World stage for new VW Beetle debut

VOLKSWAGEN is planning a global reveal for its new-generation Beetle this month in a crescendo to a long and expensive teaser campaign that has included a TV commercial on the American Super Bowl telecast and giving away 275 cars to Oprah Winfrey Show audience members.

The car’s debut at the Shanghai motor show on April 18 will be followed immediately by concerts in New York and Berlin, all broadcast internationally on MTV.

The Black Eyed Peas will be the headline act at the MTV World Stage concert in New York’s Terminal 5, while a duo of Belgian DJs, 2manydjs, will spin the music in Berlin at a World Stage Party.

Longer, wider and lower than the current New Beetle that revived the nameplate in 1998, the 2012 Beetle again will share its underpinnings with the VW Golf when it goes into production later this year.

The bigger dimensions are expected to provide a roomier cabin for the latest Beetle, which is expected to be launched with a choice of TSI petrol and TDI diesel engines, although hybrid and GTI versions are reportedly in the pipeline.

Left: Current Volkswagen Beetle. Bottom: New Passat.

A 2012 launch is expected in Australia, where a total of 91 Beetle coupes and cabrios have been sold in the first quarter of this year.

The use of MTV in the global launch reflects VW target market for the new Beetle and its importance to VW’s future in the US.

VW marketing director Luca de Meo said the events would combine two global icons, the Beetle and MTV.

"In the context of this marketing alliance, we are taking the new Volkswagen directly to our customers and fans of the Volkswagen brand – and we are doing it globally,” he said.

“We are certain that the car’s one-of-a-kind styling combined with the latest technology will be very well received by customers.”

Volkswagen says the New York MTV concert will be the most widely distributed World Stage event to date. It said highlights of the New York and Berlin events will be available on www.worldstage.mtv.com.

In February, VW spent millions of dollars to screen a teaser TV commercial seen by an estimated TV audience of more than 100 million in the Super Bowl football telecast in the US – one of the most watched programs on the annual TV calendar in America.

The ad showed a silhouette of the sleeker, less rounded shape of the new car – an image that has been used in promotional logos for the MTV World Stage events.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen is warming up to launch its new-generation Passat in Australia, with its media presentation scheduled for next week.