Vintage Beetles and new New Beetles got their "party on" in Wolfsburg to celebrate the Beetle's rebirth 20 years ago. Volkswagen hosted the event that saw more than 200 Beetles, of varying age and type, converge at their Wolfsburg plant. You can argue about the lack of success that VW has had with the New Beetle (lack of clear direction and marketing maybe), but the new Beetle can fill the needs of many. VW just needs to get more butts in seats, so to speak. Let's hope they get it worked out. One rumor surrounding the Beetle has the model range converting to electrical power only. That could work and allow for an EV that stands out from the crowd...especially if they keep the Cabriolet. Oh and VW, while you're there look at your pricing model...
Source: Volkswagen
Press Release:
"2018 Beetle Sunshine Tour to Wolfsburg": Thousands are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the New Beetle
The Beetle Sunshine Tour is one of the most important gatherings for aficionados of the original Beetle, New Beetle and the entire 21st Century Beetle Community in Europe
The event will see more than 200 vehicles parade through the Volkswagen plant in Wolfsburg for the very first time
On the way to becoming a classic: the first New Beetle models will be classed as contemporary classic cars this year"2018 Beetle Sunshine Tour to Wolfsburg" – this was the motto on this Saturday for the 14th great Beetle, New Beetle and Beetle Community gathering. This year's event centred around the 20th anniversary of the New Beetle. A contemporary classic on the way to becoming a genuine classic. Like the original Beetle. Beetle, New Beetle and original Beetle – three generations of a compact, timeless Volkswagen with friends in all four corners of the world. Thousands of these aficionados flocked to Wolfsburg on saturday to celebrate one of the most likeable icons of automotive history.
The highlight of this year's "2018 Beetle Sunshine Tour to Wolfsburg" was a procession of more than 200 Beetles, New Beetles and original Beetles through the Volkswagen plant. This was something that had never been done before. Part of the crowd: rare editions like the Hebmüller convertible, dating back to 1950, and one of the rare model year 2000 New Beetle RSI models with an output of 225 PS. And of course the most recent models were also attending, for instance the Beetle Cabriolet Dune. Participants accessed the plant premises via "The Ritz-Carlton" hotel gate before cruising down Südstrasse between Mittelland Canal and the main plant towards Volkswagen's iconic main administration building. A very special route, by the way, as parts of the plant and the entire tower block have been listed. The procession moved along Mittelstrasse, a road usually characterised by plenty of Volkswagen employees going to their workstations and large trucks delivering parts to production lines just in time. The parade then headed further to Autostadt, where the tour turned into a festival. Participants and visitors gathered under the towers of Autostadt to exchange information amongst aficionados, celebrate and gather around the three generations of vehicles representing the automotive nucleus of an entire group of companies for a day. It goes without saying that the parade also involved New Beetle models. This vehicle series, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has never been a conventional new or used car, but always also a way of life. Now the time has come for the first models to be upgraded to contemporary classic cars – the first step to becoming a genuine classic.
By the way, the 2018 edition of the Beetle Festival took place in Wolfsburg for the very first time. The special location beneath Autostadt and the plant are a tribute to the New Beetle's anniversary. The Beetle Sunshine Tour was established 14 years ago by Beetle driver Gabriele Kraft from Lübeck/Travemünde. She has remained the life and soul of the tour to this day.
The highlight of this year's "2018 Beetle Sunshine Tour to Wolfsburg" was a procession of more than 200 Beetles, New Beetles and original Beetles through the Volkswagen plant. This was something that had never been done before. Part of the crowd: rare editions like the Hebmüller convertible, dating back to 1950, and one of the rare model year 2000 New Beetle RSI models with an output of 225 PS. And of course the most recent models were also attending, for instance the Beetle Cabriolet Dune. Participants accessed the plant premises via "The Ritz-Carlton" hotel gate before cruising down Südstrasse between Mittelland Canal and the main plant towards Volkswagen's iconic main administration building. A very special route, by the way, as parts of the plant and the entire tower block have been listed. The procession moved along Mittelstrasse, a road usually characterised by plenty of Volkswagen employees going to their workstations and large trucks delivering parts to production lines just in time. The parade then headed further to Autostadt, where the tour turned into a festival. Participants and visitors gathered under the towers of Autostadt to exchange information amongst aficionados, celebrate and gather around the three generations of vehicles representing the automotive nucleus of an entire group of companies for a day. It goes without saying that the parade also involved New Beetle models. This vehicle series, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, has never been a conventional new or used car, but always also a way of life. Now the time has come for the first models to be upgraded to contemporary classic cars – the first step to becoming a genuine classic.
By the way, the 2018 edition of the Beetle Festival took place in Wolfsburg for the very first time. The special location beneath Autostadt and the plant are a tribute to the New Beetle's anniversary. The Beetle Sunshine Tour was established 14 years ago by Beetle driver Gabriele Kraft from Lübeck/Travemünde. She has remained the life and soul of the tour to this day.
