Developed in the 1930s, the original Volkswagen Beetle, also known as the Type 1 or the Kafer, was offered to the public in 1938 and remained in production until 2003. The economy car was built in more than 21 million examples in 19 cities from 15 countries, spread over five continents. Pretty impressive achievements for the "people’s car." The Kafer received a successor in 1997, a neo-retro interpretation Volkswagen calls the New Beetle. But, while the modern compact has been somewhat popular with nostalgic enthusiasts and drivers in need of a fancy yet still affordable means of transportation, the New Beetle won’t reach the heights of its predecessor.
According to a report from Autoline, the new Beetle will be discontinued in 2018, after only 20 years on the market.
Volkswagen has yet to confirm the rumor, but the scenario is far from new. In 2015, German publication Der Spiegel reported that the Volkswagen Group is looking to reduce costs and that the Beetle, which sold a little over 100,000 units a year, was, together with the already discontinued Eos, among the nameplates that are no longer sustainable. Autoline’s more recent report says that Volkswagen wants to focus on crossover and SUVs and that the second-gen New Beetle will bid farewell sometime in 2018 with no successor on the table.
Is this a good idea and will Volkswagen save a few bucks by axing the Beetle? Keep reading to find out.
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