Lupa Kata Sandi? Klik di Sini

atau Masuk melalui

Belum Memiliki Akun Daftar di Sini


atau Daftar melalui

Sudah Memiliki Akun Masuk di Sini

Konfirmasi Email

Kami telah mengirimkan link aktivasi melalui email ke rudihamdani@gmail.com.

Klik link aktivasi dan dapatkan akses membaca 2 artikel gratis non Laput di koran dan Majalah Tempo

Jika Anda tidak menerima email,
Kirimkan Lagi Sekarang

Volkswagen to End Beetle Production Next Year

Translator

Editor

14 September 2018 07:02 WIB

New Volkswagen New Beetle. www.motorauthority.com

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta Volkswagen said on Thursday, Sept. 13, it would stop producing its Beetle compact car in 2019, ending a model that looked backward to the 1960s counterculture as the automaker prepares for a leap toward a future of mass-market electric cars.


The original VW Beetle, developed in the 1930s, made a journey from a product identified with Adolf Hitler to a symbol of Germany's rebirth as a democratic, industrial powerhouse after World War Two. In the 1960s, the Beetle was a small-is-beautiful icon of the postwar baby boom generation. Volkswagen discontinued U.S. sales of the "bug" in 1979, but continued production for Mexico and Latin America.

In the mid-1990s, at a time when Volkswagen was struggling to rekindle sales in the United States, then-Chief Executive Ferdinand Piech pushed to revive and modernize the distinctive Beetle design pioneered by his grandfather, Ferdinand Porsche. The result was a crescent-shaped car called the "New Beetle," launched in 1998, which offered playful touches such as a built-in flower vase.

The New Beetle was a hit during its early years, with sales of more than 80,000 in the United States in 1999, but recently the car's U.S. sales have suffered along with most other small cars. Overall, VW has sold about 500,000 Beetles globally since 1998, the company said.

Read: Audi Investigated Following VW`s Emission Scandal 

Volkswagen sold a total of 11,151 Beetles in the United States through the first eight months of 2018, down 2.2 percent from the same period a year earlier. U.S. consumers looking for a small Volkswagen vehicle overwhelmingly prefer the Jetta sedan, or a Tiguan compact sport utility vehicle. The Jetta, Tiguan and Beetle are built for North America and other markets at a factory in Mexico.

The end of the Beetle comes at a turning point for Volkswagen. The German automaker's last three years have been rocked by the fallout from a scandal caused by its admitted cheating on diesel emissions tests. Now, Volkswagen is gearing up to launch a wave of electric vehicles to appeal to a new generation of environmentally conscious consumers - children and grandchildren of the 1960s Beetle enthusiasts.

In a statement announcing the end of the Beetle, Hinrich Woebcken, head of Volkswagen of America, said that as the company ramps up its electrification strategy, there are no plans to replace the Beetle. However, his statement did not rule that out someday. He noted the company’s I.D. Buzz, a prototype for a 21st Century reincarnation of the microbus. The automaker has said it intends to put a vehicle similar to the I.D. Buzz into production as an electric vehicle.

The company said two special Beetle models will join the final lineup - Final Edition SE and Final Edition SEL - in the United States and would offer the driver-assistance technology. 

REUTERS



Gaikindo Responds to Jokowi Signing Rule Postponing Domestic Component Mandate for Electric Vehicles

15 Desember 2023

Gaikindo Responds to Jokowi Signing Rule Postponing Domestic Component Mandate for Electric Vehicles

Gaikindo chairman Jongkie D. Sugiarto said that for now, he cannot say what impact the rule, signed by Jokowi, will have on the automotive industry.


Indonesian Automotive Industry Deepens Networks, Market Penetration in Vietnam

25 Juni 2023

Indonesian Automotive Industry Deepens Networks, Market Penetration in Vietnam

As many as 11 Indonesian companies in the automotive sector participated in the Automechanika 2023 at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.


Indonesia Sets to Roll Rp7mn Incentive for Electric Motorbike

6 Maret 2023

Indonesia Sets to Roll Rp7mn Incentive for Electric Motorbike

The Indonesian government has decided to grant incentives for the purchase of electric motorbikes at Rp7 million per unit.


Industry Minister Warns About Expansion of Electric Vehicle Imports

9 Desember 2022

Industry Minister Warns About Expansion of Electric Vehicle Imports

The Minister of Industry says the country should not be open to the expansion of imported electric vehicles.


Gaikindo Responds to Govt Target of 1mn Electric Cars Production in 2035

25 November 2022

Gaikindo Responds to Govt Target of 1mn Electric Cars Production in 2035

The Ministry of Industry is targeting the production of one million electric cars and motorcycles in 2035.


Toyota Indonesia to Export Veloz to 16 Countries Starting Next Year

11 November 2021

Toyota Indonesia to Export Veloz to 16 Countries Starting Next Year

Toyota Indonesia will start exporting small multipurpose vehicles (LMPV), Veloz, to 16 countries starting next year


Jokowi: Automotive Industry Recovers as Purchase Order Rises

15 April 2021

Jokowi: Automotive Industry Recovers as Purchase Order Rises

President Jokowi said that the national automotive industry has started to recover, which is evident from the increase in purchase orders.


Sri Mulyani: Electric Vehicle Trend Becomes Inevitable

15 Maret 2021

Sri Mulyani: Electric Vehicle Trend Becomes Inevitable

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said battery-based electric vehicles would no longer be a trend but rather an inevitability in this world.


Toyota Considers Exporting from Indonesia to Australia; Minister Says

12 Maret 2021

Toyota Considers Exporting from Indonesia to Australia; Minister Says

Indonesia's Industry Minister encourages Japan's Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) to export vehicles from Indonesia to Australia.


Luxury Tax Cut; Activists Question Govt's Pledge on Sustainable Development

15 Februari 2021

Luxury Tax Cut; Activists Question Govt's Pledge on Sustainable Development

Activists lamented Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto's decision to greenlight relaxation of the luxury tax or PPnBM.