Volkswagen Beetle

At first blush, this new ­Beetle-don’t contact it the new Beetle-appears to become a GTI sporting a puffy jacket, packing because it does the same 200-hp, two.0-liter turbo four-cylinder and six-speed dual-clutch automatic. And the racy wheels, rear spoiler, and brassy “Turbo” badge push the picture of the car eager to prove it’s for serious.

But a few issues hold it back again.

It's dynamics, While the turbo Beetle swaps the low-rent rear torsion beam of its plebe siblings for a multilink setup-and our automobile had the sportiest accessible tune, a no-cost option-it nevertheless feels uncoordinated when pushed difficult. There is more initial understeer right here than in a GTI. And damaged pavement brings short impressions the back again might arrive about, as well like a mild oscillating wobble, qualities that path braking amplifies. This Beetle rides easily and comfortably, yes, but it is too soft to provide the planted really feel with the GTI. There is pronounced acceleration squat, too. A softer and presumably squat-ier “comfort” suspension ought to be available as you study this



It will be the DSG gearbox, so good somewhere else but saddled right here having a wider unfold in between its ratios and efficiency-at-all-costs upshift programming. The Beetle’s ’box ­single-mindedly hunts out greater gears, and shifts are slurred even in activity mode. We longed for your guide. Combine the DSG’s behavior with a lazy accelerator, and the best way to get the two.0-liter crackin’ is to simply mat the throttle from the quit.

But such a launch works: The Beetle squirts to sixty mph inside a fast six.three seconds, 0.two powering a DSG-equipped three-door GTI and 0.5 second faster compared to the Jetta GLI. The GTI weighs 41 lbs much less compared to the Beetle, the GLI 78 more. And also the Beetle has other virtues, which includes its well-bolstered seats, thoughtfully laid-out and roomy interior, and its angry cartoon styling, which is spicy enough within the wake
of ?the, like, supercute New Beetle.

Our automobile was fitted with a sunroof, navigation, upgraded audio, and also the DSG transmission; the bottom line was $29,865, along with a GTI with similar gear costs roughly the same. But the GTI is a much better worth merely because it could serve as each an outlet for racetrack fantasies and a comfortable daily driver. This fastest of ?Beetles is truly only suited towards the latter; it is a great car, but it is not a severe one.

Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon






Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon died Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway following his automobile became ensnarled inside a fiery 15-car pileup, flew more than another vehicle and landed inside a catch fence just outdoors flip two.
The 33-year-old, a two-time winner with the country's most prestigious race, the Indy five hundred, died following struggling multiple accidents in a 15-car crash in the season finale in Las Vegas on Sunday


Wheldon lived with his wife Susie and sons Sebastian (two) and Oliver (seven months) in Florida.
'
The motorsport world is now in mourning following Dan's passing. On behalf of everyone at McLaren Mercedes, I pass on my condolences to his family and friends.'