What Changed for 2008:

• Sedan available in S, SE and Triple White versions


• Standard tire-pressure-monitoring system on all sedans and convertibles

Overview
The original Volkswagen Beetle's classic arch shape could well be the most easily recognized profile in automotive history. As with its spiritual predecessor, the rear-engine, air-cooled Volkswagen Type 1 (the original Beetle's official moniker), the New Beetle's name appears nowhere on the car, which has a liquid-cooled engine mounted at the front of the chassis. Still, even after a facelift for the 2006 model year, virtually everyone can immediately identify the 2008 version as a true “Beetle.” Volkswagen designers even went to great lengths to engineer the New Beetle’s convertible top so it resembled the original Beetle's baby-buggy profile when the top is down.

The New Beetle is covered by a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty that includes four years of roadside assistance as well as 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain coverage.

Model Lineup
The 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle is available as a hardtop sedan or as a convertible built on a chassis based on the one beneath the Jetta and Rabbit. For the 2008 model year, the New Beetle sedan becomes available in three versions: the standard or S; the more upscale SE; and the Triple White. The S comes with fully reclining and height-adjustable front seats; tilt and telescoping steering column; 3-spoke steering wheel; V-Tex (leatherette) seating surfaces; power windows and locks; a 6-speaker AM/FM audio system with in-dash CD player; Sirius satellite radio; air conditioning; cruise control; and 16-inch Mali alloy wheels. The SE adds a leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift knob and handbrake handle; heated front seats and windshield washer nozzles; 10-speaker premium audio system; power sunroof; front floor mats; and 17-inch Versus alloy wheels. The Triple White edition gets special Campanella White exterior paint with a special Triple White decal, white leatherette seats, center armrest and headrest, black carpeting, a white exterior spoiler, and rides on 17-inch Kakuna alloy wheels. Like the SE sedan, the convertible can be equipped with leather-trimmed seats.

Powertrain
The New Beetle received a new powerplant for the 2006 model year: a 150-hp, 2.5-liter 5-cylinder engine. Its high torque rating—170 lb.-ft. at 3750 rpm—makes it much better suited to the 6-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission than the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine it replaced. The Tiptronic gearbox is standard on the SE and Triple White Sedan and is an option on the S, which comes with a 5-speed manual transmission. The New Beetle is rated at 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway with the manual transmission and 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway with the Tiptronic.

Safety
Standard safety equipment for the 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle includes front-seat-mounted side air bags, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, and—for the convertible only—a pair of aluminum posts that pop up from behind the rear-seat headrests in the event of a rollover. Tire-pressure monitoring equipment also is standard. The New Beetle sedan and convertible each earn 4 stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) frontal-impact crash tests. The sedan was not tested for side impact, but the convertible rated 5 stars for protecting those in front and 3 stars for rear-seat protection in a side impact. Both versions rated 4 stars in rollover ratings. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the New Beetle as “Good” for frontal impact but “Poor” for side-impact protection.

Technology
The top on the 2008 Volkswagen New Beetle convertible not only is designed to go up and down and to keep the interior as quiet and comfortable as possible, but the convertible comes with special safety technology designed to keep those inside safe, top up or down. The convertible top comprises three layers of cloth and has a heated rear glass window. For safety, the car is equipped with front and side air bags, with the side bags designed to protect not only the thorax but also the head in an impact. Further, the convertible features an Active Rollover Support system with two spring-loaded aluminum posts that trigger in a collision, popping up behind the rear seat headrests to help keep occupants safer in the event an impact leads to a rollover situation, Volkswagen explains.