Volkswagen to end production of old-style Beetle

TEXAS_TDI

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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/business/1940229

Volkswagen said today it will stop making the original rear-engined Beetle later this year, bringing the curtain down on the nearly 70-year history of the classic "bug."

Production of the last old Beetles at the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico, will end this summer, spokesman Fred Baerbock said, adding that an exact date was not set.

He said there had been sinking demand for the original model, manufactured only in Puebla since 1978.

The first version of what would become known as the Beetle was developed in 1934 under the guidance of Adolf ******, who wanted to build a "people's car" -- or in German, a Volkswagen. It first entered mass production after World War II.

Over the decades, the VW became a favorite of both thrifty postwar Germans and 1960s American hippies before competition from Japanese compacts elbowed it aside.

Volkswagen sold more than 21 million of the cars over the decades, but says it produced less than 30,000 at Puebla last year.

Puebla will continue to produce the New Beetle sedan, a modernized successor to the cult car, which hit the market in 1998 and has a chassis based on the VW Golf.
 

PackRat

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I'm not suprised, there are far better choices in the Mexican market, even from VW.

The VW Pointer 3 door's base price is actually LESS than a VW Sedan (old Beetle) and has a modern watercooled FWD powertrain:



For a few hundred more, there is the popular Chevy Pop:



The look of Mexican cars is changing. Fords lineup is reflecting a more European look (Fiesta, Mondeo, Ikon), GM is importing the Opel Corsa and Astra (rebadged as Chevrolets) plus Renault (a return of sorts) and SEAT are selling cars in the Mexican market.

Aside from a few diehard and fleet purchases, the VW Sedan lost favor with most Mexicans.
 

retired_in_Chico

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70 years, that's really amazing. I have fond memories of both my bug and van and just today I parked next to a guy changing the oil in his bug in the parking lot of Walmart. I'm sure the last VW bug won't hit the junk yard for many years to come.
 

Darren_J

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It was the strangest thing to be in Cancun, and to sit in a brand-spanking new Beetle when all you could see up here were either worn-out winter jalopies or fully-restored car show entries. You're right though, it's a dinosaur in this day and age, even in Mexico.
 

tjl

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I'm not suprised, there are far better choices in the Mexican market, even from VW.

The VW Pointer 3 door's base price is actually LESS than a VW Sedan (old Beetle) and has a modern watercooled FWD powertrain:
Weird thing is, the Golf and Jetta cost less in Mexico than in the US, but the Passat costs significantly more (301,120 pesos = $28,115.80 versus around $22,000 in the US).
 

PackRat

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I'm not suprised, there are far better choices in the Mexican market, even from VW.

The VW Pointer 3 door's base price is actually LESS than a VW Sedan (old Beetle) and has a modern watercooled FWD powertrain:
Weird thing is, the Golf and Jetta cost less in Mexico than in the US, but the Passat costs significantly more (301,120 pesos = $28,115.80 versus around $22,000 in the US).
Explains why I saw so few Passats in Mexico.
 

cage

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Sad! I remember when they ended US sales and I was actually very sad. I always wanted a brand new old Beetle but wasn't old enough to drive let alone buy a new car when they left. I did own two used old Beetles, a 76 super with sun roof then a 72 convertible. When I heard that the New Beetle was comming out I went crazy. I bought one without ever seeing it in person. I went to the auto show 3 times while my car was on order just to sit in it and see and feel it. That is why I am keeping this car for a long time. For some reason I have an emotional attachment to my New Beetle just like I did my old Beetles. I don't know what it is but I never had feelings for any other cars I've owned. Just my Beetles.
 

MileageDude

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You have to enjoy the verbiage on WHY the US killed production.

Over the decades, the VW became a favorite of both thrifty postwar Germans and 1960s American hippies before competition from Japanese compacts elbowed it aside.
It became popular because it was not expensive. It became popular because college students who rushed to college avoiding the draft needed something to rush to their dorms and class rooms in. *putt, putt* ...

