"Beetle" replacement

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33650, 27 September 1974, Page 4

"Beetle" replacement

The car which will replace the long-lived Volkswagen “Beetle,” the front-wheel-drive Audi 50, has now been announced in Germany.

The Audi-designed car will also be produced under the Volkswagen label, and it will be made in the Volkswagen factory at Wolfsburg — all “Beetle” production at that factory has now stopped. \ The first production Wolfsburg Beetles were made in 1945, and production has continued for almost 30 years. When production was at its height, the plant turned out more than 1000 Beetles a day, and about 18m of the cars have now been made, although not all of them were made at Wolfsburg. Volkswagen hopes that Beetle production will reach 20m before it halts for good. Tile new car is a twodoor four-seater with an opening “hatchback,” and a rear seat that folds down to give a long load platform and only two seats when required. The prices have nqt been announced, but will be below those charged for the

larger recently-announced Volkswagen Golf model. The Golf replaces the 1500 c.c. and 1600 c.c. Beetle models, and the new small car will be powered by a water-cooled 1100 c.c. engine, transversely mounted at the front of the car.

The car will be available in both 50 b.h.p. and 60 b.h.p. versions, the more powerful car having a stiffer suspension than the cheaper vehicle. Both will have independent suspension all round, and such options as a heated rear window and a rev. counter. Disc brakes will be fitted to the front wheels only. The basic engine is undersquare (bore 69.5 mm, stroke 72 mm) and has a

compression ration of 8 to 1. The front suspension is by MacPherson struts, and the rear suspension by torsion bars and trailing arms. Radial-ply tyres will be standard, and powerassisted braking an option. Overseas testers who have driven prototypes of the new car have praised its smooth ride, handling, steering, interior room, and engine performance, but have criticised the gearchange as being vague. Production of the Volkswagen Beetle is continuing at plants in Germany and overseas, but motoring writers who have seen the new car say it is almost certain to replace the Beetle more quickly than Volkswagen expects.