Why didn't VW of Mexico made a 4 door Aircooled Beetle to made it possible for the Taxi drivers of Mexico City to keep driving Aircooled Sedans ? Money ? (yes) I have seen a lot of 4 doors beetles at VW shows. Maybe a chance for a restart of the beetle production in Mexico like in Brazil in 1993 ? BTW if VW did some minor modifications on the Beetle like different (black) taillights, bumpers (like the frontbumper you can buy as an original accessoire), modern steeringwheel (with airbag), bigger plastic side view mirrors, and some cupholders maybe the bug would still be alive. Oh yes and with help of Porsche maybe they could made the boxer engine better and cleaner.. But ok i am realistic that costs money... Nowehere millionars and also buglovers ??
The Beetle is an old design of car - labour intensive and costly to build (when compared with a "modern" car). And to be honest, not that practical (luggage space). Plus, every year a great challenge to meet safety and emission laws.
4 doors is not really practical to build either. If you look at a 4 door Beetle, they are slightly longer. This would mean making new tooling for the floorpans, and also for the bodyshell. Only the bolt-on panels and some interior trim would be the same. It's much cheaper to build another "modern" car (4dr MK1 Golf/Rabbit like in South Africa).
The original Mini was killed off by BMW for much the same reasons...
Unfortunately, as much as we love the Beetle, it is not really practical as a modern car in a modern market. To be honest, I am sunrises it lasted as long as it did... No, I'm not being pessimistic! It's just much easier, cheaper, and better to build new examples of an older ('80s-'90s) design cars, especially as the tooling is practically given to the company as no one else wants it...
Two other examples are the launch of the old Austin Maestro and Montego in China and the MK1 Golf in South Africa.
The only "classic" car I can think of off-hand still being produced today is the Ambassador in India. It's based on the mid '50s Morris Oxford MO!
Oh yes, the Bay Window vans are still being produced in Mexico also. However, the construction process is much more advanced than that of the Beetle.
The only thing we can do is to keep the original Beetle's alive and show everyone how great they are! :-)
-- Howard
1966 VW Beetle 1300 Deluxe -
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Austin Mini DeLuxe -
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Austin Mini Super DeLuxe~~ To email me, go to my website ~~
dont forget they had sold more beetles than henry ford sold model-t's which is a monumenta task in itself and i found out also that in the later 1940's henry thoght of buying vw ,hmm a karmann ghia convertible body for the cobra interesting idea and possbly suicidal now there is a what if... idea
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