The VW Beetle is an icon. Now Volkswagen is enriching the history of this incomparable automobile by introducing the new Beetle Dune - the first crossover model since the Beetle was introduced over 80 years ago. Volkswagen presented the production version of the crossover vehicle in a world premiere at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show in tribute to American car drivers who always had a special affinity for the Beetle. The crossover will be available as a coupe or convertible with an off-road look. The car's design, large 18-inch wheels and the wider and lifted body of the Beetle Dune recall the time period of the legendary dune buggies. At one time, they were all created based on the original Beetle, the "VW Käfer". Cars that were made for summer in California, for the beaches of Santa Barbara and San Diego. That is precisely where the new Beetle Dune will also feel right at home. It should also excite people in northern climes. That is because those who drive the car - in the USA or anywhere around the globe - will be captivated by the feeling of the "The Endless Summer" - a cinemascope movie on the 1960's lifestyle of Californian surfers - aboard the Beetle Dune, even in the middle of winter. Especially if the Volkswagen is painted in the new dune-colored Sandstorm Yellow Metallic. The Beetle Dune will launch in North America, Asia, Europe and South Africa in early 2016. Incidentally, although the car was of course created in Germany, the name "Beetle" is an American creation. It was the New York Times that wrote about the new Volkswagen as a "shiny little Beetle" in a story that appeared on June 3, 1938.
In 2014, 91,464 Beetle and Beetle Convertible cars were produced. To put this number in perspective in terms of the brand's current total global sales: In terms of sold units, this car icon is positioned between the European A-MPV, the Touran, and the Volkswagen CC which is also offered in the USA. The Beetle is also one of the most successful lifestyle cars in its class. Around one-third of all Beetle and Beetle Convertible cars are delivered to the USA, and presumably it is currently more successful in the US and elsewhere than any other four-seat lifestyle convertible in the compact class. Now the Beetle Dune is launching as a conceptually unique model: a coupe and convertible with an off-road look and, as mentioned, the flair of an endless summer. On its exterior, newly conceptualized features include the bumpers, all add-on parts, rear diffuser, standard LED tail lights and, also standard, 18-inch Canyon alloy wheels.
The engine offered in the USA at market launch will be a turbocharged gasoline engine with 125 kW / 170 PS. In Europe, Volkswagen will offer the Beetle Dune with three turbocharged gasoline and two turbocharged diesel engines. The gasoline engines produce 77 kW / 105 PS, 110 kW / 150 PS and 162 kW / 220 PS, while the diesel engines develop 81 kW / 110 PS and 110 kW / 150 PS.
The year 2000 marked the beginning of a vision of a Beetle Dune. A concept car based on the New Beetle was created for the Los Angeles Auto Show that year. It featured a lifted body painted bright yellow, and it had a transparent, removable roof section. Back then, fifteen years ago, Volkswagen wrote this about the New Beetle Dune concept car: "The fact that this off-road Beetle with its transparent and removable roof section has more of a nautical than rustic look sets it clearly apart from other products of this segment that is positioned precisely between cars for normal roads and off-road vehicles." As a concept car, the New Beetle Dune gave an outlook of what might be possible. At that time, there were no plans for a production car. But Volkswagen designers never forgot this car; its charisma - like that of the original Beetle - still impresses today. Thus, it was pure passion that drove Volkswagen designers to continue to develop these icons. And so it came to be. Under the leadership of Klaus Bischoff, head of design at Volkswagen, a team went to work at the end of 2013 to transfer the concept of the New Beetle Dune to the Beetle of the 21st century. Another concept car had been created. It was revealed in January 2014 at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. This time the concept car transferred the concept to production. By the way, the Beetle Dune coupe of the year 2016 is optionally available with a transparent panoramic sunroof, just like the New Beetle Dune. What was still only a vision that was still hardly feasible technically back in 2000 is now a common part of the current range of Beetle equipment. That too is progress.
