Anyone who read our recent Bug Jam feature will know two things: one, that we love the Beetle and, two, so do lots of other people.
More than 21.5 million Beetles have been produced since 1938, making it the longest running and most manufactured car ever, so labelling the Beetle ‘iconic’ is like calling the Queen ‘a bit posh’.
Nigh-on eight decades after it originally came into production, you’d think Volkswagen had ran out of ideas for the cheeky bugster. Well, think again, because now there’s this: the Beetle R-Line.
Based on the new shape Beetle from 2011, which was a lower, wider car with a longer bonnet and more masculine stance, the R-Line model adds new styling touches to make it the most desirable Beetle on the market.
As the R-Line replaces the Sport trim, many of the key features for this model are geared towards delivering a sporty sheen to the traditionally laid-back and humble bug.
It gets sports suspension, 18-inch ‘Twister’ or ‘Ashmie Adamantium’ alloy wheels and a new unique bumper, which features extra air intakes along the upper edge.
A body-coloured rear diffuser, chromed twin exhausts and a rear tailgate spoiler upgrade the back-end, while gloss black door mirrors and door protectors round off the R-Line’s sportier exterior.
Inside, there’s no question that you’re sitting in the R-Line model; the logo is plastered all over the shop. It pops up on the scuff plates, the steering wheel, the headrests, the dashboard – you’ll be seeing the logo in your sleep.
Apart from that, the R-Line’s cabin features brighter instrument panel lighting, ‘Sports’ instrument dials, revised dashboard styling, new upholstery materials such as Kyalami cloth seats and aluminium-topped pedals. Tech-wise, there is dual-zone automatic air conditioning, ambient lighting, parking sensors – front and back – and cruise control.
The Beetle R-Line is only available with VW’s 148bhp two-litre turbodiesel engine, linked to a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox. It’s the same TDI unit you’ll find in the current Golf and Passat, and it’s a beaut, pumping out enough power to hurtle the funky four-seater to 62mph in just under nine seconds, with a top speed of 122mph. Running costs are about the same as the Golf too, with fuel economy reported as 61.4mpg combined, and it emits just 119g/km of CO2, which means road tax is only £30 a year.
Prices start from £23,540 for the manual, while the automatic model commands a £1,605 premium (£25,145). There’s also a convertible ‘Dune’ version priced from £26,390.
For more articles like this, receive our weekly e-newsletter, including partner deals and all things motoring, register your email below.
Please note: You cannot subscribe to Smart-Motoring unless you put a tick in the checkbox below to indicate have read and agreed to our privacy policy.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.