It became popular because it was cheap, it ran, it started most of the time and it was in the budget of many kids, young adults and people of lower incomes.

The Japanese market did not kick in until the late 1978-1980 period way after the beetle was gone.

The beetle left the US due to emissions regulations, unleaded fuel requirements and a motor that could not keep up with all the add-on's the US demanded to meet safety and mileage and pollution standards.

You could only bolt on so many things to a 58hp motor before it died. One of them was not Bosch injection system either.

Japanese didn't kick in until Suburu and Honda in the late 70's early 80's and that "period" of "gas crunch." 1.5L Honda Civic 5-Speed.

Whatever. The Golf still outlived in Europe and the Bettle in Mexico. The US tends to force or fade-out certain makes and models due to un-warranted demands.

e.g. 5 mph bumpers anyone?


Damn, talk about something worthless while demanding europe and japan to add these projectile bumpers to their cars brought over to the US. 5-mph bumpers.
Super Markets only existed in the US mid 70's. *dong* "Shopping carriage lady, watch out..."

Weight not wait knot

M.D.
 

jjvincent

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Last time we were in Cancun, we rented a car. It was supposed to be a Beetle but they were out. We got a Nissan Sentra (Tsuru II) instead (with no license plates either???). After traveling to Merida (our actual destination since flying there was too expensive), I'm glad I had the Nissan with A/C. While driving through the small towns I noticed that the locals would bombard every car that had to stop for the speed bumps (in and out of every town). They were selling fruit and would stick their hands inside the car to get you to buy their stuff. With A/C, I was able to leave the windows up and not have to get that experience. I watched many Beetles get atttacked so the Nissan wasn't a bad choice after all (we put 1500 miles on that baby too with no problems either). The Nissan did need a new clutch since the springs were broken out of the center of it.
 

PackRat

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Last time we were in Cancun, we rented a car. It was supposed to be a Beetle but they were out. We got a Nissan Sentra (Tsuru II) instead (with no license plates either???). After traveling to Merida (our actual destination since flying there was too expensive), I'm glad I had the Nissan with A/C. While driving through the small towns I noticed that the locals would bombard every car that had to stop for the speed bumps (in and out of every town). They were selling fruit and would stick their hands inside the car to get you to buy their stuff. With A/C, I was able to leave the windows up and not have to get that experience. I watched many Beetles get atttacked so the Nissan wasn't a bad choice after all (we put 1500 miles on that baby too with no problems either). The Nissan did need a new clutch since the springs were broken out of the center of it.
I know what you mean. I've traveled in Mexico quite frequently. My dad and I go to the Torreon/Gomez Palacio/Lerdo area frequently (about 600 miles south of El Paso, TX) and when you get to the first major intersection on Rt 49, you get mobbed by kids selling fruit, wanting to wash your windows. Those kids have it timed. They always get done and get their 2 peso coin before the traffic starts moving. We didn't go through many of the smaller towns like you were talking about because we stuck to the 4 lane turnpikes.
 

dqa

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The NY Times has a new article on this. Their website will ask you to register to see the article, but I've never had any trouble with them sending Spam, selling my address, or otherwise being pests.

Here's part of the article:
On Wednesday the last Volkswagen Beetle will roll off the assembly line at the VW plant in Puebla, Mexico. It will be the first time in 58 years that the Beetle has not been in production somewhere in the world.
.
That final Beetle brings production to 21,529,464, by the company's calculations, a total that far outstrips any other model.
.
The Bug passed the Model T at 16.5 million in 1973 and while both Volkswagen and Toyota claim higher totals for the Golf and Corolla respectively, those cars underwent generational changes while the Beetle's evolution occurred within a single basic body.
 

dqa

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Yet another article on the demise of the Beetle, this time in the CS Monitor. This link requires no registration.
 

dqa

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Photo of the last bug, courtesy of the BBC.
Check out the mariachi band in the background.
 

OffTheFence

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More than a few friends/relations of mine have thought VW is ending production of the New Beetle. Apparently, only a snippet of the story registers with folks sometimes.

Anthony
 
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