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In 1998 the “New Beetle” returned, successfully riding a wave of nostalgia that was triggering automotive retro designs – including the Ford Thunderbird, BMW Mini, Chrysler PT – creating another generation of Beetle owners, most of whom thought WW2 was a history class. In yet another irony, the new Beetle was a mere sales footnote in Germany, where buyers thought the design too frivolous – no Love Bugs for them. All told about 500,000 New Beetles were sold in the U.S. – 10% of the original Beetle’s U.S. volume, as the competition in small cars had heightened considerably, notably by the Japanese Big Three – Toyota, Nissan and Honda. Continue reading →