Volkswagen puts a price on latest Beetle iteration
The Volkswagen Beetle is back, for a third time.
The folks at Volkswagen AG said Tuesday that the base model for the famous insect would slide in just below $20,000 at $18,995 in the U.S.
The base model comes with 170 horsepower and a 2.5L engine. The company will also offer a sport model, which will start at $23,395.
“The 21st Century Beetle is an automotive icon reinvented, a nod to the heritage and character of Volkswagen and our remarkable history,” said Jonathan Browning, president and chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America.
Former sales glory
With the newest version of the once rear-engine compact, Volkswagen hopes to return to their former subcompact sales glory.
In 2003, the then-new Beetle was no. 1 in the subcompact car market in the U.S. Last year, the Beetle was in 10th spot for that market place. Additionally, 12 years ago, the Beetle also made up a quarter of total Volkswagen sales in the U.S.
The automaker is banking on a successful launch due to rising gas prices and the new Volkswagen should fit that niche nicely, averaging 33 miles per gallon for the combined cycle.
This demand for efficiency, according to the company, creates a bigger pool of shoppers for the car when it’s launched in the fall.
