SHANGHAI AUTO SHOW: Latest-gen VW Beetle revealed

Volkswagen unveiled its long-awaited latest-gen Beetle on the eve of the Shanghai motor show, ushering in fresh (albeit evolutionary) design language previewed by 2005's Beetle Ragster concept.

The newcomer is due on sale in the US around September, and it will subsequently be rolled out in European and international markets, with right-hand-drive deliveries starting in 2012.

The latest iteration of the model, which dates back to 1938 in rear-engined form, is a brawnier looking car than its predecessor (launched in 1998) as it's longer, wider and lower.

The Beetle now measures 4278mm in length (+152mm), 1808mm in width (+84mm) and 1486mm in height (-12mm), and the front and rear tracks have been pushed out for a broader footprint. Its wheelbase has also been stretched, which should theoretically make for more rear-seat space.

The new car's face falls into line with the rest of the VW line-up with a Golf-like front bumper/grille and headlights that are framed by a crescent of bejewelled LED daytime-running lights (optional).

According to VW's press blurb, the revamped proportions have resulted in the roof extending back further, while the windscreen has also been shifted back.

The company claims "the rear section is now more akin to that of the original Beetle", but we're struggling to see the similarity from the accompanying images. If anything, the taillights remind us of the Bentley Continental GT.

The New New Beetle's styling was overseen by design heavyweights Walter de Silva (Volkswagen Group) and Klaus Bischoff (Volkswagen Brand), with Marc Lichte in charge of exterior styling.

It's not all about aesthetics, as VW boasts boot capacity is upped to 310 litres -- compared with 209 litres in the 1998 model -- and the rear seats split/fold for added versatility.

The cabin is distinguished by the same switchgear/controls as the Golf, and the interior pic released for now shows a flat-bottomed steering wheel, as per the GTI. Interestingly, the traditional flower vase has been usurped by a trio of dials atop the centre of the dashboard.

VW says a wide range of innovative optional equipment will be available, ranging from Keyless Access through satellite navigation systems and a panoramic sunroof to bi-xenon headlights -- all of which will be offered for the first time on a Beetle.

Engine choices in international markets will include three petrol units -- a 1.2-litre TSI with 77kW, a 1.4-litre TSI with 118kW and a 2.0-litre TSI with 147kW. There will be just one diesel -- a 1.6-litre BlueMotion unit with 77kW.

Thanks to the addition of Stop/Start and battery regeneration systems, the Beetle 1.6-litre diesel is claimed to consume a miserly 4.3L/100km while emitting carbon dioxide emissions of 112g/km.

Standard safety kit in the latest Beetle will include ESP and six airbags, as well as a laser-welded and galvanised body structure that VW claims has one of the highest torsional rigidity values in the segment at 26,000 Nm/°. 

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