Ready to enthrall yet another generation of car enthusiasts, The Beetle originally symbolized the democratization of mobility, with 21.5 million cars sold since its first production in 1939 to 1997.
Yet how do you measure the lasting strength of a cultural icon? Ask
anyone to identify or describe the car model that inspired the sobriquet
“Beetle” and they’ll likely get it right.
“Oh yeah, the car that
looks like a cute bug, I know that!”
“The Beetle? Who
doesn’t know The Beetle!”
“Of course! That’s
Herbie from The Love Bug.”
“Dude, that’s the car
from Herbie Fully Loaded. The movie with Lindsay Lohan.”
I’m part of a generation that not only referred to the VW as
The Beetle, we also called it the “Volks.” It was unmistakable. Like a social
code everyone knew. A kid knew what the Volks was. A grown up knew what the
Volks was. The Beetle was the Volks and the Volks was the Beetle. Such was the
singular identity of one of the legendary success stories in automotive history.
It was also one of the first cars my family owned. The image of a canary-yellow
Volkswagen Beetle (original color was sky blue) is hardwired with every
childhood memory I have. It’s 1979. I’m slumped in the back seat, finishing a
pack of Horlicks. My dad’s driving along EDSA. It’s just the two of us in the
car. I’m enjoying the sound of the VW 1200 engine (although my dad fitted the
car with VW 1500 lights and accessories to make our car look newer). I loved
that sound because, for me, it meant I was heading home from school.
That’s why it’s The Love Bug. Because the Beetle is about
perpetual emotion. Because the Beetle is about lasting memories made and
lasting memories you’re about to make.
"The Beetle has always been special to me,” JP
Orbeta, president of Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI), the official
importer and distributor of Volkswagen cars in the country, said. “I first
learned how to drive with a Beetle and will always have fond memories, as I’m
sure many Filipinos do. And now, I am extremely proud to be heralding the
return of the world’s most iconic car back to Philippine shores.”
The
third generation Beetle, brandishing a sportier look with its extended bonnet,
sharply swept-back windscreen and a longer wheelbase, comes in two models: the
Beetle 1.2 TSI 6-speed M/T at PHP 1,590,000 or the Beetle 1.4 TSI 7-speed DSG
at PHP 1,790,000 (or 1,840,000 for Onyx White).
The Volkswagen BGC showroom is located at 28th Street City
Center, Bonifacio Global City. Showroom
hours are from Monday to Thursday 8am to 6pm, Friday and Saturday 8am to 7pm,
and Sunday 9am to 6pm. For more
information on Volkswagen or to request for a test drive, visit www.volkswagen.com.ph or email customercare@volkswagen.com.ph
“No other car evokes as
much nostalgia, tradition, and heritage as the Beetle,” Fernando Zobel de Ayala
said. “As such, I am especially pleased and excited to launch a car as iconic
and celebrated as the one we have launched.”
What lasting memories will
you make with the third generation Beetle? MH
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