the gap of the air intake is clearly visible, talking about the front -line layout, and when the car is slipping with the front wheels on the grass, you finally understand that nothing is related to the old beetle. The New Beetle is based on the VW Golf IV platform. Naturally, the motor moved forward, and the front wheels became the front wheels. The use of the finished platform made it possible to reduce the cost of production, but it was not in vain in the dimensions of the old body for nothing.

 
The old beetle was known for the fact that his hunchbacked trunk lid prevented the driver from feeling the front dimensions. So, in the new car with this is even worse. It would seem, what's the difference - the motor in front or trunk? But at the driver of the old beetle, their legs reached almost to the front bridge. And now the driver's seat had to be very moved back. And, therefore, bring the devices closer to him. Due to the huge distance between the dashboard and the windshield, the depth of the upper part of the torpedo turned out to be incredibly large-more than in another mini-wen. Add to this quite wide front racks - and you will get an idea of \u200b\u200bthe review. Especially inconvenient in left -wing turns. And if the driver is low, then all that he sees is the plane of the torpedo size with a small airfield and the road going to the horizon ...
 
 
But the salon is beyond praise. We did not suspect that in such a small outwardly a car could be so bright and spacious. Profiled, rather rigid and with good lateral support, sheathed with fiber fabric, front seats, in addition to ordinary adjustments, can move up and down. The range of longitudinal adjustment is such that in the extreme rear position of the chair, another driver will not reach the pedals. There are so many places over your head that not only the hat - the cylinder can not be removed.

 
You can get into the back seat by throwing back the front and, if necessary, moving it forward. There is, of course, there are not as many places over your head and in general the spaciousness here as in front. At high passengers, the head will rest against the ceiling - the roof line falls too cool. But in general - tolerant. The seats are somewhat simpler than the front ones, their backs are leaning forward, increasing the size of an already rather big luggage compartment. True, in order to fold them, you will have to remove the headrests and move the front seats a little forward.

 
The steering wheel is designed in a toy style - black, it has three wide aluminum spokes. Its position can be adjusted to any driver - thanks to the adjustments of the column along the length and angle of inclination. The grip is reliable and convenient. In the steering wheel - a pillow of safety. There are three more pillows in the cabin - in the external sides of the seats and in front of the passenger.

 
The stylistics of switch appliances reminds of the famous ancestor. But their backlighting is quite (if not excessively) modern: the scales are bright blue, the arrows are red. On the central console, under the air conditioning - an automatic lever and three cup holders (for the rear passengers - only one). Mirror adjustments and windows are electric, with control on the doors. Most of all, non -smoker, liked the lack of cigarette lighters and ashtrays - this is apparently an echo of American struggle against smoking. A cute detail that has moved from the old beetle is a tiny vase for a flower to the right of the steering wheel, just do not look for it in the pictures - she liked someone before us ...

 
Mindful that the stove of the old beetle never really pulled, turned on the heating - how is it here? Of course, now is summer, but the rear passengers howled almost instantly. And they calmed down just as quickly when the air conditioner was put into effect - the ventilation system of the salon was made for glory.

 
Now the main thing. The fact that this creature knows how to ride, we have already seen, and, of course, here between him and Golf is not such a big difference, but still interesting!

 
The motor is almost not heard, so a light buzzing, not like in the good old beetle. The transmission-automatic box is almost imperceptible. Thanks to two liters of gasoline volume, with injection, a 115-horsepower engine, the machine is subjective to very Shustro. According to the passport, acceleration to hundreds takes less than 11 seconds.

 
Economic and those who are any sound of the motor of the first beetle are offered 1.9 liters of a 90-horsepower turbodiesel, but it is nevertheless not so much. After some time, a turbocharged 1.8 liter (150 hp) 20 -valve engine will appear in the range - with it the car will accelerate to hundreds in 7 seconds. In the future, it seems, even a 200-horsepower VR6 promises.

 
On the road, the car - as expected - behaves like an ordinary Golf, also tenaciously holds on the asphalt, also confidently passes turns. The suspension turned out to be quite stiff, at least more shaking than that of the first beetle. Of course, it would be more correct to compare with a new car, but where can you get it - a new old beetle?

