To keep costs low, the new cars could miss out on some basics but will get other items like ABS, sat-nav and a sunroof as options. The new range will be marketed as a global platform with emerging markets getting an ultra-efficient two-cylinder engine or possibly a one-cylinder unit. Western markets are expected to receive a turbocharged three-cylinder version with direct injection.
According to the source, the new car is the brainchild of Ferdinand Piëch, whose grandfather, Ferdinand Porsche, was the man responsible for the original Beetle. VW’s new boss Martin Winterkorn is reported to be backing the idea, but safety issues are still a major hindrance to it ever eventuating. One VW exec who spoke with Automobile Magazine mentioned that developers were forced to "install stability control systems to address handling issues."