2014 VW Beetle Convertible - TestDriveNow.com Quick Takes

2014 VW Beetle Convertible – Quick Takes

The Beetle Convertible is one of the most popular and affordable four- passenger convertibles on the market

Takes the classic Convertible silhouette, but reinterprets the design in a sportier, more dynamic fashion
One of the most fuel-efficient convertibles on the highway: EPA estimated highway fuel economy of 41 mpg from the TDI® Clean Diesel model with a manual transmission
Three engine options: torquey 1.8-liter TSI turbo; frugal 2.0-liter TDI Clean Diesel; and powerful 2.0-liter TSI® turbo. Six-speed automatic is standard on the 1.8T
Fast-acting softtop opens in 9.5 seconds, can be operated at speeds of up to 31 mph
Split-folding rear seat makes this a highly practical convertible
Standard safety features include Automatic Rollover Support System
Available features include Fender® Premium Audio System, Keyless access with push-button start, leather seating surfaces, and navigation

The Beetle Convertible has been an instant success for Volkswagen since it went on sale in December 2012 as a 2013 model. The sportiest and most dynamic version of the iconic softtop seen so far has quickly become one of the best-selling convertibles in the U.S.

For 2014, the Beetle range receives a number of enhancements. The base Beetle’s 2.5-liter engine was phased out and replaced during the Model Year by a new, locally sourced, turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, designated EA888 Gen 3. This produces 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque and offers 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 door sill kickplates. The top R-Line Convertible with 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 are fitted with the latest Gen 3 2.0-liter version of the EA888 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which makes 210 hp.

Lastly, Volkswagen introduced its VW Car-Net™ connected services on the Beetle lineup. VW Car-Net—which has a six-month no-charge trial period—offers a wealth of security and convenience features, including Automatic 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 for iPhone® and Android® devices.

Exterior

The third-generation Beetle Convertible is not a straight copy of the original, but a reinterpretation and development of it. Klaus Bischoff, Head Designer, Volkswagen Brand says: “Retro is not our thing: we are always looking forward. Volkswagen has reinterpreted the Beetle Convertible’s timeless design with a sportier and more dynamic silhouette, just as it did with the Beetle Coupe. The car is substantially wider, has a longer hood, and has a more upright windshield that sits further back than before. The standard rear spoiler reinforces the car’s sporty look.”

The Beetle Convertible retains the bold, purposeful stance of the Coupe, thanks to wider tracks and a longer wheelbase than the previous New Beetle Convertible. Compared with the 2006 version of the older car, the latest Beetle Convertible is 3.3 inches wider at 71.2 inches; 1.1 inches lower at 58.0 inches tall; and 6.0 inches longer at 168.4 inches overall.

A convertible bodyshell is less rigid than a coupe’s because the upper part of the structure is open, so the Beetle Convertible’s body needed reinforcements. This included the use of partial body reinforcements and sheetmetal with greater strength such as:

The A-pillar’s interior bar is 0.5 mm thicker and made from ultra-high-strength hot-formed steel instead of cold-formed metal. There is also a reinforcement in the “bend area”
The front roof crossmember has an additional central plate
Additional tubing made of ultra-high-strength (hot formed) steel between the B-pillars as well as a stronger heel plate
More sheetmetal in the lower body sidemembers
An extra rear panel that integrates the Automatic Rollover Support System is made of high-strength steel

Due to the targeted use of materials and laser welding of selected parts, the body stiffness was increased by 20 percent over that of the previous New Beetle Convertible: the torsional rigidity is now 17.8 Hz.

Top up, the Beetle Convertible has an even lower roofline than the Coupe’s. The top lies flat when it’s lowered, giving good visibility: the flexible leatherette top boot tidies up the appearance and harks back to the Beetle Convertible’s roots. Volkswagen decided to stick with a traditional softtop because it allows for a roofline that’s more like the original 1949 type 15’s. Also, a softtop takes up less space than a folding hardtop, thus giving more trunk space. The heatable rear window is made of tempered safety glass.

The softtop’s outer shell itself is made from three layers: an outer one of polyacrylic woven fabric; a middle layer of synthetic rubber; and an inner lining of polyester. Underneath, there’s a three-layer design for the insulation, made from polyester nonwoven fabric, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) insulating fleece, and polyester spunboard. The headliner is made from foam-laminated fabric. The result is a snug top that yields remarkably low levels of wind noise.

The top is powered by two electric motors and latches and unlatches at the touch of a button, which is located on the upper rail of the windshield surround. The top takes just 9.5 seconds to stow and 11.0 seconds to be raised: the difference is in the time it takes to latch the roof’s header to the windshield. The top can be raised and lowered at speeds of up to 31 mph, unusually high for a convertible.

Pressing and holding the button opens the top, while pulling and holding closes it. The side windows automatically drop when the top is opened and are raised when it closes. There is an indicator light located in the instrument panel. On Beetle Convertibles equipped with Keyless access with push-button start, it’s possible to operate the top remotely, from outside the vehicle. Trunk space remains the same whether the top is open or closed.