Front end
The Volswagen Beetle Dune expresses a very unique and powerful character with its off-road accents, new bumper designs, front diffuser, rear diffuser, lifted body and new for the model series: 18-inch alloy wheels. Consider the front end: It was extensively redesigned. What remained unchanged are its basic iconic style and the layout of the typical round headlights. The entirely new front apron design has an extremely dynamic appearance. Defining its style here is a large, central air intake with a black honeycomb screen (typical design element of crossover and GTI models from Volkswagen). The screen widens in a downward direction, which accentuates the dominant, sporty look of the front end. The screen is integrated in a Reflex Silver frame. To the sides of the central air intake there are two inserts with shapes that are trapezoidal toward the center of the car, and their frames are matt black. Mounted in these inserts are the fog lights and turn signals. The Beetle Dune (just like the future R-Line and Sportline models) can also be made out by another feature: an additional air intake beneath the engine hood.
Side profile
The black off-road accents are set off as defining elements of the side profile, especially with one of the lighter exterior colors. An example of love for details are the wheel well extensions, designed with one outer and one inner radius. They display a rugged image while also creating a harmonious unit with the charismatic design of the flared fender of the Beetle. Both wheel well radii transition seamlessly into the wrap-around body extensions of the "Dune." Also creating a charismatic image in side profile are the black side trim panels (stylized "Beetle" running boards) and the side sills which are finished in Reflex Silver. Above the side panels there is a black double stripe that extends to the "DUNE" signature at the front. An elegant feature is the anodized aluminum side window trim.
Rear end
Three elements define the image of the rear body: the large rear spoiler, the newly developed LED tail lights and the newly designed bumper. The standard rear spoiler, painted in glossy black at the top and in the car's exterior color at the bottom, optimizes downforce at the rear axle. The new LED tail lights generate an entirely new night design. The very special character of the Beetle Dune is also highlighted by its bumper. The background surface for the license plate (with LED illumination) and the lower area are designed in matt black. Integrated centrally here is a diffuser in glossy Reflex Silver.
Colors and dimensions
The VW Beetle Dune can be ordered in one of nine colors. New to the selection are Sandstorm Yellow Metallic and Dark Bronze Metallic. Available classic colors are Black, Pure White, Moon Rock Silver Metallic, Platinum Gray Metallic, Reflex Silver Metallic, Deep Black Pearl Effect and Oryx White Mother of Pearl Effect. The 18-inch Canyon alloy wheels can be ordered with spokes glazed in Sandstorm Yellow Metallic that are otherwise gloss turned (tires: 235/45). The inner surfaces of the wheels are always black. Reflex Silver is the finish color for the front and rear diffusers, exterior mirror caps and side sill extensions. Last but not least, the coupe can be ordered with a black painted roof; the Beetle Dune Convertible always comes with a black soft top. Also designed in contrasting black are add-on parts such as door trim elements, the front air intakes in honeycomb design and the wheel well extensions. The latter protect the fenders and widen the body by a total of 0.55 in / 14 mm to 71.7 in / 1,822 mm (without mirrors). Similarly, the new Beetle Dune is characterized by wider track widths: widened 0.28 in / 7 mm (front) and 0.24 in / 6 mm (rear). Ground clearance was increased 0.39 in (10 mm) to improve all-terrain performance.
Interior of the Beetle Dune
The Beetle is different. It always has been. And this applies to the latest model in full measure. A car beyond all conventions. Charismatic, independent. The windshield rises relatively steeply, which is reminiscent of the world of classic cars. Then there is the instrument panel - the dash pad - which combines innovative technologies and user controls with painted surfaces and a glove compartment like the one in the air-cooled Beetle. It offers plenty of space and comfort for four persons. There are seats that can handle a ride over the race track at Laguna Seca equally well as a trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. And it has forms that are never an end to themselves, but always have a functional aspect as well. Such as the design of the instrument panel, which in fact serves as a visual bridge to the times of the first Beetle without being retro. The Dune team customized this interior even further. Three features are dominant in color here. First, there is the dash pad painted in the standard Sandstorm Yellow Metallic color with door shoulders (glossy Black in conjunction with the exterior colors Reflex Silver Metallic, Moon Rock Silver Metallic, Dark Bronze Metallic, Oryx White Mother of Pearl Effect and Pure White). Second, there are the dial surrounds of the main and auxiliary instruments, which are also finished in Sandstorm color. Third, there is the contrasting stitching in the coordinating color Curry that is used on the front sport seats (including center armrest) and rear seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel (with "DUNE" logo), parking brake lever grip and gear shift grip. The decorative stitching of the cloth floor mats is also designed in the same color. Both of these colors, Sandstorm and Curry, stand out very distinctly in the Beetle Dune, because all of the other elements are designed either in black or aluminum look. Black interior features include the seat system (with Ceramique dark upholstery covers), door trim panels, roof pillars and headliner.
