2003 Volkswagen New Beetle Review

It's been a long wait for Volkswagen's New Beetle convertible, which has much of the charm of the oh-so-cute old Beetle soft top model.

The last old Beetle model sold in America was the 1979 convertible; the Beetle hardtop disappeared here after 1977.

The old four-seat, rear-drive Beetle convertible was a familiar sight because it became one of the top-selling convertibles of all time. It was introduced in 1949 -- not long after the first Beetle hardtop debuted in Europe. The Beetle hardtop (all two of them) was introduced in America in 1949.

But it's taken five model years to introduce a convertible version of Volkswagen's front-drive New Beetle model, introduced for the 1998 model year.

Why the long wait?

"Because the New Beetle convertible is significantly different than the hardtop model, which was never designed to be a convertible. This convertible is essentially a new car because of all the engineering that had to go into it,'' said Volkswagen national spokesman Tony Fouladpour.

For instance, the convertible needed lots of structural reinforcements to make up for the lack of rigidity provided by a fixed metal top. A nifty convertible top system also had to be engineered, and such things as automatically deployed roll bars needed to be added behind the rear seats to help prevent injuries in a rollover.

It all worked out fine,

The New Beetle convertible feels solid, and looks good with the top up or down. The power version of the top opens and closes in only 13 seconds, either way.

However, the trunk is tiny, and rear leg room is tight for tall adults -- although the convertible has more rear headroom than the hardtop version.

The convertible comes as the entry GL, mid-range GLS and top-line GLX.

Even the GL is well equipped with comfort and convenience items, and safety features for all versions include anti-lock brakes and side-impact air bags for front occupants.

To find out if the convertible has been worth the wait, I tested the GLS version with both its standard five-speed manual gearbox and the optional $1,175 six-speed automatic transmission, which is the first transmission with that many speeds in any front-drive car.

Both versions had the New Beetle's base 2-liter, 115-horsepower four-cylinder engine and the slick power top with a heated glass rear window.

The GLS costs $21,850 with the manual gearbox and $23,025 with the automatic, which has a manual shift feature.

Too much? Try the GL. It has a manual top but only costs $20,450-$21,625, depending on the transmission. It's the lowest-priced, highest-volume European convertible sold in America.

The GLX costs $25,550-$26,725. It also has a power top, along with a stability control system and even more equipment than the GL and GLS. Its standard turbocharged 1.-8-liter, 150-horsepower four-cylinder engine has far more punch that the 115-horsepower four-cylinder.

Both test cars turned heads. One was bright yellow, and the other deep silver. They carried California license plates, which added to their cheerful appeal; you can comfortably drive them all year with the top down in that state, while the Chicago winter closing in on us calls for top-up motoring.

Still, the cloth-lined top has three layers to ensure good insulation and a fairly quiet interior. There's little wind buffeting on highways with the top lowered, partly because the big windshield is positioned far from the front seats. There's also an optional windblocker for even less buffeting.

My automatic transmission test car had lazy acceleration (0-60 mph in 13.3 seconds), but was slightly livelier with the slick manual gearbox, which works with a light but long-throw clutch.

The approximately 3,000-pound convertible weighs several hundred pounds more than the New Beetle coupe, so the turbocharged engine is needed to move you into the fast lane. The turbo engine was promised for the convertible when it was introduced for the 2003 model year, but wasn't available until July.

Volkswagen says it has received few complaints about the convertible's acceleration with the 115-horsepower engine. That's probably because the car is essentially a solid, pleasant cruiser with a nice ride and decent steering, handling and braking--although the brake pedal needs a more linear feel.

The New Beetle convertible is a hit, recently accounting for nearly half of total New Beetle sales. Volkswagen plans to sell about 25,000 of the convertibles annually.

The New Beetle convertible looks as if it will be as much a part of the New Beetle market as the soft-top version was in the old Beetle market.

VOLKSWAGEN NEW BEETLE CONVERTIBLE

Prices:
$20,450-$26,725

Likes:
Top-down warm-weather fun. Fuel economy. Specially engineered.

Dislikes:
Lazy with base engine and automatic transmission. Tiny cargo area. Tight back seat.