You Can’t Buy Love, Bug – Reference Mark

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be, so goes the saying.

Object lesson: Volkswagen’s decision to retire its New Beetle after 20 years on the market. It’s a bit of a shame, but reality bites.

Motor Trend loved the New Beetle, naming it our 1999 Import Car of the Year upon its launch. After the original Bug’s absence from the U.S. market for a couple decades, the modernized version—with styling courtesy of J. Mays and Freeman Thomas—updated the cute Käfer to make it as iconic as the original.

It’s also the only vehicle I’ve driven—out of more than 2,500 to date, many of them showstoppers—where I can say I literally stopped traffic.

Several weeks before it was to go on sale, VW granted me access to a lemon-yellow New Beetle. Sure, there were pictures floating around on this new computer-networking thing called the World Wide Web, but only a few people had seen the New Beetle in the flesh.

After absconding with the Beetle from the press-fleet warehouse, I was pootling through sunny Pasadena, running errands. As I approached the intersection of Arroyo Parkway and California Boulevard, the stale green light turned to red, and I eased to a stop at the front of the pack.

What happened next was so startling I didn’t have time to react. A trio of women on the corner ran screaming into traffic and surrounded the car. One even tried to get into the passenger seat. Observing the fuss, several people strolling out of the adjacent Trader Joe’s abandoned their shopping carts and joined the swarm. Traffic signals now moot, drivers in cars behind me put their transmissions in park and came up to get a better look. I’ve driven six-figure supercars, million-dollar prototypes, and the like, but this sort of civic upheaval had never happened to me before—or since. It was at least five minutes before I was able to convince these folks that we were creating a traffic nuisance and to let me on my way.

This initial sample size of one incident had all the indications of a smash success. And for a short time it was. In 1999, its first full year on the U.S. market, the New Beetle sold an impressive 83,434 units, and it nearly duplicated that number in 2000.

But the New Beetle faced the same hurdles as any distinctive-looking car. Fashion fades quickly, especially among two-door hatchbacks with a low hip-point and poor back-seat room. In an era beginning to embrace SUVs, New Beetle sales fell precipitously. A more masculine redesign in 2011 failed to spark fresh interest. Cheap leases didn’t move the sales tachometer. Last year, New Beetle sales fell to just 15,166 units. The sales patterns were pretty much the same for the European market. When nostalgia meets pragmatism, the latter often wins.

Although hearkening back to a beloved design can be smart for underpinning a brand, in the end, dollars make sense. Developing completely different sheetmetal on a shared platform—as VW did with the Beetle on the old Golf platform—requires an investment anywhere from $200 million to $500 million, depending on the manufacturing and engineering complexities involved. A sales dud is punishing to the bottom line.

With the Golf platform receiving a substantial re-engineering, VW had to decide if making a new New Beetle was worth the investment. And now we have its answer.

For those who mourn the loss of their groovy Volkswagen memories, just wait a couple years. The I.D. Buzz, an electrified version of the Microbus, will be here by 2022. That should be enough time to get the band back together and organize a reunion tour.

More by Mark Rechtin:

• A Decade’s Progress
• The Evolution and Rise of the SUV
• The Sedan Is Not Dead
• Enzo and the Damsels
• Does CAD Software Dream of Electric Cars?

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Mercedes-AMG ONE Confirmed as Name for New Hypercar

Mercedes-AMG has dropped the “Project One” moniker for its new hypercar as it inches closer to production.

A year after the prototype debuted to the public, the model will be known as “ONE” from now on. Mercedes says the name befits its new top-of-the-line vehicle—as in “the One.”

“The name stands for the highest automotive ambition: to bring Formula 1 hybrid technology to the road,” Mercedes-Benz said in a statement today.

The automaker continues to perfect its hypercar. The model uses an electrically turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 and a set of 120-kW electric motors to produce more than 1,000 hp. Power is routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. As we previously reported, the car should reach 124 mph from a standstill in less than 6 seconds, and on to a top speed of more than 217 mph.

