Comments on: You Ain’t Cool

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 24 May 2008 20:13:18 +0000

i own the silver turbo new beetle, once owned by hulk hogan. and i must say… chick car or not, i find it to be a blast to drive. and just a quick note… parked at the beach….all cleaned up… the “chicks” seem to really dig it. how can any complain about that? ((smile))

By: Mrad

Mrad — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:29:07 +0000

Heck yeah, the New Beetles are great cars! I was struck by the addition of the 17″ wheels too – very nice. And a TDI, that rocks. Enjoy it during while gas is this friggin’ high!

By: Kirby

Kirby — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:21:34 +0000

You know its strange… I’m a male baby boomer. I just recently purchased an 2006 Gecko Green TDI Beetle. I traded a very manly 2001 Nissan Maxima that dished out 227 HP; and I got the 21 MPG to prove it.

I went with the Beetle because to find a TDI Jetta loaded up with options like my Beetle was too hard to find and overly expensive. So… I thought what not try something different.

Back in the 70′s men were the primary drivers of the old Beetles; my dad drove a Beetle for a while. Gas was cheap back then; but driving the Chevy pick-up everyday with the 396 CID V8 still wasn’t practical even for him.

No one referred to the Beetles as chick cars back then; they were just called bugs. No one was catagorized for what they drove. Life was simpler back then. Heck.. I even drove a 68 VW Squareback during H.S. It was a great little car; no one ever made a comment about it being a chick car.

My wife gave me hell about the car before I closed the deal on the Beetle. She too said it looks like what a college girl would drive… LOL!!! That just set me off to want the car even more. When you buy a different car people obvioulsy notice all the other drivers with the same kind of car.. Here in MO; I’ve noticed about 50/50 male and female drivers of bugs… I mean new Beetles.

I like the car myself.. package 2 loaded the car with almost all the options my Maxima GLS had; leather; great stereo; roof… delete 127HP and add 20 MPG and that’s the Beetle… well with the exception that it still looks like an inverted bathtub; and now the Beetles have heat and airconditioning unlike the air cooled ones from 30 years ago. My two son’s never have a hard time finding it in a crowded parking lot since its different.

VW changed the styling ever so slightly beginning in 2006 to attract more of the male market. They did a good job because adding those 17 inch wheels really got my attention.. the V-Dubs give it that sporty look that I like so much; add in package 2 and exceptional fuel economy and the purchase was a no brainer.

So… everyone has a right to their opinions I suppose. I see women daily driving large F-150 4WD Trucks. They drive what they want for their own personal reasons. They may need the hauling capacity ect… I initially looked into a New Beetle because of the high MPG I would get from the TDI engine… I’ve found it is far from a chick car… it’s an exceptional vehical that I would recommend to anyone who’s looking to save money on high fuel costs and keep the luxuries comparable to a BMW 3 series.

By: Mrad

Mrad — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:52:12 +0000

Sure it’s for everyone – but I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree :)

By: Bill Jorns

Bill Jorns — Sun, 14 Jan 2007 23:13:25 +0000

Well, Mrad, I’ve seen an equal number of male and female drivers behind the wheels of New Beetles, so I still respectfully disagree with your classifying it as a “chick car” – it’s more than just that. As for the flower vase holder, that was based on a popular aftermarket accessory available in the 1950′s. Freeman and Mays put it in the car strictly for its “retro” nostalgia value, and not necessarliy to appeal to female drivers.
I also disagree with any magazine or website that attempts to pigeonhole the New Beetle by calling it a “chick car.” I guess what it comes down to is it’s all a matter of personal taste, and each of us has his or her own opinions. And in my humble opinion, the New Beetle is a car for everyone.

By: Mrad

Mrad — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 14:15:22 +0000

Sorry Bill, I don't mean to offend. Granted, this guy was a jackass and I wanted to rip on him in any way that I could. I'd never make fun of/think less of someone just because they're a dude rockin' a New Beetle. I've got nothing against people of any color, shape or age that drive New Beetles, but I think most folks would agree that the majority of people who drive them are women. And we at VB are not the first ones to make this statement. If ya don't believe me, do a find on "chick car" on any of the web pages below: autos.yahoo.com autofieldguide.com findarticles.com I mean, it has a spot for a flower base in the dash for cryin' out loud. BUT Alice Cooper and Hulk Hogan do wonders for the car's image. VW should put them on some commercials.... Anyway, like I said - don't mean to offend Bill. Dudes choose to drive 'em (which I've heard has actually helped their standing with the ladies) but I still stand by statement that the New Beetle is a chick car.

By: Bill Jorns

Bill Jorns — Thu, 21 Dec 2006 05:22:04 +0000

I owned a New Beetle for seven years, and I never considered it a “chick car.” I’ve seen people of all ages, both genders, and all colors driving New Beetles – it’s truly a “People’s Car” worthy of the name. Some famous people (none of them “chicks” ) who own – or have owned – New Beetles include:
Alice Cooper
Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing on “Dallas”)
“Hulk” Hogan
Lyle Lovett
In my opinion, the clown in the New Beetle that Mrad described above was uncool mainly because of his pushy, aggressive driving style. His choice of car had nothing to do with it.

By: Justin Perkins

Justin Perkins — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 05:32:03 +0000

Jackass drivers, they're everywhere. There still are some Beetles that I always turn my head for, "chick car" or not.