While much is being made of Volkswagen’s Fender-inspired 2013 Beetle, I’m left disappointed by its lack of… well, Fender inspiration.
Aside from mirrors made to resemble guitar tuners, a sunburst finish on its dash and a guitar-amp-powered speaker system, the Fender Beetle pays little homage to the brand that helped shape modern music. All in all, it’s nothing more than a Turbo with a few fancy add-ons.
Describing the interior, Top Speed writes:
The first thing that stands out is the “Sunburst” dashboard panel, which is where the middle of the dashboard is bright and it slowly darkens as you reach the edge. If you have ever seen or owned a Fender Stratocaster Sunburst – the signature Fender guitar – then you know what we mean…
The seats and other upholstery are overall quieter and darker than most Beetles, but it does feature contrasting stitching to avoid becoming boring.
The rest of the interior is as expect in a Beetle…
In the technology department is where the Beetle Fender Edition really stands out. The Beetle Fender Edition boasts a 400-watt Fender Premium Audio system with at least nine speakers – there’s likely the option for additional speakers – and an LCD screen. It also boasts a 10-channel amplifier. […]
Okay, in case you haven’t caught on just yet, the Beetle Fender Edition is essentially a Beetle Turbo with the 18-inch wheels from a 2.5L and a few visual upgrades and a kick-ass stereo system. [more]
While the add-ons are nice, I wish VW’s designers did more to incorporate a Fender guitar theme into the interior. I would have liked to see seat belts made to resemble guitar straps or radio dials that look like the volume knobs on a Stratocaster. And though it sounds cheesy, how about a whammy bar shifter? Or, better yet, upholstering the seats in a fabric similar to what Fender uses on its amps?
What do you think? Does the 2013 Fender Beetle hits its mark or could VW have done more to make its interior really stand out? If you were to design its interior, what guitar-themed features would you include?
I agree with you 100% Nadeem. The things they did do like the sunburst dash and amp in the back are awesome, but they could have done so much more.
The seat upholstery is lame. They could have at least embroidered the Fender logo. The radio bezel should have been made to resemble the pick guard with Fender knobs for radio controls. The glove compartment could have been upholstered like the inside of a guitar case. The gas pedal could have been a distortion pedal. And I wquld have liked to see them incorporate the strings of the guitar somewhere in the interior.
Uh oh. Remember the Denim Beetle in the 70s? or the Champagne Edition Super Beetle? Those special offerings spelled the end in sight for the original wonderbug. I’m not impressed with the redesign of the New Beetle, and VW doesn’t think enough others will be smitten with it enough for it to stand on it’s own merit like the original incarnation of the NB.
I read that VW is also issuing 60’s and 70’s themed Beetles in 2013 – with era specific interiors fabrics.
While I’m not a huge fan of the Beetle, I’m kind of digging the new redesign. I think the body looks closer to the original than the previous generation New Beetle.
I finally started to accept the New Beetle. But it took a few years. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Air-cooled bug guy. I own a 73 Super, a dune buggy on a 69 pan and a 70 Karmann Ghia convertible, plus a barn full of parts, so making the jump to the Beetle name on a water-cooled was strange. Then, when I start to like them, and accept that my daughter wants one when she gets old enough and we play “slug bug” with the NB, they redesign again. It just flies in the face of the original that hardly ever had any changes, and even those were minimal overall. The picture in your article, though, does do it more justice than previous press releases I’ve seen. The roof line isn’t as flat as I’d thought. So far, around Central Illinois, I’ve yet to see a NewNB running around.
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