Frank Welsch, Volkswagen's director of research and development, confirmed that the current generation Volkswagen Beetle will not have a successor : "two or three generations is enough now", adding that the "beetle" was a car "made with history in mind, but we can't do it five times and have a new new Beetle".
The Beetle is the only retro-inspired model in the brand's portfolio, so its place will be taken in a few years by the production version of the I.D. Buzz, the electric concept that recalls the Type 2, known among us as Pão de Forma.
The Volkswagen Beetle is available in two bodies — three-door and cabriolet — with Welsch confirming that the convertible will be succeeded by the already announced T-Roc with a soft top in 2020.
ID Buzz will be the “nostalgic” model
The Volkswagen I.D. Buzz, presented as a concept in 2017, evokes the Pão de Forma, and according to Welsch, it is thanks to the fact that it is electric — it uses the MEB platform, dedicated to this type of vehicle — that it will allow a faithful approximation to the forms of the original Type 2.
With MEB, we can make […] an authentic vehicle with the original shape, with the steering wheel positioned as in the original. We can't do this with a front-mounted engine. The shape you see in the concept is realistic.
we had all these concepts of the Microbus (Pão de Forma) in the past, but they had all the engine in front. The physicality of bringing it to reality on an MQB or PQ-anything doesn't work.
It now remains to wait for the presentation of the production model, whose production had already been confirmed during the last year. It has not been announced, however, when the Volkswagen Beetle will cease production.