Test drive Volkswagen Beetle 1998 - 2005 compartment

All photos of Volkswagen Beetle 1998 - 2005

"Beetle" and grandson

Correspondents at the wheel interviewed representatives of a famous automobile family.

Volkswagen -nu -Volkswagen New Beetle
The prototype of the new Volkswagen-Zhuk was shown back in 1994. Since January of this year, the car has been produced in Mexico, in the city of Pueblo. Created on the basis of the platform and power units of the fourth -generation golf. Engines - a 2.0 liter gasoline with a volume of 1.9 liters. The gearbox is an automatic four -speed (basic version) or five -speed mechanics.
Volkswagen-Zhuk Volkswagen KAFER
The debut took place in Berlin in 1939. The machine, after repeated modernizations, is still available. In total, more than 22 million copies were produced. Now it is made only in a pueblo with a 1.6 liter engine and a four -speed gearbox.
Recently, the case allowed us to chat with a pair of Volkswagenes who arrived in Moscow from Mexico. One of them - a well -preserved grandfather - represented the old generation of cars, the other - the grandson - the latest. We asked them to tell about our famous family.

New Bitter:
And my grandfather is at least where! Almost all his peers have already rested - some in a landfill, others in museums. My old man is nothing. And he did not lose his charm at all. Only, perhaps, now, by the end of the century, he has it with a slight taste of nostalgia - even to me is noticeable. But experts appreciate this - they are called to act in films, then pose for a magazine. What is there, in any car crowd, grandfather immediately attracts attention. I myself watched more than once - even when we are together, they pour to him no less than to me. Eh, to preserve such popularity in his summer ... However, so as not to jinx it, while everything is O'Kay, they stand in line to get to know each other better.

Here is my father - Golf will not understand what is in us with this grandfather (how modest I am!). Well, daddy was always a little straightforward-an ironed suit with wide rear racks, the image of a mentor in a golf club. Who said the bore? Not at all, just strict and business. And think for yourself, was it easy for him? Especially in his youth: here is the son of a beetle. - Is that there, unpretentious? And then go make excuses that Jujaro drew him so much. But we will talk about the father another time.
The grandfather does not like to talk about his childhood and youth. Yes, in general, I know why-somehow I rummaged into who is who, looked into the family archive ... Conductive pictures were preserved there. Above the cradle of the first Volkswagen, the genius of Porsche and the villain Hitler bowed. And here he is, on thin sixteen -inch wheels, but already in the jacket of a protective color. And then even in the soldier's overcoat, angular and wretched, with a spare wheel on the front and high uniform tires into a large scar. (In the army, he was called a cube - a trough). Who could then think that very soon he would be dressed in a terrible again, and then gain the whole world - without tigers and Ferdinands, without a single shot.

As soon as it was possible to restore the generic nest in Wolfsburg, grandfather found friends and fans and went to drive around the world. Here he is met by cranes in some American port. And here - he leaves the assembly line in Brazil. Or in Mexico? And the white -toothed black refueling opens the gas tank hatch - where is it? Maybe Nigeria, or maybe South Africa.

Years passed, grandfather gradually swearing - he gained volume and engine power, increased the area of \u200b\u200bglazing and the size of the rear lights. But he remained the same recognizable, pretty and friendly, almost devoid of ambitions and aggression. Thirty years ago, the car fashion was understood a little differently than now, but grandfather carefully watched it, changing the shape of the front wings almost more often than the official name.
It's funny, but he never got his own name: after all, the beetle is nothing more than a successful nickname, which sounds different in different languages: beetle, bug, kkfer, brouk ... The passport is completely different: at first he bore a name KDF, then indices 1200, 1300, 1500, 1302, 1303 ... and, finally, in Mexico lives under the modest surname Sedan.

BEETLE:
The birth of a grandson is always a great joy. Here Golf is a diligent and exemplary son (and therefore received most of my factories), but when he appeared in 1974, I will not hide, I was disappointed. Neither externally nor inside it looks like me! The granddaughter of New Bitter is a completely different matter. It seems to you that only the shape of the wings is similar? I will not argue: both front -drive, and most of the units are dad's - engine, pendants and even front seats. However, there is another, almost mystical resemblance - sixteen -inch wheels, like mine, only wider; about the same 210 liters of trunk; with an accuracy of a millimeter - the height of the cabin in the front (1260 mm). Or is it to us, old people, I want to look for their features in young relatives? However, something like a grandson is similar to his uncle, Porsche 911.

Putting the granddaughter is good - wide muscular wings, a steep hood ... And yet something gives out, perhaps, a light youthful disbursement - the circular joint of the roof and the sidewall, the shape of the necessary beam. And the road clearance, like the father, is very modest (130 mm). However, I will not grumble.
The length of the grandson and I are almost the same, but his width is much (174 mm) more. Accelerat! The doorways have increased, and now you do not catch your head over the edge of the roof, easily penetrate. And again it grown ... the front panel. I have it only barely outlined - a board and a board, and the granddaughter has a whole structure - a width of 770 mm! Who will compare with it from cars (excluding mini-wen)? And it is not she from the review that interferes, but a convex (almost like mine!) The shape of the front line, so at first you park careful. But how pleasant it will be for you to twist the chubby steering wheel of the steering wheel with a hydraulic booster, and at the end - pull the thick lever of the parking brake - take in your hands - you are shaking the thing.

