Using a soft top when many cars have chosen a folding hardtop, the Beetle Convertible's lid can open or close in just over 10 seconds at the press of a button.
For now, we don't know pricing, but we do know three engines will be offered, paralleling the hardtop Beetle: a 2.5-liter five-cylinder good for 170 horsepower; a turbo 2.0-liter TSI four-cylinder good for 200 horsepower; and a 2.0-liter TDI diesel good for 140 horsepower--but 236 pound-feet of torque.
A six-speed automatic is standard on the base 2.5-liter engine, while the TSI and TDI variants have a choice of six-speed manual or six-speed DSG dual-clutch gearboxes. Equipped with the manual, the Beetle Convertible TDI scores 41 mpg highway, according to VW.
Differences from the standard Beetle are few, and primarily oriented toward safety. Computer-activated safety bars hidden behind the rear seat pop up in the event of a rollover, bracing the car against the fixed A-pillars.
Look for more photos of the car along with our live coverage of the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, which kicks off November 28.
2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible