Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet Review

It’s a convertible Herbie!

Enough of that. This, dear TopGear.com reader, is only the third production Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet ever made. That is remarkable when you remember the Beetle name has echoed around Volkswagen since 1949.

Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet looks and heritage

Just look at that face!

Please do, because appearance accounts for at least 90 per cent of a car like this car’s attraction. Fortunately, the third-generation Beetle hatchback’s lower, sportier and less cartoonish shape gives the Cabriolet a decent chance. We think it is rather handsome, although we probably should not admit it. Oh, too late...

See more photographs of the new Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet.

It is still a pastiche, though, isn’t it?

Absolutely. Volkswagen is eager to capitalise on the Beetle’s history, so the new Cabrio is offered in three trim levels intended to tug at ageing heartstrings and revive former glory. Pick from the ‘50s, ‘60s or ‘70s’ special editions. The 50s version has single-colour black paintwork, stylish wheels and chrome detailing; the 60s is offered in denim blue and candy white; and the 70s brings a beige roof and beige cabin. Beige!

Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet driving manners

But I’m intensely devoted to lift-off oversteer and clipping apexes!

In that case, leave the driving gloves at home. It is an entirely acceptable car for relaxed cruising, but it will not draw you into a detailed conversation about turn-in and exit points. On smooth roads - the sort we do not have in the UK - it is reasonably enjoyable to hustle along. The steering is slightly over-light, however, and its multi-link rear suspension cannot stop the ride becoming irritating on rougher urban roads. It remains capable of getting from A to B, particularly with the rather appealing 2.0-litre, 200bhp TSI engine, but it does not do so especially tidily.

Roof, cabin and Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet prices

Right, the driving gloves are burned. Shall I fetch the sun hat and Ray-Bans instead?

If that appeals. After all, anyone considering a car like this has probably already decided whether they want one. The interior continues the mix of modern Volkswagen design and retro touches, with room for four people, although the three instruments perched above the dashboard - turbo pressure, stopwatch and oil temperature - seem slightly peculiar. The hood drops in only 9.5 seconds and rises again in 11, at speeds of up to 31mph. With the roof raised, its three-layer fabric also provides good insulation.

See more photographs of the new Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet.

Enough of the road-test nonsense: what are the prices and which facts can I repeat on the internet?

The lively, eager entry-level 1.2-litre TSI starts at £18,150, making it £3,000 cheaper than a Golf Cabrio. At the other end of the range, the ‘60s’ edition 2.0-litre diesel, producing 135bhp and paired with a six-speed DSG gearbox, costs £28,095. For a useful bit of trivia, more than 330,000 original Beetle Cabriolets were produced between 1949 and 1980. More than 230,000 of you - and you know who you are - also bought the second-generation New Beetle Cabriolet. Clearly, if you like it, you like it.