GTP Cool Wall: 1998-2011 Volkswagen New Beetle

[Wiegert]

1998-2011 Volkswagen New Beetle nominated by @FerrariF1GT

Body Style: 2-door hatchback
Engines: Petrol: 1.4L I4, 1.6L I4, 1.8L turbocharged I4, 2.0L I4, 2.3L VR5, 2.5L I5
Diesel: 1.9L I4
Power: 75 hp (1.4), 101 hp (1.6), 150-180 hp (1.8 turbo), 114 hp (2.0), 170 hp (2.3), 150 hp (2.5), 89-104 hp (1.9 diesel)
Torque: 93 lb-ft (1.4), 107 ft-lb (1.6), 150-173 ft-lb (1.8 turbo), 122-130 ft-lb (2.0), 160 ft-lb (2.3), 209-228 ft-lb (2.5), 210-240 ft-lb (1.9 diesel)
Weight: 1230 kg
Transmission: 4-speed automatic, 6-speed automatic, 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual
Additional Information: The New Beetle RSi is not included in this nomination because it has already been polled.​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[Sage Ages]

Fashionable.

 

[BKGlover]

One of the earliest retro-designed production cars. Never cared for it, it looks awkward somehow. Original looks better, new one looks better, I say uncool.

 

[Turbo]

The first car of 2000s teenage girls who thought the Cavalier wasn't cutesy enough for them.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Nasty jelly-mould Care Bear car that sprouted eyelashes far too often. Super uncool. Yuck.

 

[Famine]

Comes with its own small vase and plastic flower.

 

[Liquid]

Evaporated tungsten.

 

[TexRex]

New Beetle

 

[Wiegert]

Someone, Circa 1997: "On the whole, I think the Nineties has a chance of being remembered as a cool decade."

VW: "Hold my beer."

 

[Turbo]

But to be 100% honest, this car receives way more hate than it deserves.

 

[ThrasherDBS]

Thought it was super-cool when I was a little kid, not so much now.

Mild Uncool.

 

[Northstar]

The only redeeming quality of this car is the fact it was the basis for one of my favorite N64 games.



Otherwise, it's a car for teenage girls and women going through their mid-life crisis. Seriously Uncool.

 

[ScottPuss20]

The current "New" Beetle is much better than this one. Looks cheap, nasty and kind of like a puffer fish with all the rounded fenders. Yuck. Uncool.

 

[mustafur]

New Beetle, Not Cool.

Uncool.

 

[GT'S BiG FaN]

Seriously uncool, except for the RSi model.

 

[INEEDNAWZZZ]

Guilty pleasure but definitely not cool. Shame they didn't base it off the Polo platform like the concept.

 

[VXR]

Briefly cool, in the last millennium.

Tragically SU ever since.

 

[SPhilli911]

The most uncool car from an already seriously uncool brand. SU

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Seriously uncool, except for the RSi model.

That's actually even more uncool. It cost more than an E46 M3 at the time, and cries out for even more attention. A Golf R32 was half the price.

Like @VXR said, this was very, very briefly cool. And then, almost immediately, it became perma-SU.

 

[TheNuvolari]

Looks like I'm the only one who likes this adorable little car. And its manufacturer.

 

[Sage Ages]

Looks like I'm the only one who likes this adorable little car.

You're not the only one who likes it, just the only one who thinks it's cool.

 

[Snorevette]

Do I think it's cool? Absolutely not. But y'know what? I can see why people could like the styling even if it's blown out of the water by the newer one, headlamp eyelashes aren't any tackier or more obnoxious than an ugly bodykit and fart-can exhaust, and I can imagine if you went for the turbo I4 or any of the 5 cylinder options it could even be a bit fun. Still uncool, just not seriously so.

I'd say the least cool thing about it isn't the styling or anything like that, but the name. New Beetle? I wish I could just call it the 2nd gen Beetle or '98 Beetle or anything like that. I mean... true, nothing's stopping me, but still.

 

[Turbo]

New Beetle? I wish I could just call it the 2nd gen Beetle or '98.

Those names are even more awkward.

 

[Adamgp]

I liked these since they came out. Also a fun car in Midtown Madness.

Cool.

 

[Cowboy]

The facelift looked better.

 

[Mike458]

Send this thing (not the RSi) straight to HELL.

 

[Michelin Man]

Not a massive "modern-retro" fan when it comes to things like; this granted there's exceptions, hence why it's one of the reasons I don't really like the BMW MINI and really despise the Fiat 500. But back to the Beetle, well... I never liked the original, but I dislike the "New Beetle" even more, just a horrendous, rather bulbous looking fashion accessory.

And yes, in theory the RSi should be cooler, but it isn't really, as I agree with @SlipZtrEm on this one. It really does cry out for more attention, and if anything, it looked even more bulbous and over-inflated than the standard Beetle. And whilst the newer ones look more grown up, they're still much the same.

Seriously Uncool.

 

[Dennisch]

Less practical Golf. With a vase.

 

[LivingWithGames]

I personally like it. The old Beetle is an easy Sub-Zero and I like this one too, especially the RSi. Low Cool.

The only redeeming quality of this car is the fact it was the basis for one of my favorite N64 games.



Otherwise, it's a car for teenage girls and women going through their mid-life crisis. Seriously Uncool.

What about Midtown Madness? Or even GT3?

 

[Turbo]

Or even GT3?

Speaking of GT3, the New Beetle got its own dedicated racing event: