New Beetle '12 Beetle: still girly?
- Thread starter Deutsch
- Start date
D
Deleted member 1071
I dunno...
The genderization of cars has always appeared pretty silly to me. Unless, of course, a consciencious effort was made to actually apply a gender. A pink Mazda MX-5 or New Beetle. Or that pink Audi TT in that Reese Witherspoon film, the name of which escapes me.
Is a Porsche 911 "girly" ? Or a Landrover Defender ? How about in pink ? There are cars that are "cute" because from a front view, they resemble the face of a small child. It's intentional. It sells cars. And not exclusively to women or homosexual males.
The genderization of cars has always appeared pretty silly to me. Unless, of course, a consciencious effort was made to actually apply a gender. A pink Mazda MX-5 or New Beetle. Or that pink Audi TT in that Reese Witherspoon film, the name of which escapes me.
Is a Porsche 911 "girly" ? Or a Landrover Defender ? How about in pink ? There are cars that are "cute" because from a front view, they resemble the face of a small child. It's intentional. It sells cars. And not exclusively to women or homosexual males.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
VW's marketing for the Beetle Mk.II was well thought out and putting flowers inside the cabin was cute and all but it completely alienated men. Even the petite Fiat 500 managed to put smile on people's faces without being labelled girly. And when spy shots of the new Mk.III surfaced, a collective sigh of disinterest rippled through the automotive space. It's been a major uphill task for VW to convince men to look at the Beetle without prejudice. As much as I hated the Mk.II, the Mk.III is an attractive car. Light colour, matte paint jobs especially work brilliantly on the car and accentuate the receding borders around the greenhouse, fenders, bonnet and trunk. Just that border alone makes the car look much more masculine. The Turbo versions are absolutley stunning, I love them. They look retro and give me the vibe of a modern day Porche 356.
To me the car is masculine and not girly at all...........but if VW cock up on the marketing and produce place this car in some shitty Lindsay Lohan movie with a low IMDB rating below 4, then they'll turn of thousand of potential male buyers. I can see the Beetle Turbo being a stepping stone for future Audi TT-S and Porsche 911 buyers, so long as the colour swatch for the Beetle doesn't include banana yellow, bathroom blue, pink, pistachio green or any other feminine colour. Speaking of Porsche, I wonder what VW will call a potential 300hp version of the Beetle, Turbo S maybe?
View attachment 251903
To me the car is masculine and not girly at all...........but if VW cock up on the marketing and produce place this car in some shitty Lindsay Lohan movie with a low IMDB rating below 4, then they'll turn of thousand of potential male buyers. I can see the Beetle Turbo being a stepping stone for future Audi TT-S and Porsche 911 buyers, so long as the colour swatch for the Beetle doesn't include banana yellow, bathroom blue, pink, pistachio green or any other feminine colour. Speaking of Porsche, I wonder what VW will call a potential 300hp version of the Beetle, Turbo S maybe?
View attachment 251903
Deutsch
Tire Trailblazer
I think the biggest problem for the '12 Beetle is that the "girl"-"chick car" stigma is so strong it may be too big a hurdle to overcome, which is unfortunate because this is a pretty solid effort. I think the real test will come when this car hits the streets and we can all "feel" it for what it is to each of us. No doubt it will be a hit with the ladies because it's still a Beetle. At the very least there seems to be an R version on the way which will no doubt appeal to the male masses.
. The old was at least chick. This one is too big, it even lost that chick/cute factor.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
Lol, Eni spent 30min digging up the most girly photo 
Although I find the Beetle Turbo to be macho in black and white. The bog standard Beetle in it's most primitive trim doesn't do the trick for me in colours like red. Overall the car is either male or girly depending on trim
Although I find the Beetle Turbo to be macho in black and white. The bog standard Beetle in it's most primitive trim doesn't do the trick for me in colours like red. Overall the car is either male or girly depending on trim
HighestOfHigh
Cornering Kingpin
Personally I consider a lot of cars out here girly like the Mini, Mazda Miata, SLK, TT, Z4, etc. still doesn't mean that they are officially chick cars.
I really think this one is more masculine than the previous model.
Would I buy this car...probably not! Still not a bad ride though.
I really think this one is more masculine than the previous model.
Would I buy this car...probably not! Still not a bad ride though.
Deutsch
Tire Trailblazer
Personally I consider a lot of cars out here girly like the Mini, Mazda Miata, SLK, TT, Z4, etc. still doesn't mean that they are officially chick cars.
I really think this one is more masculine than the previous model.
Would I buy this car...probably not! Still not a bad ride though.
Honestly.....if this car had NEVER been I'm very sure we wouldn't be having this discussion. Funny enough I've seen four third gens today and three were driven by men. Weird.
Shining Star
Chicane Challenger
They only had one Beetle on display at New York. In my opinion, the car looks really nice; it actually has a (dare I say) chiseled look to it; much more masculine then before. Didn't get a chance to sit in the interior due to all the crowds. Reactions to the car seemed very positive.
SCOTT27
Drift Dynamo
The more I see it the more I appreciate it more.
What is interesting is that a colleague pointed out from design that they could possibly develop a Beetle Coupe/Roadster - A sort of original Audi TT.
My biggest concern for the Beetle is how are the going to market it?
Especially in relation to how the MINI is marketed?
MINI is always about the product but it uses the product to enhance many factors of the car along with humor which always relates to the MINI enthusiast. I would hate VW to imitate MINI's originality...
Some MINI gems of advertising.
YouTube - MINI TV Ad (music by Slackwax)
YouTube - Mini Cooper Ad -- "Carbonation"
YouTube - Mini Cooper Ad -- "Lobsta Love"
YouTube - Let's MINI
YouTube - Room
What is interesting is that a colleague pointed out from design that they could possibly develop a Beetle Coupe/Roadster - A sort of original Audi TT.
My biggest concern for the Beetle is how are the going to market it?
Especially in relation to how the MINI is marketed?
MINI is always about the product but it uses the product to enhance many factors of the car along with humor which always relates to the MINI enthusiast. I would hate VW to imitate MINI's originality...
Some MINI gems of advertising.
YouTube - MINI TV Ad (music by Slackwax)
YouTube - Mini Cooper Ad -- "Carbonation"
YouTube - Mini Cooper Ad -- "Lobsta Love"
YouTube - Let's MINI
YouTube - Room
Deutsch
Tire Trailblazer
This really put the new and most previous generation in perspective for me:
Refreshing or Revolting: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle - WOT
Refreshing or Revolting: 2012 Volkswagen Beetle - WOT
D
Deleted member 1071
The '12 Beetle is really a very interesting looking car. I actually quite like it. And I would venture to speculate that it will be far more successful in terms of unit sales here in Europe. It's New Beetle predecessor did not do well on this side of the Atlantic. Far too expensive for what was being offered, design far too alienating. The Golf IV platform was not an optimal basis for the car, leading to its' odd proportions.
But this new one is looking very good.
But this new one is looking very good.
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