| Of my rich tapestry of friends, one of my | | | | of cars and none have had the nods of |
| favourites works as a salesman at our local | | | | approval the giant pearl had. Of course |
| Volkswagen dealer. He's not my favourite | | | | that's not to say that three men in any form |
| because I went to school with him - because I | | | | of girly drop-top wouldn't get starred at. So |
| didn't. I rarely nip out for a pint with him | | | | let's address the styling then. Unless you've |
| and he doesn't participate in football which | | | | been living in a dingy at sea for the last |
| is where I recruit the majority of my mates. | | | | ten years, you'll know that the new Beetle is |
| He does however have a very large feather in | | | | curvy, chunky and not a million miles away |
| his cap which demands attention - the fact he | | | | from the shape of the original. It's cuddly |
| works at a Volkswagen dealer that allows him | | | | and cute and the most womanly of vehicles on |
| to drive a string of the very latest German | | | | the road today. The front looks like a happy, |
| metal. He's got a pretty good track record of | | | | smiley face and the back looks like...well, a |
| what he's 'test driven' too. There was the | | | | happy smiley face. The symmetry of the lines |
| turbo'd EOS which although is a convertible, | | | | is simple but effective, with the identical |
| is manly enough thanks to the riot going on | | | | front and rear wheel arches joined together |
| under the bonnet that we looked heterosexual. | | | | by the curve of the roof. It's one of the |
| There was the beach trip with some bikini | | | | most recognisable car silhouettes ever - |
| clad lasses in a special edition Polo that | | | | along with once again, the Porsche 911. |
| masqueraded as a 4x4 and ended up beached on | | | | Despite it being girly, the roof and simple |
| a sand dune and the fact he lovingly waxes | | | | lines made such an impression on me I had to |
| his Corrado seemingly every day makes it | | | | book in for a proper test drive. Although |
| impossible not to feel drawn towards the VW | | | | I've seen countless Beetles, it took the |
| badge. My trust in his judgement was severely | | | | convertible to make me see what I'd been |
| dented this week however when two of us were | | | | missing all these years. The drive is good, |
| recruited by him to witness his latest test | | | | despite the Beetle being a heavy car (even |
| drive. I've been in a VW Beetle in the past, | | | | more so with the safety reinforcements in the |
| all driven by women and all with a tall roof | | | | convertible) and the 1.8T engine shifted me |
| that not only provided ample headroom, but | | | | along at a decent rate. The Beetle is not the |
| also hid who I was from the watching world. | | | | most practical of cars, however if you view |
| Imagine then, my face when | | | | it as a coupe (which it essentially is) |
| Volkswagen-dealer-friend turns up in a | | | | rather than a hatchback you'll be more than |
| convertible VW Beetle in off-white - with the | | | | happy. After all, the new Beetle was |
| roof down. Essentially it looked as though he | | | | basically a styling exercise that has turned |
| was driving a giant pearl. One feature that | | | | out to be a roaring success. I mean what |
| did take my fancy though was the roof. | | | | other car comes with a flower in a vase on |
| Despite it being electric, it didn't fold | | | | the dashboard?! Your Volkswagen dealer can |
| away in an overly extravagant manner, but | | | | get you a new one relatively quickly, however |
| merely rested on the boot. I doubt it does | | | | the second-hand market tells you everything |
| much for aerodynamics but it instantly made | | | | you need to know about owning a Beetle - |
| the Beetle reminiscent to a classic Porsche | | | | you'll struggle to get hold of one. It really |
| 911 Cabriolet and that's no bad thing. Of | | | | is the Marmite of the motoring world, those |
| course unlike the old Beetle and the 911, the | | | | that hate it stay away, those that buy one |
| engine is now in the correct place under the | | | | are so in love they'll never part. As for me, |
| bonnet. Whilst I'm not an old-Beetle fanatic | | | | I hate Marmite, but I love the Beetle. |
| I don't frown upon those who worship them - | | | | |
| of which there are many. Despite knowing the | | | | Jake Delur has worked in the car industry for |
| extent of this affection, it's the amount of | | | | many years he currently writing articles on |
| looks the 'new' version still gets despite | | | | behalf of a VW dealer based near Bristol. |
| the design being nearly ten years old that | | | | Jake has been particularly enjoying testing |
| astounds me. I've travelled around either | | | | the new VW Blue Motion Range. |
| testing or being the passenger in a multitude | | | | |