Upgraded features
In addition to visual customization, other extended interior/functional features of the Beetle Dune include automatic running light switching, lumbar support in front, illuminated make-up mirrors, cruise control system, automatically dimming rear-view mirror, rain sensor for the windshield wipers, ParkPilot and Hill Hold Assist. Optional features include sport seats with Vienna leather in Titanium Black.
Composition Color
The VW Beetle Dune comes with the latest generation of Volkswagen infotainment systems. The Beetle (all versions) is offered with the standard 5-inch Composition Color system and the 6.3-inch Composition Media and Discover Media (plus navigation) systems. In the USA, the Composition Media and Discover Media are equipped with SAT radio. In Europe, meanwhile, all three modules may be extended with a DAB+ digital radio receiver. Even the basic system, the Composition Color, has very good sound with eight loudspeakers. Also standard: a dual tuner for the best possible radio reception, speed-dependent loudness adjustment, CD player with MP3 and WMA playback functions, SD card slot as well as USB and AUX-IN ports. The 5-inch touchscreen (resolution: 400 x 240; screen diagonal 12.7 cm) of the Composition Color features resistive sensor technology (reacts to pressure).
Composition Media and Discover Media
The Composition Media also integrates features such as the dual tuner (in this system with additional display of broadcaster logo), automatic loudness adjustment (speed-dependent dynamic compression in conjunction with a sound system), MP3 and WMA playback functions of the CD player (also with display of song and album cover) and a USB port. In addition, the systems offer a Bluetooth phone interface. This makes it possible to couple a second phone by HFP (Hands Free Profile). Speech quality has also been optimized by "wideband speech". Brief messages (SMS) can also be displayed, read aloud and shown as text via Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile). Radio, phone and access to connected media can be controlled by voice. In the Discover Media, navigation functions also feature voice control. The 6.3-inch touchscreen (resolution: 800 x 400; screen diagonal 16.1 cm) has capacitive sensor technology (reacts to the slightest touch). Its audio output power of 4 x 20 watts is distributed among eight loudspeakers. The Discover Media system is essentially a Composition Media to which a navigation system has been added. For the two 6.3-inch systems, Volkswagen offers MirrorLink™, Android Auto™ (Google) and CarPlay™ (Apple) via App Connect. If Discover Media is on-board, then various optional online services (Car-Net Guide & Inform) are available.
Fender sound system
In conjunction with Composition Media and Discover Media, Volkswagen is offering an optional high-end sound system for the Beetle Dune by US manufacturer Fender. When this system is ordered, the customer also gets adjustable ambient interior lighting in three colors (white, red, blue). Along with indirect illumination in the door shoulder, it also includes a light ring around the loudspeakers in the doors. The Fender sound system has two tweeters installed in the mirror triangles and two in the rear side trim panels. The woofers are located in the front doors, and there are other woofers in the rear interior side trim panels. In addition, a subwoofer in a closed bass box is integrated in the trunk. The heart of the sound system is a 10-channel amplifier with Class A/B output amplifiers and 400 watts of output power.
MirrorLink™
MirrorLink™ makes it possible to display smartphone content and operate smartphone functions via the infotainment system touchscreen. The user simply connects a smartphone to the Beetle Dune and uses the app via the infotainment system display. The smartphone's apps are "mirrored" on the touchscreen of the Beetle Dune, and they can then be operated via the infotainment system.
Apple CarPlay™
CarPlay™ lets all owners of an iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6 or 6 Plus use certain smartphone's apps via the infotainment system. The smartphone programs are also "mirrored" here. CarPlay™ inputs the iPhone's Phone, News, Maps and Music apps into the infotainment system via a USB connection. In the Beetle Dune, the apps are controlled either over the touchscreen of the infotainment system or by voice control via Siri (Apple).
Android Auto™
Android Auto™ was developed by Google for Android smartphones. Here, selected phone apps are displayed on the infotainment system touchscreen in exactly the same way as when MirrorLink™ or CarPlay™ is used. The interface is a USB port. Numerous apps may be incorporated via Android Auto™, including classics such as Google Maps, Google Play Music, WhatsApp and Spotify as well as countless new apps. Many of these apps can be operated by Google Voice control as an alternative to the touchscreen.
