“It’s a Bug’s life...”

JUST WHEN YOU think you've seen the latest automotive design trends, along comes Volkswagen's new Beetle and moves the goalposts.

Blatantly fun on the outside, beneath the new Beetle's unique architectural body is some serious hardware, namely the Mark IV Golf's proven front-engined, front-wheel drive platform and running gear. Power, too, is Golf-sourced - the 115bhp 2.0-litre engine also serves in the unblown GTi.

You sit a long way back from the stylish fascia - the front seats
are sited almost dead centre of the Beetle's wheelbase - and the attractive textured dashtop seems to stretch out ahead of you like
an E-type's bonnet.

Sitting so far back you might think that your view of other traffic will be compromised by the A-pillars. But first impressions can be mis-leading: the large windows and deep windscreen provide fine all-round visibility.

If you find the new Beetle's exterior distinctive, then the minimalist layout of the cockpit will be a visual treat. The high-roofed cabin is light and airy and you'll find yourself surrounded by masses of shoulder, leg and head room. Front seats are low, but both have extensive height adjustment. The two big doors shut with the satisfying thunk you'd expect on a limousine.

There's also a height-adjustable driver's armrest with a built-in storage compartment and a lined, drop-down sunglasses case. In fact, everything you see and feel is well-considered, beautifully made and the choice of materials is first class.

Embellished with absolutely the exact amount of satin aluminium, the three-spoke steering wheel is not only great to look at but feels just right in your hands. Better still, it adjusts for reach as well as rake.

More clever detailing, CFC-free air-con, and comfy, well-padded front seats all contribute to the special sense of well-being you experience travelling in a Beetle. Access to the rear seats is excellent, thanks to large doors and tip 'n' fold front seats that always return to their original position. Rear legroom is good although that geometrically curved roofline does eat into the headroom so that long trips in the back are reserved for teenager-only treats!

Even so, VW have managed to keep the boot practical: with the split rear seat folded, luggage space expands from a minimum of 209 to a maximum of 769 litres.

Dead ahead of the driver and coolly retro is the circular instrument binnacle containing a scaled down rev-counter and fuel gauge inset into the large speedo, all with blue-lit dials for when the sun goes down. The CD stereo is brilliant: sound quality is unbelievably good, and all of the controls are simple and easy to reach and use on the move. Some might consider the flower vase - a nod to the flower-power Beetles of the Sixties - sexist. Not us. We found it made a wicked pen holder!

There are more pleasant surprises once you pull way. Immediately noticeable is the overwhelming feeling of solidity — which goes far beyond the Beetle's mere structural integrity — that makes simply being in the Beetle relaxingly reassuring whether you're moving or stationary.

Free-spirited drivers will be pleased to learn that this feel-good factor extends to the Beetle's dynamics. Steering feel is more sports car than sedan, with good weighting and quick responses. Body roll is well-controlled and the ride, on 205/55 rubber and smart 16-inch alloys, is refined and supple enough to dismiss speed bumps with impunity while providing a level of sporting handling that lets you push pretty hard
in corners. Taken to the line, handling is as safely predictable as a Golf's. With just a little bit more fun.

The four-speed automatic is optional and its T-bar selector is slick in operation with both up and down changes delivered smoothly what-ever your driving style. Responding eagerly to the throttle, there is
just enough of a muted growl to remind you that this Beetle's engine
is no longer at the rear. Top speed from the 2.0-litre engine is
113mph, with 0-62mph coming up in 12.9 seconds. Incidentally, the
5-speed manual hits 115mph and clips the zero to sixty-two time to 10.9 seconds.

The new Beetle is now available with a choice of five petrol engines — 1.4-litre 75bhp, 1.6 102bhp, the 2.0-litre 115bhp tested here, 1.8 Turbo 150bhp and a range-topping 2.3-litre V5 pumping out a hefty 170bhp. And one diesel: the 100bhp turbocharged 1.9-litre TDI PD that we also recently tested. All Beetles come with a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard.

Officially the 1.9 TDI generates 100bhp but feels considerably more powerful on the road than the paper figures suggest, no doubt due to its 177lb ft of torque at just 1,800rpm — more than the 2.3-litre V5's 162lb ft. It also has the lowest emissions by a mile (at 143g/km) of
any Beetle and already complies with the Euro 4 emissions legislation which will become law in 2005.

All of this is down to Volkswagen's clever PD or 'Pumpe Düse' tech-nology that, along with high power and torque and low CO2 emissions, delivers amazingly good fuel consumption: 41.5mpg Urban; 53.3mpg Combined; 64.2 Extra-Urban.

For the record, in our hands the 1.9 TDI PD returned a regular 50mpg in mixed driving conditions, so you're unlikely to be bugged by fuel prices. Not only that, the torquey turbocharged TDI suits the Beetle's handling dynamics and makes for a comfortable and relaxing drive. Top speed is 110mph and it scoots to the benchmark 62mph in 11.9 seconds, so you can still have fun booting it when the mood takes you!

Motorway cruising in either the petrol or diesel Beetle is as relaxed as sitting comfortably at home in your favourite armchair. While obviously not as frugal as the TDI, the 2.0-litre's extra-urban 38mpg is still good enough to keep you smiling.

Beetles have good brakes and stopping power, backed up by ABS. Volkswagen's ESP electronic stability program is excellent, sensing and automatically correcting a skid - usually even before the driver is aware it has started. Equally comforting is the Beetle's 4-star Euro NCAP crash rating.

If the new Beetle's shape doesn't turn enough heads for you, there's
a selection of special colours that will - from can't-miss-it ice-cool Cyber Green to dazzlingly vibrant Yellow.

Volkswagens have always given value for money, and the Beetle is
no exception: air-conditioning, driver and passenger front and side airbags, remote central locking, electric windows, heated and electrically operated door mirrors, power steering, heat insulating
tinted glass and a powerful 6-speaker CD/Radio are all standard. Oh yes... and some handy 'puddle lights' in the doors.

But as good as it undoubtedly is, is the new Beetle truly a motoring icon? Well, If it's not then it should be. Because this is one of those rare cars that you start out buying for its looks and end up loving
for its enjoyable driving characteristics. Now that's Classic!

Volkswagen Beetle 2.0 Automatic | £15,115 Maximum speed: 113mph | 0-62mph: 12.9 seconds Overall test MPG: 29mpg | Power: 115bhp | Torque: 127lb ft Volkswagen Beetle 1.9 TDI PD | £14,170 Maximum speed: 110mph | 0-62mph: 11.9 seconds Overall test MPG: 50mpg | Power: 100bhp | Torque: 177lb ft Visit Volkswagen's website