 
The braking is confident, disk brakes on all wheels, well -visible through the knitting needles of elegant cast discs, are even a little sharper than we would like. There are also ABS. The brake pedal, by the way, would not hurt to move to the left ...


 

By and large, despite the same high as Golf IV, the new beetle is not as high as Golf IV for everyday use. This car is good as the second, third, etc. In the family, because for transportation, for example, junk is not suitable for the country.

 
Of course, the second and third car in the family is not yet for us, in any case, not for all of us. But this car was not done for Russia. No matter how good it is, universal nostalgic love for the old beetle, which explains the frantic demand for New Beetle in the USA, is not observed in our country. Nevertheless, there are corresponding romantically -minded citizens here - they certainly will not be able to buy such a beetle.

 
The motor warns: be careful - the new beetle is a source of increased danger. Each exit on it will provoke emergency situations - drivers of oncoming and passing cars at the sight of a beetle glance into it and blur in smiles, completely forgetting about the road.

 
American view

 
Undoubtedly, the beetle was a very unusual car - both in the history of creation, and in appearance, and in design, and ... at the price. It was the affordable price in combination with reliability and unpretentiousness that determined in the post -war years its success in the lower sector of the automobile market of many countries - from European to Latin American and African. As soon as competitors appeared from other manufacturers - technically more perfect, comfortable and also affordable - the popularity of the model of the 30s in practical (primarily European) customers began to fall ...

 
The Americans were different. The first time after the appearance of the beetle on sale in the United States was not paid attention to him at all. In 1949, 2 cars were sold, in 1950 - 328. Then the beetle cost $ 800 ...

 
The situation began to radically change by the end of the 50s. And the point here is not in energy crises. The hippie movement gained strength, they are also children-priests. For them, the beetle has become a symbol no less significant than a pacifist icon with a bird's paw. It was enough to look at the car painted with flowers, and it became clear who its owner was and what he was thinking about the world around him. It is important, of course, that in the 60s the beetle cost only about $ 2000. It’s not bad - and expressed a social protest, and you have a vehicle, albeit badly ...

 
In 1959, 97,000 beetles were sold. The peak fell on the 60-70s. - This is the heyday of the movement. The sales record - nearly half a million cars - dates back to 1968

 
The hippies grew up, formed, got the children, and everything slowly went on decline. At the same time, the positions of the beetle and the Volkswagen concern were weakened in the American market ...

 
The current beetle is a rather competent Volkswagen attempt to restore its position in the United States. It can be assumed that the Germans reasoned something like this. Last year, Volkswagen sold only 138,000 cars in the United States. This, of course, is more than 49,000 in 1993, but for the most massive European manufacturer, it is indecent enough. But which of the Americans will buy Golf IV? Nobody. But if the beetle’s shell is pulled on it, then the queue of honored hippies will immediately be lined up, which today far over forty - the new machine will inspire them with nostalgic memories.

 
The rejuvenes will stand in line - they have a beetle with flowers and poultry paws, but dad and mom had such a car. And they conceived them, most likely, in it - in the back seat. In addition, the appearance of the new car is guaranteed to attract attention to the owner, and for the current American buyer this is becoming more and more important.

 
So people will stretch into Volkswagen dealers. And there other models are worth it. You look, the audience will not ignore them ...

 
Whether the Germans really reasoned like that - we do not know. But the fact that the new beetle was done specifically for the American market is for sure. They assemble a car in the neighborhood, in Mexico. 50,000 cars of the first full year of production are also intended for the United States (over time, production capacity will be increased to 120,000-160,000 cars per year). For comparison: Great Britain’s quota for 1998 - 5000 cars, Holland - 2000. And the official European premiere is scheduled for October when the Parisian salon opens.

 
For the first time, sales are guaranteed to the car - there are long lines for dealers, customers are written, as once we have - those who want to get the coveted deficit, and are ready to overpay any money for the beetle. But for a long time, will there be enough nostalgia? Retro is a product, in general, piece. Although if an old beetle is a black and white TV, then the new one is a color, large -format TV, only in the housing under the old days.

 
Alexey Strelkov, Mikhail Vasiliev
 
 
 

A source: Motor magazine [No. 1/1998]