We’ve all heard of biodiesel and we’ve all heard of hybrid vehicles but how about a hybrid biodiesel burning 1974 Volkswagen Super Beetle? No? Me neither. Neither did students at the University of Kansas until they built one, that is.

What you see above is their creation which gets close to 50mpg  running on both biodiesel and 10 lead acid batteries.Professor Chris Depcik, leader of the team, comments on the project:

“We have driven it around and reached approximately 30 mph, but this was more of a proof of concept drive without pushing the boundaries. We are currently getting the vehicle into road-ready shape to be driven safely in order to determine these values.”

via autopia

Tags: Beetle, biodiesel, hybrid, university of kansas, volkswagen

Continue reading...

It seems that there VW is about to shine a ray of hope for unemployed Mexican citizens — The automaker has recently announced that they manufacture their newest compact sedan at a plant in Puebla, Mexico sometime early next year. This will be the same plant that produces the latest Jetta and Beetle models.

VW hopes to invest close to $1 billion into the project which about half of that going towards producing a new assembly line at the plant.

For those anxiously awaiting more details, check back soon as we’ll keep you posted.

via Autoblog

Tags: Beetle, Jetta, Mexico, new concept sedan, puebla, VW

Continue reading...

As part of their DAS brand campaign, Volkswagen of America announces a collection of 30-second TV spot ads entitled “Meet the Volkswagens”. The new spots again feature Max the Beetle but also introduce a brand new character named BUS.

Voiced by actor Thomas Haden Church, BUS is a talking ruby red 1963 Volkswagen Micro Bus who draws upon Volkswagen’s tradition and heritage while creating clever vignettes that make subtle competitive comparisons in order to highlight key messages like mileage, fuel efficiency, cost of ownership and safety.

The campaign will run for 8 weeks and will be supported online and at dealerships nationwide. A first for Volkswagen, the TV spots will direct viewers to Facebook where they will experience information and messaging surrounding the campaign and other brand initiatives.

(Source) Press

Tags: Beetle, brand campaign, church bus, cost of ownership, fuel efficiency, heritage, initiatives, micro bus, mileage, ruby red, spot ads, thomas haden church, tradition, tv spot, tv spots, vignettes, volkswagen, volkswagen of america, volkswagens

Continue reading...

The Volkswagen Beetle and Mini Cooper have had a resurgence in popularity with the British people for their nostalgic associations as a cult status with hippies and surfers. They have regained ‘cool’ status and are among the top cars of choices for teenagers who have just passed their drivers tests. But the price tag of a new Beetle. for instance, can be prohibitive, particularly in this current harsh economic climate.

However, there are still plenty of Beetles amongst the many used Volkswagen cars on the market today, for just a fraction of the price of a new model. The key is knowing where to look. For those teenagers who dream of owning their own Beetle, a hunt through the used VW cars online, will return hundreds of results from across the country, complete with detailed info and images.

Tags: Beetle, British, mini cooper, teenager, UK, VW, youth

Continue reading...

Rebuilding and restoring old and classic cars is a hobby for most and apparently Karmann USA is ready to aid the people who are into it. Karmann USA is launching a new aftermarket group to rebuild and restore convertible tops for vintage cars in the United States.

Headquartered in Plymouth Township, Karmann Classics will offer a variety of services including: standard roof repair for vehicles in daily service; original or “authentic” restoration for show models, and a wide range of other customization options to suit specific customer needs.

“Karmann’s new aftermarket division initially will focus on restoring VW Karmann Ghias and VW Beetle convertibles,” said Erik Roeren, president and CEO of Karmann USA. “As the original manufacturer of the VW Karmann Ghia and VW Beetle convertible, Karmann is uniquely positioned to rebuild convertible roof systems for these vehicles.”

Karmann Classics initially aims to serve customers in a four-state region of the Midwest, including Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio, as well as convertible owners in Ontario, Canada. During its launch phase, Karmann Classics will have the capacity to work on three to four vehicles at a time.

The company plans to expand nationwide and eventually will provide restoration services for all convertibles, in addition to Karmann Ghias and Beetle convertibles. Karmann Classics is partnering with local VW dealerships, which also will handle vehicle restoration.

(Source) Press

Tags: Beetle, Canada, convertible, Erik Roeren, hobby, Illinois, Indiana, Karmann, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Plymouth, repair, restoration, united states, USA

Continue reading...

Volkswagen’s Beetle is quite a unique car, featuring curves and a distinct look unimiated by any others. Well, VW has recently announced that an all new Blush Edition is to be released for the ladies, or guys if you’re into the kinda’ stuff.

Priced at $26, 990, just $1,000 more than the normal convertible Beetle, the Blush Edition will feature a white gold paintjob, red leather interior, a red drop-top, and all new 17-inch wheels. 

VW has said there will only be a limited number of the Blush Edition when it goes on sale in the spring so if you want one be sure to make haste.

Read (KickingTires)

Tags: Beetle, blush edition

Continue reading...

I don’t know about you but I still love the VW Beetle. And I am not talking about the super new version. I mean the old thing. It’s a great car which will get you places.

But how about making it out of Lego? The kit is composed of 1,626 parts and it costs $120. It’s certainly a fun thing to build. It has no engine whatsoever and it will get you some 0 mpg. The Lego model is 16 inches long and 6.5 inches tall. I’d love to mount an electric engine on it and get a remote to control it. Would that be doable? Or if that’s not possible then I’d like to see a full size Beetle built out of Lego bricks.

via Autotraderblog

Tags: Beetle, Lego, VW

Continue reading...