Super Volkswagen Bug

There's a new Beetle in town and it's irresistible,
writes motoring editor ALASTAIR SLOANE.

It's a Volkswagen Beetle, Jim, but not as we know it. Trekkie-speak aside, the latest interpretation of the Vee Dub is indeed from another dimension.

Volkswagen beamed it into New Zealand a few hours ago. It's a 230 km/h limited-edition called the RSi Beetle, the grooviest VW since the Porsche-powered dune buggy Steve McQueen used in the original Thomas Crown Affair.

It is exclusive - number 202 out of only 250 built - but it is not for sale. "It if was," says VW New Zealand manager Dean Sheed, "it would cost more than $100,000."

Sheed brought the RSi to New Zealand to wave the VW flag. "We are taking it on a national dealer tour to springboard the launch of the new Beetle Turbo," he says.

But it is late - it was meant to be here a couple of months ago to help post-launch promotion for the Beetle Turbo.

Because of the delay, VW has been forced to keep the sales campaign for the Beetle Turbo deliberately low-key - it has even been sitting on RSi lookalike kits for the Turbo.

Now that the RSi is here VW can unleash the campaign and dress up Turbo models to look like the RSi. It's all about Beetlemania - at a VW dealer near you.

There was more Beetlemania in New Zealand last year, when VW sold 526 Beetles (not including the 28 it sold in December 1999, when the car was launched), or 10 a week. This year it expects to sell between 400 and 450, or between eight and nine a week.

Why the drop? "Things have settled since the excitement of last year," says Sheed. "Such was the interest that we had sold 100 Beetles before the car had even landed here.

"We are back to a normal selling role of about 40 Beetles a month. That's where our long-term sales volume is."

The Beetle Turbo is powered by a turbocharged 4-cylinder 1.8-litre engine producing 110kW and a zero to 100 km/h time of about 9 seconds. The standard model uses a 85kW 2-litre unit.

The Turbo comes with the choice of a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission and is fitted with 17-inch alloy wheels and front fog lamps.

It also has a speed-activated rear spoiler and an electronic stability programme (ESP) to help prevent the careless driver from doing silly things. The manual model costs $48,990 and the automatic $50,990.

Sheed says 60 per cent of Turbo buyers have chosen the manual gearbox - the same proportion of standard 2-litre Beetle buyers go for the automatic.

"The Beetle has been a hugely important icon car for Volkswagen in New Zealand," says Sheed. "It is still the widest customer profile of any Volkswagen product - all ages, all socio-economic levels and all geographical areas."

All 250 left-hand-drive RSi models were pre-sold before the car went into production. It is 80mm wider than the standard car and its front spoiler and air scoops are borrowed from racing versions used in German motorsport's New Beetle Cup category.

The rear view is dominated by the spoilers on the roof and rear, as well as two chrome tailpipes protruding from the rear apron alongside ventilation grilles.

The car is powered by a 24-valve 3.2-litre V6 engine producing 165 kW (225 bhp) at 6200 rpm and 317Nm of torque at 3200 rpm. The engine is based on the 2.8-litre V6 used in the New Beetle Cup.

Power is transferred by a 6-speed transmission and 4Motion drive, which feeds torque through an electronically controlled lightweight Haldex clutch to all four wheels. The RSi will accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds.

The suspension system consists of McPherson struts with wishbones and anti-roll bar in the front, and double wishbones and an anti-roll bar in the rear.

The RSi's sports suspension has been tuned to the car's performance, with special springs and dampers. The 18-inch aluminium wheels are reminiscent of those on the racing vehicles. VW says the 235/40 ZR 18 tyres provide excellent grip.

Electronic safety devices include ABS anti-lock brakes, brake force distribution, and stability control.

The interior is dominated by the colours black, tropical orange and aluminium-silver. The sports seats in the front and the two rear seats have tropical-orange leather upholstery.

Roof and boot lining both feature anthracite-coloured Alcantara.

The use of aluminium extends from the pedals, driver and passenger footrests, grab handles, window lift handles and dashboard styling to the heating and ventilation controls.

VW says the Recaro sports seats provide effective support in high-speed cornering. The control panel for the radio is positioned in the headliner and the radio itself is located in the rear.

A carbon-fibre cross-strut behind the rear seat provides the necessary rigidity.

VW unveiled the RSi at the Detroit motor show last year with the blurb: "The RSi shows how the emotional appeal of the new Beetle design provides creative potential."

Old Ferdinand Porsche got that right with the original Beetle.