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SON AND GRANDFATHER: The family resemblance is apparent, but is the New New Beetle starting to look more like a Porsche? Images: LES STEPHENSON
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SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: A reminder of how the 2000 VW New Beetle looked.
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FLASH FASTBACKS: VW SA brought some of the New New Beetles' aged forebears along to the Cape Town launch.
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OLD TIMERS: There were, we think, eight, dating back to the early 1960's and all but one of them made it to the launch venue.
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BIG WHEEL KEEPS ON TURNING: But back in the 1960's folk had to lash their own leather on to the steering gear.
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TWO-TONE BUT IMMACULATE: Will the New New Beetle last as long?
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JUST A TWO-DOOR... with a big hatch at the rear.
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PORSCHE-LIKE TAIL: VW says the rear is closer to the original Beetle than the new car's predecessor.
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NEAT SPOILER: It adds to the Porsche theory and is standard on the 1.4 models which do better than 200km/h.
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LOWER-PROFILE TYRES: The Beetle 1.4, with lots more power than the 1.2, comes with 215/55 rubber.
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JAWS IS BACK: And that big gape and space (seats folded) can take 905 litres of luggage.
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WIDER TAIL: The '21st Century' Beetle is wider at the rear than its predecessor.
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ALMOST A COPY: The newest Beetle tries to mimic the original car - right down to a double glove box.
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MORE OF THE PAST: Does the horizontal ribbing remind of the Beetles of the 1950's and 60's?
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C THIS: The 2012 Beetle is the only VW with round headlights and those distinctive 'C' curve of daytime diode running lights.
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AND THIS: The tail lights remind vaguely of the 70's Beetles but are way more high-tech.
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SPECIAL ALLOYS: Five-spoked alloy rims are cool features.
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COUNTRY CRUISER: Given the cars' claimed fuel consumption, nobody's going to sweat a weekend in the country.
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HISTORY LESSON: The first South African Beetle comes off the productiion line...
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...and the last model in 1979 says 'Goodbye...' with flowers.
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UP THE SANI: A Beetle, in 1953, was the first two-wheel drive car to conquer the Sani Pass into (or, of course, out of) Lesotho.
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FANCY LIGHTING: Depending on model/option choice, variable ambient lighting is available.
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SUNSHINE SUPERCAR: A power sunroof is an option.
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LAST CAR STANDING: The restored last model of the SA Beetle fell off a car transporter that crashed...
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...but was brought back to life by the Wizards of Uitenhage.
Click on the thumbnail above to view the larger image.