Does anyone remember the hype around the New Beetle?

[phaeton]

http://callisto3.home.mchsi.com/images/nb_logo.gif

This was the time in the late 1990s when I first started to like a German brand called Volkswagen.
The hype behind this car and the mystique of the brand sucked me in to the Volkswagen lifestyle.

[phaeton]

1994 Concept One (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/concept1.htm)

1994 Concept One Cabriolet (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/concept1_cabriolet.htm)

1995 Concept Volkswagen (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/concept.htm)

1996 New Beetle Concept (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_1996.htm)

1998 New Beetle Revealed (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle.htm)

1999 New Beetle RSI Concept (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_rsi_studie.htm)

1999 New Beetle Cup (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_cup_beetle.htm)

2000 New Beetle Dune Concept (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_dune_studie.htm)

2000 New Beetle RSI (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_rsi.htm)

2000 New Beetle Millenium Cup Edition (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_millennium_cup_edition.htm)

2002 New Beetle Sport Edition (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_sport_edition.htm)

2003 New Beetle Cabriolet (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/new_beetle_cabrio.htm)

2005 Ragster Concept (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/ragster.htm)

2006 New Beetle facelift (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/facelift 2006.htm)

2010 Special Edition New Beetles (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/final_edition.html)

The 21st Century Beetle (http://www.cyberbeetle.de/new_beetle_history/beetle_2012.html)

[Guy_H]

I do, had the first privately owned one in the country (LHD too) - VW have never forgiven me for it :)

[mikk]

I remember the neighbours getting one. It certainly was a car that got everyone talking! There was nothing like it, and still today the design doesn't look outdated.

After a year the neighbours traded it in and pretty much did close to a straight swap for two golfs.

[phaeton]

I was 12/13 at the time and I remember a yellow LHD touring the country lots of people came to inspect the Newbie :D

[Umai Naa!!]

I recall Queensland entrepreneur Ross Palmer buying a North American spec one, and importing it back to Germany before the European release date, to use in the Nurburgring 24hr.

Volkswagen weren't too pleased with that stunt either.

[Guy_H]

I recall Queensland entrepreneur Ross Palmer buying a North American spec one, and importing it back to Germany before the European release date, to use in the Nurburgring 24hr.

Volkswagen weren't too pleased with that stunt either.

Good memory! - that was an awesome effort from them.

AKG Motorsport - New Beetle at the Nurburgring (http://www.akgmotorsport.com/beetle.php)

[JustCruisn]

Good bloke that Ross Palmer. Remember the Tru Blue Falcon, **** Johnson and the rock ?
Having worked at his old Tube Mills for many years, lots of people go on about how good it was when he ran the place. Pitty the current owners have run it into the ground.

But back to the Beetle...