Mercedes has also revealed the model will generate half its weight in downforce. The vehicle should weigh between 2,866 and 3,086 pounds, or 1,300 and 1,400 kg. A two-stage extendable rear wing will allow the car to achieve maximum downforce while in race mode. Right now, the hypercar is undergoing wind tunnel testing.

Only 275 copies of the hypercar will be made, with an estimated price of $2.7 million each. More information about the model should be coming soon.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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Refreshing or Revolting: 2019 Kia Forte

Kia’s best-selling product here in the U.S. has been completely redesigned for 2019. As part of the Forte’s overhaul, Kia reimagined the exterior with styling cues it says are inspired by the Stinger. Does the small sedan live up to that claim, or is it all hype? Is the Forte refreshing or revolting? Let’s examine the updated design.

Before the redesign, the Forte looked a little bit like a shrunken Optima. Conventional headlights connected to a conventional grille. On the new model, the grille is separate from the headlights, much like on the Stinger. The surrounding vents are also large like those on the Stinger, and they’re certainly more prominent than those on the old Forte. Subtle creases in the hood contribute to a slightly more athletic look.

From the side profile, the 2019 Kia Forte doesn’t stand out too much. There is a character line right above the door handles, and another subtle one at the bottom of the doors. The previous model had one noticeable character line, a jagged one at the bottom of the doors. Another small update: Silver trim now makes a complete border around the windows. But more important than these small details, the Forte’s overall proportions have changed. Kia moved the cowl point five inches back, creating a long hood. The Forte is also 3.2 inches longer overall than the previous model.

In the rear, the taillights receive a new light signature. Plus, there is a new light bar that connects both the taillights, and right underneath, you’ll find a new license plate holder. Also look for redesigned bumpers and new triangular lighting elements.

The Forte’s interior was starting to look dated by the end of the last generation, from the infotainment screen to the small digital clock above. Now, the Forte features a standalone infotainment screen, a new shifter, and a more sculpted dashboard. A wireless charging tray integrates into the center stack just underneath the climate controls, and the storage area in front of the shifter is now open rather than closed.

Do you think Kia has improved the Forte’s design as it enters its third generation? Please let us know on Facebook.

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BMW i3 Range Upgraded to 153 Miles

BMW has increased the battery capacity of the i3, allowing it to travel 153 miles on a single charge. That range may not be competitive with the Tesla Model 3 or even the Chevrolet Bolt, but it’s a considerable improvement from the current i3 and nearly double that of the original.

When the i3 launched in 2014, it could travel 81 miles on a single charge, and it packed a high voltage battery cell capacity of 60 ampere hours. For 2017, BMW upgraded the i3 to 115 miles and a battery capacity of 94 Ah. Now for 2019, the i3’s battery capacity has expanded to 120 Ah. Gross energy content has increased to 42.2 kilowatt hours, up from 33 on the previous version and 22.6 from the original. Expect battery improvements for the range-extended i3 as well.

The battery has changed, but power output has not. The city car continues to make 170 hp, or 181 hp on the i3s. The rear-mounted electric motor sends power to the rear wheels through a one-speed automatic.

For the new model year, BMW adds a few convenience and cosmetic features to the i3. Wireless charging is now available as well as full LED headlights with cornering lights and automatic high beams. New Wi-Fi hotspot can accommodate up to 10 devices. And a new exterior color joins the palette: Juraco Beige Metallic with gray accents.

Production on the updated i3 will begin this November. But it’s unclear exactly how much longer the pint-sized EV will be around. In January, BMW executives expressed to Autocar some uncertainty about the long-term fate of the i3 and i8. BMW i design boss Domagoj Dukec commented at the time: “For i, there won’t always be an i3, then an i3 after—i is not a parallel universe of BMW.”

Source: BMW

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