An integrated wind blocking system is available on the Beetle Convertible as a Volkswagen Genuine Accessory. It is housed in the trunk under the convertible top area and can be safely and neatly stowed when folded and not in use. The storage compartment for the wind blocker is designed to allow full use of the trunk area.

Interior

The Beetle Convertible’s interior styling, ergonomics and quality build off the themes that were introduced with the Coupe. Klaus Bischoff says: “The shape and use of color for the dashboard harkens back to the design of the very first Beetle models and helps to create a highly individual cabin. The simple layout and clean graphics are the same as the Beetle Coupe’s, which has been a success with consumers and critics alike.”

Three round gauges are arranged in front of the driver (tachometer, speedometer, fuel gauge), providing all key information at a glance. A multifunction display is integrated in the speedometer, which is housed in the central position in the binnacle. The steering wheel is specially designed with colored accents in the spokes depending on the equipment line.

Framed by two air vents, the audio/navigation system is optimally located in the driver’s field of vision on the dashboard. Within easy reach, the climate controls are situated just below. Similar to the original Beetle, the new car has an extra glovebox integrated into the dashboard—the kaeferfach or “Beetle bin”. The lid folds upward, while the standard glovebox opens downward. Another classic feature is the auxiliary instrumentation package located above the audio/navigation system that consists of an oil temperature gauge, a sport chronometer, and a boost pressure gauge. This is standard on the R-Line and TDI Clean Diesel models.

All 2014 Beetle Convertibles are exceptionally well equipped. The base 1.8-liter model has standard 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels; a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel; an eight-speaker sound system with aux-in; Bluetooth® technology; a Media Device Interface with iPod® cable; three-color adjustable ambient lighting; heatable front seats and exterior mirrors; cruise control; and V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces.

Available features include Keyless access with push-button start, leather seating surfaces, the RNS® 315 navigation system, the award-winning Fender® Premium Audio System, Bi-Xenon headlights, and Sirius XM® Satellite Radio.

Even though the latest Beetle Convertible has a sleek and sporty roofline, front and rear passenger headroom remains plentiful, especially compared with its predecessor. The longer roof section results in 0.5 inches more rear-seat headroom. Front legroom is improved, too, by 1.6 inches, and front shoulder room grows by 2.5 inches. Overall, the interior volume has increased from 78 to 81.4 cubic feet.

The trunk is larger, offering 7.1 cubic feet of space, compared with the New Beetle’s 5.0 cubic feet. A split-folding rear seat—new on this Beetle—allows the car to carry bulkier and larger items than is normal with a convertible.

Engines and Transmissions

The 2014 Beetle Convertible offers the following powertrain combinations: the 1.8-liter turbocharged and direct-injection four-cylinder TSI engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission; the 2.0-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine with six-speed manual or six-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmissions; and the 2.0-liter TDI turbocharged Clean Diesel with the same manual or DSG options.

The Beetle models feature a new EA888 Gen 3 turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine that is made in Silao, Mexico. This 1.8-liter engine produces 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque—the same power, but seven pound-feet more torque, delivered lower in the engine speed range than the 2.5-liter five-cylinder powerplant. The EPA estimated fuel economy rating is 24 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, an improvement of five mpg on the highway over the 2.5-liter engine.

The EA888 Gen 3 engine family is designed to be lighter and more fuel efficient than the Gen 2 units. Engine weight has been reduced by eight pounds, to 290 pounds overall. Among the improvements on this engine are: a thinwall crankcase casting; exhaust headers that are integrated into the cylinder head; smaller diameter main bearings; roller bearings for the twin balancer shafts; and a crankshaft that has four counterweights instead of eight.

The latest version of the EA888 TSI engine, in 2.0-liter form, also powers the R-Line models. This award-winning double-overhead cam, 16-valve, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine produces 210 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. While it gives the Beetle R-Line exhilarating performance, it is also highly efficient. With the DSG transmission, the R-Line gets EPA estimated fuel economy of 23 mpg city and 29 mpg highway; for the R-Line with six-speed manual, the figures are 21 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.

The Beetle TDI uses the company’s 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injection Clean Diesel engine that makes 140 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The car has an EPA estimated fuel economy rating of 28 mpg city and 41 mpg highway when equipped with the manual transmission, making it one of the most economical convertibles on the highway today.

Dual-clutch transmission advantages: DSG combines the comfort and ease-of-use of an automatic with the responsiveness and economy of a manual. The six-speed, transversely-mounted DSG unit features two wet clutches with hydraulic pressure regulation. One clutch controls the “odd” gears—first, third, fifth and reverse—while the other operates the even gears. Essentially it is two gearboxes in one.

With DSG, the set-up allows the next-higher gear to be engaged but remain on standby until it is actually selected. In other words, if the Beetle is being driven in third gear, fourth is selected but not yet activated. As soon as the ideal shift point is reached, the clutch on the third-gear side opens, the other clutch closes and fourth gear engages under accurate electronic supervision.

