VW Beetle Fender Edition Heads for Production
Iconic car jams with a classic name in musical instruments to further appeal to men.
With the 2012 Beetle, Volkswagen has successfully manned up its notoriously cute car to make it more desirable to male buyers. Out went the frou-frou flower vase; in went a Fender audio system to catch the attention and ears of wannabe guitar gods who've watched ugly dudes like Dave Grohl get all the girls. (Any wonder why he moved from behind drums after the demise of Nirvana?)
Now Volkswagen is ready to further dial up the testosterone thanks to a full Beetle Fender Edition that further plays to the car’s retro appeal. Originally teased as a concept car at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, Volkswagen confirmed today at the Leipzig International Auto Show that the Beetle Fender Edition will go into production. The car will be released in Europe first before appearing stateside in the fall of 2012. Pricing was not announced. But what to expect inside and out, was.
The Beetle Fender Edition, as VW puts it, “visually demonstrates its affiliation with the American musical icon” -- the Fender guitar -- both inside and out. The dashboard, which sports a Fender logo, is painted the trademark sunburst hue made popular on Fender guitars, while the upholstery is accented with color-contrasting seams that riff off the dash color. VW didn’t say whether the painted part of the dash is made of real wood, as on a Fender axe. (So it’s a good bet that it isn't. They definitely would have mentioned it if it were.)
Exterior rock-star touches include Deep Black Metallic paint, brushed-chrome exterior mirrors, 18-inch "Disc" aluminum-alloy wheels, bi-xenon headlights and the Fender logo on the front flanks. The Beetle Fender Edition will be powered by a 2.0-liter 200-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. Music muscle of course comes from a Fender Premium Audio System.
The Beetle Fender Edition's sound system includes nine speakers and a 10-channel amplifier pumping out 400 watts of power. Even the names given to the speakers evokes some of Leo Fender’s best-known inventions: The system consists of two Fender Deluxe tweeters, two Fender Twin midbass speakers, two midrange speakers and a Fender Bassman subwoofer. But it lacks a jack for plugging in a guitar.
Rock stars didn't drive beetles when they were getting started (no cargo space). If they drove a VW, they drove a microbus before graduating to a retired school bus when they needed even more room. It's kind of difficult to imagine a future Eddie Van Halen toting around his Strat and amp in one of these...
EXPLORE NEW CARS
MORE ON MSN AUTOS
‘Eleanor’ Mustang sells for $1M'Gone in 60 Seconds' movie car driven by Nicolas Cage has a new home.
ABOUT EXHAUST NOTES
Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.
Have a story idea? Tip us off at exhaustnotes@live.com.
