- 68,965
- 5,995 high price
- Folsom, CA
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- autoshopper.com
2003 volkswagen new beetle review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Drop the top!. introductionwhen it arrived in 1998, volkswagen's new beetle rekindled the magic of its legendary namesake and became a ray of sunshine in an all-too-serious car market. We've been asking that question every year since. Finally, it's here. the question now becomes: did they wait too long? Volkswagen's new beetle is no longer that new, having been around for about six years now. With the chrysler pt cruiser, ford thunderbird, mini cooper and other retrospective designs stealing headlines, the beetle no longer basks in the retro-fad limelight. beetle remains a stylish car, however. And because it's a volkswagen, the beetle is a refined car. It combines german engineering and performance with exceptional fit and finish, and it represents a good value. Like other retro-mobiles, however, driver and passengers must make some concessions for style. Interior ergonomics are not as good those in a more traditional car, such as the golf. The new beetle convertible is good fun. Volkswagen has engineered a winning chassis with none of the cowl shake common on most convertibles. New for 2003, beetle convertibles are offered with a choice of trim and 2. 0-liter or 1. 8-liter turbo engines. Introduced for 2002, the beetle turbo s is fun, too, though its fun is best measured with a stopwatch. the standard beetle is still cool, too. It comes in an assortment of bright, fun colors. Its exterior and interior design details are fun and creative. On the road, the beetle is smooth and sophisticated and handles well. It's considered a safe car. Beetle earned top scores in the federal governments crash tests and comes with volkswagen's excellent safety features. After all, beetle is now a familiar face in america. . lineupbeetle comes with a choice of engines: volkswagen's 115-horsepower 2. 0-liter engine comes on gl and gls 2. 0 models. Tdi models are equipped with a 1. 9-liter diesel engine called tdi for turbo direct injection that earns an epa-estimated 49 mpg on the highway. 1. 8t models come with a 150-horsepower turbocharged 1. 8-liter engine. Convertibles offer a six-speed automatic with tiptronic 1175). models and msrps: gl 2. 0 15,950); gls 2. 0 17,815); gl tdi 17,195); gls tdi 18,995); gls 1. 8 t 19,855); glx 1. 8 t 21,640); turbo s 23,540); convertible gl 2. 0 20,450); convertible gls 2. 0 21,850); convertible gls 1. 8 t 24,100); convertible glx 1. 8 t 25,550). beetle comes well equipped. All turbo s models come with the six-speed manual. Other unique features include 17-inch alloy wheels, brushed alloy trim and dual stainless steel exhaust tips. convertibles offer a choice of standard five-speed manual or a new optional six-speed automatic transmission with tiptronic. The new beetle convertible is available with a manual or semi-automatic cloth-lined top that features three layers to ensure excellent insulation and appearance. Volkswagen's standard automatic rollover supports serve to provide added overhead support in the unlikely event of a rollover. Sensors in the car indicate whether it is in a rollover situation, causing the automatic rollover supports to deploy behind the rear seats, whether the convertible top is up or down. The exclusive system works in conjunction with the headrests to help provide even more protection for occupants. standard safety equipment includes driver and front passenger airbags, side-impact airbags mounted in the seatbacks, a safety-belt tensioning system, a collapsible steering column, an emergency trunk release handle and rear-seat tether anchorage points for securing a child safety seat. Antilock brakes (abs) come standard. Volkswagen's electronic stabilization program (esp) is optional on the new beetle gl, gls and glx, and standard on turbo s. Esp will automatically help stabilize the vehicle in the event of a sudden emergency maneuver. . walkaroundthe distinctive dome shape of the volkswagen beetle is no longer a novelty. While there has been plenty of time for the aftermarket to produce beetle convertibles, the exorbitant price of these conversions kept the numbers down. soft top or hard top, the volkswagen new beetle is built on the same basic platform as the volkswagen golf, a high-quality, highly rigid chassis. A rigid chassis results in a smooth, controlled ride with little noise, vibration or harshness. Well-engineered crumple zones and other features enhance crash protection. To maintain structural integrity without sacrificing its round shape, the new beetle convertible's body has been enhanced to provide additional support, including a rear seat support that enhances chassis rigidity. beetle's dimensions prove it is no small car. The body is 161. 1 inches in length and 67. 9 inches wide, with a wheelbase of 98. 7 inches. It's longer, but narrower and taller than a mini. Beetle is shorter, but wider and not as tall as a pt cruiser. quality is excellent. Gaps between doors, fenders and other body panels are some of the tightest we've seen. Fenders and bumpers are made from a special dent-resistant plastic. New turn indicators on outside mirrors warn drivers alongside when changing lanes. Color-keyed mirror housings and door handles add to the beetle's clean appearance. Smoothed-out wheel wells and revised bumpers give it a seamless, aerodynamic appearance. Double exhaust pipes hint of compressed aspiration under the hood, while special 17-inch alloy wheels and tires indicate a sports suspension. A subtle turbo s badge, styled after porsche badging, adorns the back hatch on which sits a rear valance. The turbo's rear spoiler pops up at speed and is designed to maintain rear-end stability in high-speed corners. After spending some time with the car, we found the rear spoiler a bit annoying as it comes back down with a 'thunk' when slowing down. color is important on the beetle and a diverse palette is available, including special-edition colors introduced at different times during the 2003 model year: campanella white, galactic blue, sunflower yellow, sundown orange, cyber green, chromaflair silver/green, blue lagoon, red uni, chromaflair cyan/purple, black, reflex silver, red, blue lagoon, and platinum gray. . interiorvolkswagen beetle sweeping roofline creates tremendous front-seat headroom, though less than the pt cruiser and slightly less than the mini cooper. Beefy front a-pillars (the post between the windshield and side window) impede vision in tight corners. (this big dash area and thick a-pillars are no doubt part of the beetle's excellent crumple-zone design.) small sun visors have no hope of blocking the sun coming in through the giant side windows. Convertibles offer as much room as hardtop beetles. volkswagen's seats are comfortable and attractive. The flat design of the seat bottom makes it easy to get in and out of the seats, but they lack sufficient side bolstering for driving quickly on winding country roads. The usual fore-aft and rake adjustments are provided, while. Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Air Conditioning✔ Alloy Wheels
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