2012 Volkswagen Beetle unveiled today

(April 18, 2011) NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — When the first Beetle rolled off the production line in December 1945, it was called simply the Volkswagen — "the people's car" — but its distinctive shape inspired nicknames across the globe: Beetle, Kafer, Vocho, Coccinelle, Fusca or Maggiolino. In total, 21.5 million cars were sold.

More than 50 years later, in 1998, the "New Beetle" rekindled the spirit and imagination of the original to a new generation of Volkswagen owners. The "New Beetle" has been a sales success over the past decade.

Sales of the original Beetle ended in the U.S. in 1979. Volkswagen sold about 5 million original Beetles in the U.S. from 1949 to 1979, making incremental improvements along the way.

When the New Beetle went on sale two decades later, it was a hit from the start. About 83,000 were sold in 1999, the first year, although sales tapered off in succeeding years.

In ceremonies in three cities today, the Beetle opens a new chapter in its story. The third generation of the Beetle is being unveiled simultaneously in Shanghai, Berlin and New York.

Volkswagen says its engineers have developed a modern interpretation of the Beetle, with all the benefits of today's technologies and efficiencies, and the driving characteristics that define the Volkswagen brand.

But it is tricky business, taking an iconic car to the next level without losing the aura that is wrapped around the original, and the second-generation remake, as well.

Volkswagen says the result had to remain affordable and stay true to the Beetle's spirit and heritage. The design of the new Beetle presented another challenge. How does one reinvent a look that is so recognizable and unique?

Volkswagen Group Design Chief Walter de Silva and Volkswagen Brand Design Chief, Klaus Bischoff, welcomed the task and set an ambitious objective: "Design a new original."

The designers wanted to develop the new car around the earliest Beetle profile rather than the 1998 New Beetle. They wanted a car that respects the past but looks toward the future.

Volkswagen says that placing the original Beetle and the 21st Century Beetle next to one another, it's clear that the lines of the rear sections are nearly identical, but the overall look is bolder and more dynamic. The Beetle also breaks free of the design geometry defined by three semi-circles (front wing, rear wing, domed roof above it).

"The Beetle is now characterized by a clean, self-confident and dominant sportiness. The car not only has a lower profile; it is also substantially wider, the front hood is longer, the front windshield is shifted further back and has a much steeper incline. All of this creates a new dynamism," explains Klaus Bischoff.

The 2012 Beetle is 71.2 inches wide (3.3 inches wider), 58.5 inches tall (.5 inches lower) and 168.4 inches long (6 inches longer). The new focal point is the C-pillar. The development team also increased the car's track widths and wheelbase. All of this gives the Beetle a powerful appearance with muscular tension.

Volkswagen has released just one picture, but by the end of the day the newest Beetle will have been thoroughly inspected from front to rear.

The 2012 Beetle will offer three engines: the 2.5-liter gasoline five cylinder, the 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel and the 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged gasoline engine. Transmission choices will include a 5-speed manual or optional 6-speed automatic on 2.5L models. Volkswagen's DSG 6-speed dual-clutch transmission will be offered on the TDI Clean Diesel and the 2.0L TSI turbocharged gasoline models, while a 6-speed manual will come standard.