The Volkswagen Beetle, which is one of the longest-running nameplates in the history of the German company and of the world, will not be revived as part of the marque’s strategy for a full-electric future.
The information comes from the brand’s boss Thomas Schafer, who spoke with the British publication Autocar after a digital rendering of what seemed to be a modern-day interpretation of the iconic Beetle surfaced online. The red vehicle, pictured below, is a computer-generated concept designed for the appropriately named superhero Ladybug who stars in the upcoming animated children’s film "Miraculous: Ladybug & Cat Noir, The Movie."
Speaking about relying on nostalgia to revive certain models from the company’s past, Schafer said that it “would be a dead end.”
"Obviously we have a lot of names in our history, but there are only, I'd say, a little more than a handful that are really iconic and global. There are the typical ones, the Golf, the Tiguan… Would you do Scirocco or would you do Arteon? Probably not. That is part of our naming philosophy that we are now finalizing."
Regarding the Beetle comeback, Schafer says that it has had its day and that it’s time to move on with models that have seen significant success in recent years.
"I wouldn't say with 100% [certainty]. But from where I stand now, I wouldn't consider it,” Shafer commented for Autocar. “It's the same as Scirocco: it had its day, then there was a new model based on a reinterpretation. To do that again? I don't think so. And going forward with balancing all these technologies and the cost that is associated with it, you've got to invest money in the best possible place."
With this being said, VW’s all-new ID. Buzz is a nod to the company’s iconic Type 2 Microbus from the 1950s and 1960s, but according to the company’s CEO, it doesn’t represent a desire to continue down the retro path with similar revivals.
Instead, Volkswagen's all-electric future will likely include the Golf and GTI nameplates, as well as the Tiguan, which is due for an all-new generation. The ID. 7 sedan practically replaces the aging Passat in the electric age, while the upcoming affordable ID. 2 could take the place of the current Polo in the firm’s lineup.
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