The popular Beetle range has a number of new additions for 2014. The most significant is the introduction of the retro-themed GSR (German for “Yellow Black Racer”) that will be sold as a limited-edition model. Because the base Beetle now has a turbocharged engine, the previous Turbo models have been re-branded with the R-Line® moniker.
The R-Line range itself has been extended to the Beetle Convertible R-Line and goes on sale this fall, joining the existing Beetle Coupe R-Line.
Volkswagen will introduce its VW Car-Net™ connected services this fall as part of the 2014 model lineup. Available on Beetle, Beetle Convertible, VW Car-Net offers a wealth of security and convenience features, including crash notification, roadside assistance, and stolen vehicle location assistance. In addition, VW Car-Net adds: remote vehicle access; boundary and speed alerts; a vehicle health report; and an enhanced POI service on vehicles equipped with a navigation system. Most of the features can be administered through a handy smartphone app.
Beetle
- Beetle GSR goes on sale as a limited-edition model
- Base 2.5-liter engine is replaced by 170-hp 1.8-liter turbocharged four cylinder during the 2014 model year
- Highway fuel economy predicted by manufacturer to improve by up to 17 percent with the 1.8-liter engine
- Beetle Turbo lineup now becomes the Beetle R-Line
- VW Car-Net connectivity becomes available
- Rearview camera fitted to top-of-the-line models (late availability)
The base Beetle’s 2.5-liter engine will be phased out later in the 2014 model year and replaced by a new, locally sourced, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine. This will produce 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque and is expected to offer highly competitive fuel economy. Electro-mechanical power steering replaces the 2.5’s hydraulic setup.
The Beetle Turbo lineup is renamed as the R-Line for 2014, adding aggressively styled bumpers front and rear as well as R-Line exterior badging and R-Line sill kickplates. The top R-Line Sunroof and Sound with Navigation also features unique 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRLs, and leather seating surfaces; black interiors also get an R-Line badge on the steering wheel and a “metallic finish” dash pad. All Beetle R-Line models and the GSR are fitted with the latest version of the EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which makes 210hp.
Among other changes to the Beetle, the TDI® with Sunroof model is removed from the lineup, while a rearview camera will be available on the Sunroof, Sound, and Navigation trim levels on the Beetle, Beetle TDI Clean Diesel, and Beetle R-Line models.
Beetle Convertible
- Beetle receives 170-horsepower turbocharged 1.8-liter engine in place of 2.5-liter unit partway through 2014 model year
- Beetle Turbo Convertible is renamed the Beetle R-Line Convertible
- Rearview camera on top-of-the-line Convertible models (late availability)
- VW Car-Net connectivity becomes available
Like the Beetle Coupe, the Turbo Convertible range is renamed the R-Line. The topline R-Line with Sound and Navigation has additional R-Line-specific features, such as unique 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRLs, and leather seating surfaces: black interiors add an R-Line badge on the steering wheel and a “metallic finish” dash pad.
The base 2.5-liter engine will be phased out in favor of a 1.8-liter TSI unit that is expected to offer significantly better highway and overall fuel economy figures. Finally, the topline trim in each engine configuration—Beetle Convertible, Beetle TDI Convertible, and Beetle R-Line Convertible—will feature a rearview camera later in the model year.
