2012 Volkswagen Beetle - First Test - video Dailymotion

MotorTrend

We put the new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle and Beetle Turbo through our usual battery of tests to see how the new Bug performs.

Transcript

00:00 (car engine revving)

00:03 Ever since its multi-city big deal reveal

00:10 earlier this year,

00:11 Volkswagen has been trying to convince the world

00:14 that its all new 2012 Volkswagen Beetle

00:17 is a more manly car than the old new Beetle.

00:20 We agree it looks more masculine and aggressive

00:22 than its bubble-icious predecessor ever did,

00:25 but does it actually have the brawn to back up the looks?

00:28 As it happens, we were able to lay our hands

00:31 and test equipment on both the entry-level 2012 VW Beetle

00:35 and the sporty Beetle Turbo.

00:37 The base car is powered by Volkswagen's

00:39 2.5 liter inline-five.

00:41 It's a carryover engine from the original new Beetle,

00:44 but it now delivers 20 more horsepower

00:46 and nine more pound-feet of torque,

00:48 which makes a decent 170 horsepower

00:51 and 177 pound-feet of torque.

00:54 The Turbo now boasts Volkswagen's two-liter Turbo Four,

00:57 stepping in for the old 1.8 liter Turbo.

01:00 The new motor lays down 200 horsepower

01:02 and 207 pound-feet of torque,

01:04 an improvement of 20 horsepower and 35 pound-feet.

01:08 The new Beetle laid down an 8.8 second

01:11 zero to 60 mile per hour time

01:13 and ran the quarter mile in 16.7 seconds

01:15 at 83.7 miles per hour

01:18 with its six-speed automatic transmission.

01:20 We can also tell you it stopped from 60

01:22 in a decent 125 feet,

01:25 pulled a 0.86 G number on the skid pad,

01:28 and ran our figure eight course in 27.3 seconds

01:31 at an average of 0.62 Gs.

01:34 Editors who drove the car found the i5

01:36 a bit short of breath at times,

01:37 but otherwise competent.

01:39 We also tested the new 2012 Turbo.

01:42 It laid down a stout 6.3 second

01:44 zero to 60 mile per hour time

01:46 and ran the quarter mile in 14.9 seconds

01:49 at 94.7 miles per hour.

01:51 The Turbo's DSG dual-clutch gearbox

01:54 refused to allow brake torquing

01:55 or any other method of improving the launch.

01:58 We'll have to get our hands

01:58 on a manual transmission-equipped model

02:00 and see what numbers it gives us.

02:02 The new Turbo also stopped in 125 feet

02:05 and pulled 0.84 Gs average on the skid pad,

02:08 which can be attributed to each model

02:10 wearing different tires.

02:12 Finally, the new Turbo ran around the figure eight

02:14 in 27 seconds flat at 0.65 Gs average.

02:19 Editors who drove the car also complained

02:21 of excessive turbo lag

02:22 exacerbated by long gears

02:24 and a transmission programmed for fuel economy,

02:26 not sportiness.

02:28 Several also complained of excessive body roll

02:30 and lean in turns, a harsh ride,

02:32 and light, uncommunicative steering

02:34 from the rail-thin tiller.

02:36 To be fair, the Beetle has never been a sports car.

02:39 Our editors were quick to agree

02:41 the new Beetle is a vast improvement

02:42 over the old, new Beetle.

02:45 As for the Beetle Turbo, it may not be a GTI,

02:48 but all agreed it's more fun to drive

02:50 and handles better than its predecessor.

02:52 Volkswagen's finally built a modern Beetle

02:54 that car guys wouldn't and shouldn't be embarrassed to drive.

02:58 But will they give it a chance?

03:00 Who knows, but they ought to.

03:02 (rock music)

03:04 (whooshing)

2012 Volkswagen Beetle - First Test

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