Volkswagen has sold 23 million bugs since 1938, but will the new model be as popular?

Published: 17:00 EDT, 7 July 2012 | Updated: 17:01 EDT, 7 July 2012

The Olympic torch is coming past my house on Tuesday.

Well, nearly: it’s coming to the village at the end of the road.

Am I excited? Well, it’s nice to have a street party. But to be honest, I’ve got some reservations about the whole Olympic shebang.

I can see a lot of people buying the VW Beetle Design. It's a great way of doing the retro thing without worrying that your back bumper is going to fall off on the M3

My main worry is that it’s happening in the middle of the worst economic weather since the Thirties.

The torch started its journey with the poor old Greeks, putting on a brave face as it jogged off and left them in the dark.

Will they still be in the euro by the time you read this? Will Spain? Will there be riots, famine or war, as some have said?

I don’t know. And neither do Europe’s leaders, to judge by their mithering this last year.

And where does the UK stand? Will we be ruined? Will we be better off?

I’m told if it all goes wrong, at least my Greek olive oil will be cheaper and the French and Germans will be less cocky.

But that’s not much good to me if I’m going to work in a horse and cart.

I had the six-speed manual, which I was glad of. Pick the dual--clutch auto and you might as well be in a Golf

Generally I’m an optimist. I’m sure things will work out. And I can see how the Olympics might cheer things up for a bit. I even tried to get some tickets for the women’s volleyball.

Admittedly I had no previous interest in volleyball, but I felt somehow drawn to it. As it happened, I didn’t get them. For some reason they’d all been snapped up.

So I won’t be going, but millions will. I’m hoping to give those people as wide a berth as possible. It won’t be easy.

Already I’ve been stuck in a massive jam as road workers painted five rings onto the Tarmac to create one of those special Games Lanes.

Commuting to London has never been easy. For two weeks in August it’s going to be hell.

You can really push this car - in fact, you should, as at low speeds the variable power steering is heavier and the engine less responsive

For a while I had the genius idea of flying instead of driving, as I’ve now got my pilot’s licence.

Then I heard small aircraft were banned during the Olympics for security reasons. So I think it’s time to get the motorbike serviced.

I haven’t ridden it since my TV series on hospital food last year (I was told horror stories about bike accidents), but in gridlock, two wheels beats four.

The upshot is, I’m glad this new VW Beetle showed up now, while there are still roads to drive it on. I love the classic Beetle and used to have one in the collection.

Unlike some people, I don’t think the new Mexico-built Beetle is a pale imitation.

I think it’s an improvement, as my old bug used to leave more parts on the road than stayed attached – although with 23 million sold since 1938, there was no shortage of spares.

Nowadays we want air-conditioned comfort, and this new Beetle has it all.

Mine had climate control, DAB radio, cruise control and parking sensors (the last two are optional) and they’d given it a 400-watt Fender sound system with a subwoofer and glowing speakers.

If that sounds far off the original Volkswagen, I’d say this is nearer to it than the 1998 one.

It’s got the proper upward-opening glovebox, for a start, and the dash is rounded at the ends and brightly varnished.

The new Beetle has more room in the back and a bigger boot

The dials look right and there’s no stupid plastic flowerpot in it.

That’s because they wanted to make this generation less of a Barbie doll’s car and more sporty.

After all, the first Porsche 356 was based on the original Beetle.

Under the skin of this one is the XDS electronic differential lock from the Golf GTI. That’s quite a piece of kit, giving you much more grip out of corners.

I would always go for the 200hp two-litre version, but there was plenty of welly in my twin-charged 1.4.

You can really push this car – in fact, you should, as at low speeds the variable power steering is heavier and the engine less responsive.

It’s fine as a motorway cruiser, but something about the Beetle shape means there’s a bit more wind noise than in other modern cars.

The previous generation exaggerated that semicircular shape so there was almost no headroom in the back.

This one has more room in the back and a bigger boot.

The driver sits so low down you could wear a top hat. It feels good to be down near the centre of gravity, but I’m a big lad, so I felt a bit hemmed in at the elbows.

I had the six-speed manual, which I was glad of. Pick the dual-clutch auto and you might as well be in a Golf.

Actually, for a lot of the time I thought I was  in a Golf.

This is a very good modern car of the type we all know Volkswagen can do with its eyes closed, but by choosing this over a Golf or a Polo you’re paying extra for something almost exactly the same but a bit less practical.

If you love the Beetle spirit, what I’d do is buy a new Golf and a Sixties bug.

Actually, scratch that. I’ve just checked online, and old bugs are going for around £30,000 in good condition. Ouch.

And that explains why VW has made a second new Beetle: there’s a lot of love out there for these cars.

I can see a lot of people buying this. It’s a great way of doing the retro thing without worrying that your back bumper is going to fall off on the M3.

And if your bumper does fall off on the M3, can you let me know, please?

It’s going to be hard enough getting to work as it is.

Any more obstructions and I’ll be buying a Challenger tank.

Anyone know if those are allowed on Olympic Games Lanes?

This is a very good modern car of the type we all know Volkswagen can do with its eyes closed

TECH SPEC

£19,475, volkswagen.co.uk

Engine 1.4-litre four-cylinder, turbo-and supercharged

Power 158hp

0-60mph 8.3 seconds

Top speed 129mph

Fuel consumption 42.9mpg

CO2 emissions 153g/km (£170/year tax band)

Transmission Six-speed manual

DRIVE TALKING

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READY, SET, CHARGE

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By Simon Lewis