Since the opening and closing actions of the two clutches overlap, a smooth gearshift results and the entire shift process is completed in less than four-hundredths of a second. In addition to its fully automatic shift mode, DSG has a Tiptronic® function to permit manual gear selection.

Suspension

All Beetle Convertible models are fitted with a strut-type front suspension with lower control arms and an anti-roll bar: on the R-Line’s sport suspension, the bar’s diameter is increased from 22 mm to 23 mm. At the back, all models get a multi-link independent rear suspension with coil springs, telescopic dampers, and an 18-mm-diameter anti-roll bar.

Beetle Convertibles have standard anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake pressure distribution (EBD). The Convertible and TDI Clean Diesel Convertible have 11.3-inch-diameter vented front discs and 10.7-inch-diameter solid rear disc brakes. The R-Line has larger 12.3-inch-diameter vented front discs, with red calipers.

To help ensure that power is applied properly in challenging conditions, the R-Line model features the XDS® cross differential (limited-slip) system that electronically monitors input from various wheel sensors and, in the event of slippage, transfers extra torque to the wheel or wheels with the most traction.

Safety and Security

The starting point in the Beetle Convertible’s safety armory is a rigid body structure that uses seamless laser welds and ultra-high-strength hot-formed steels in the crash-load paths.

In a convertible, it’s important to have protection in the event of a rollover accident, which Volkswagen has addressed with a reinforced front roof crossmember, strengthened A-pillar, and the Automatic Rollover Support System. Two roll-over bars are concealed behind the rear bench seat-back, activated by the computer that deploys the airbags in the case of a crash. Along with the fixed A-pillars, they help to provide effective protection for the occupants of all four seats within milliseconds. Front and head-thorax airbags are also among the standard equipment.

The Beetle Convertible includes Volkswagen’s advanced Intelligent Crash Response System that shuts off the fuel pump, unlocks the doors, and switches on the hazard lights if the car is involved in certain types of collision.

Scheduled Maintenance

The Beetle Convertible is also covered under the no-charge Carefree Maintenance Program. Scheduled maintenance is covered for two years or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Additionally, all current Volkswagen vehicles use synthetic oil, which, when combined with state-of-the-art German engineering, eliminates the need for a 5000-mile oil change, and allows owners to go farther between scheduled oil changes.

Model Line-up

Beetle Convertible

The Beetle Convertible, which has a starting MSRP of $25,170, comes standard with: six-speed automatic transmission; leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel; high-line trip computer; air conditioning; Media Device Interface (MDI) with iPod adapter; three-color adjustable ambient lighting; Bluetooth technology; heated front seats; V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces; 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels; eight-speaker sound system with aux-in; cruise control; kaeferfach additional glovebox; 60/40 split folding rear seat; rear spoiler; power adjustable, heatable side mirrors; and six-month trial to Volkswagen Car-Net at no additional charge.

Beetle Convertible with Technology

Opening at $27,295, this trim adds the following to the Beetle Convertible’s standard equipment: Keyless access with push-button start; Premium VIII touchscreen radio; and SiriusXM Satellite Radio.

Beetle Convertible with Sound and Navigation

In addition to the features on the Beetle Convertible with Technology, this adds: 18-inch “Disc” aluminum-alloy wheels; the RNS 315 navigation system; and the Fender Premium Audio System. The Beetle Convertible with Sound and Navigation starts at $29,395.

Beetle TDI® Convertible

Starting at $28,895, the TDI Clean Diesel receives the following equipment that’s additional to the Beetle Convertible’s: six-speed manual or six-speed DSG automatic transmission; Keyless access with push-button start; a leather-wrapped gearshift knob; SiriusXM Satellite Radio; the Premium VIII touchscreen radio; and the performance gauge cluster. The six-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission is an $1100 option.

Beetle TDI Convertible with Sound and Navigation

With a base price of $30,095, this version takes the TDI Clean Diesel’s standard equipment and adds the RNS 315 navigation system, and the Fender Premium Audio System.

Beetle R-Line® Convertible

Starting at $29,395, the R-Line adds the following equipment over the 2.5L model: the 210-hp TSI® turbocharged engine; a six-speed manual or DSG automatic transmission; a sport suspension; R-Line front and rear bumpers; 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels; red-painted brake calipers; aluminum-alloy-look pedals; gloss black-finished exterior mirror housings and door sills; front foglights; leather-wrapped shifter knob; R-Line door sill kickplates; R-Line badges on the front fenders; cloth sport seats; carbon-appearance dash; and the performance gauge cluster.

Beetle R-Line Convertible with Sound

This package adds Keyless access with push-button start; the Premium VIII touchscreen radio; the Fender Premium Audio System; and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. The base MSRP is $30,695.

Beetle R-Line Convertible with Sound and Navigation

The topline Beetle R-Line Convertible starts at $33,795 and adds: sport seats; leather seating surfaces and door trims; the RNS 315 navigation system; 19-inch “Tornado” aluminum-alloy wheels; Bi-Xenon headlights with LED DRLs; and black interiors also get an R-Line badge on the steering wheel and a “metallic finish” dash pad.