Here comes the 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet

Volkswagen has blown the cover on the third generation of  Beetle Cabriolet way ahead of the car’s public debut at the L.A. Motor Show. The roof-less Beetle looks kinda’ good but it has lost it’s fragile masculinity along with a few kilos of metal. I expected a hard-top version like the EOS but from the looks of it, Volkswagen found a good deal on textiles. The soft top is automatic on all trim levels and opens or closes in about ten seconds after hitting the magic button. As you would expect from a convertible, the A-pillars have been strengthened up and Volkswagen also installed a new “Automatic Rollover Support System”. This system consists of two roll-over bars located behind the back of the rear bench seat.

Under the bonnet, european customers can pick from a range of  4 gasoline engines and 2 diesels. The 4 gasoline engines start with an entry-level 1.2-liter TSI that produces 104 HP – 77 kW, followed by the same engine but with the company’s BlueMotion tech. The other two include a 1.4-liter TSI with 158 HP – 118 kW and the speedy 2.0-liter TSI that outputs 197 HP – 147 kW. As for the diesels, the smaller 1.6-liter TDI produces 103 HP – 76 kW while the larger 2.0-liter TDI outputs 138 HP – 103 kW.

U.S. customers will get only three engines to pick from, beginning with an entry-level 2.5-liter engine with 170 HP – 127 kW and a peak torque of 240 Nm, a 2.0-liter diesel with 140 HP – 104 kW and 320 Nm and the 2.0-liter turbocharged TSI gasoline engine that pumps out 200 HP – 149 kW and 280 Nm of torque. The little beetle is available with a 6-speed manual or a DSG transmission.

The free highways and the wind in your hair will have to wait 10 seconds for the roof to come down at speeds of up to 48 km/h. Just sayin’