The close back seat is probably our family line. However, if you have difficulty in my knees behind me, then you can rehearse the role of the Atlanteans (or Cariathid?), Resting your head on the sloping roof. If you are above 160 cm, do not agree to go far in the back seat. Well, in self -respecting cars there are usually more than two people and does not drive ...

My grandson, as you know, was born in the American design center of Volkswagen. Therefore, by the way, it was named New Bit, not Neuer Kepfer. Yes, and in the design, American accent is noticeable: automatic gearbox, cruise control, an abundance of electric drives. Americans love comfort! Only, perhaps, a short and excessively rigid suspension does not correspond much to the traditions of the New World. Noticing how the granddaughter nervously jumps on the small bumps of the road, I think - eh, softer to him shoes. True, he objects: but I can easily go through any tense turn. But not all of the drivers are the drivers. To someone (many!) The smoothness of the course is much more important.

Even I, despite my age and much smaller mass, run much more smoothly. And I like my engine more. And then - it seems to be two liters, but it seems as if 400 cubes are less. They strangled him, we must think, green - give them environmental purity. Moreover, New Bitl and a supporter of a healthy lifestyle himself: he will not give you neither a cigarette lighter nor an ashtray. Out of bad habits!

What I envy - no, not the youth of the grandson. I envy its equipment. Nowadays, there were no such miracles - airbags, headlights of the headlights. What is there, even the brake amplifier did not rely ...
I hope the grandson is still ahead. He will learn to save with a turbodiesel, and there dad will give him a VR6 motor. So, run to him and run. I’ll say a secret: even US President Clinton bought his daughter New Bitter for her birthday ...
The editors thanks Alea Motors for the New Bitter car provided for the test.
+ More than stylish appearance, simplicity of design, smoothness.
- Low comfort, weak work of the stove, insufficient dynamics.
Complete the beetle
External antenna, a radio with a speaker.
+ Stylish appearance, large doorways, spacious interior, four airbags, convenient controls, minimum rolls and confident behavior in the bend, good brakes, a full -sized spare wheel.
- Strong short -flowing suspension, small road clearance, invisible front edge of the body, thick front racks, uncomfortable external mirrors, flat seats, hard head restraints, low in the rear of the salon, small trunk.
Complete New Bitter
Automatic gearbox, steering wheel, ABS and brake amplifier, cruise control, central castle, immobilizer, air conditioning, four airbags, radio tape recorders with six speakers, electric windows and mirrors, headlights, heating the front seats, a driver’s seat adjustable in height and heights and Safety belts, polite lights in the cabin, electronic clock, remote control of the trunk and a gas tank hatch, alloy wheels, fog lights, outer antenna, a stop-signal repeater.
Technical characteristics of the car beetle
General data: number of places - 4; Equipped mass - 650-890 kg; Full mass - 1100-1290 kg; maximum speed - 115-145 km/h; Acceleration from a place to 100 km/h - 18.5-28 s; The average conditional fuel consumption is 9-11 l/100 km; Fuel reserve - 39-42 l; Fuel - gasoline
A-76-AI-92. Dimensions, mm: length - 3990-4200; width - 1500-1585; height - 1500; base - 2400; Front track/back - 1290/1250-1394/1349; Road clearance - 220-160; trunk volume - 210-400 l; The turning radius is 5.5-4.8 m. The engine: carburetor, four -cylinder, opposition, is located long ago; working volume - 985-1584 cm; Power - 24-50 hp Transmission: rear wheel drive; The gearbox is a four -speed mechanical (three -stage automatic). Suspension: in front - independent, torsion, on double longitudinal levers or macserson, with a reptile stability stabilizer, in the back - independent torsion, with an elastic longitudinal lever or on triangular levers. Brakes: hydraulic (until 1953 - mechanical); Front - disk or drum, the rear - drum. The steering: with a globoid roller or (1303) rack. Tire size: 4.5/16-155/15.
Technical characteristics of the New Bitter car
General data: number of places - 4; Equipped mass - 1155 kg; full weight - 1680 kg; maximum speed - 175 km/h; acceleration time from a place to 100 km/h - 11.0 s; fuel consumption in conditional suburban and city cycles - 6.0; 11.5 l/100 km (fur. KP); fuel supply - 55 liters; Fuel is unhealthy gasoline AI -95. Dimensions, mm: length - 4092; width - 1724; height - 1511; base - 2512; The track in front/back - 1515/1494; Road clearance - 130; trunk volume - 210 l; The radius of rotation is 5.4 m. The engine: four -cylinder in order, with distributed injection, is located in front of the front; working volume - 1984 cm; cylinder diameter and piston stroke - 82.5x92.8 mm; compression degree - 10.0; Power - 85 kW/116 liters. With. at 5200 rpm; The maximum torque is 165 N.M at 2600 rpm. Transmission: front wheel drive; gearbox - four -speed automatic; Transporting numbers: I - 2.71; II - 1.44; III - 1.00; IV - 0.74; h. X. - 2.88; The main program is 4.53. Suspension: in front - independent, such as McEferson with a reptile stability stabilizer, behind - semi -dependent with longitudinal levers associated with an elastic transverse beam. Brakes: hydraulic disk with a vacuum amplifier and ABS, ventilated in front. Steering: rheck with a hydraulic wrap. Tire size: 205/55R16.
Summary New Bitter
If we take into account that in Russia New Bittle is offered a new beetle for $ 30 thousand, it will most likely become a stylish and bright, but absolutely impractical toy for New Rashnz - new Russians.
Summary beetle
The car is suitable for originals that are in no hurry, or like a second car for infrequent trips to meetings of beetles and antiquity parades.