Motoring
Not your average VW: the Beetle R-Line is left-field cool
Thomas Falkiner answers pressing questions about Volkswagen's racy limited-edition Bug
Image: Supplied
Now wait just a darned minute, Falkiner, why are you reviewing a Volkswagen Beetle? I thought these things had been discontinued in South Africa?
Ah, that's just crazy talk, son. Though the Beetle might not feature on the local website anymore - or in showrooms for that matter - Volkswagen will import one for you should you really want to stick one in your garage. However, going on the Bug's past sales performances, I cannot see many people doing this.
This one looks different. Is it a special edition or something?
Or something. The Beetle you're looking at here is the R-Line model. This means it wears a unique body kit (racy new front/rear aprons and lots of glossy black trim) that lends it quite a masculine appearance. Indeed, I piloted this thing for a week and not once did I feel like I was driving through the frames of a Wham! music video en route to the Club Tropicana - if you know what I mean.
R-Line, huh? My cousin has a Golf R and it's fast. Is this Beetle fast too?
Okay, so let's get something straight here - the Golf R and the Beetle R-Line sit on polar opposite sides of the performance galaxy. While the Golf packs a special 213kW 2.0-litre TSI engine the Beetle makes do with a 1.4-litre TSI engine churning out a fairly pedestrian 110kW and 250Nm.
It's not dog slow by any stretch of the imagination but it ain't no hot hatch either. Equipped with a reasonably flat torque curve and buttery-smooth DSG gearbox, the R-Line makes a comfortable everyday cruiser that prefers taking it easy to life in the fast lane.
Oh. Damn. It's starting to sound like a bit of a damp squib. Does it handle?
It handles fine. Although not as focused as, say, a Golf GTI, the Beetle R-Line is still pretty capable through your favourite twisties. Well at least up to a point that is. Push it too hard and it'll quickly become a hot, understeery mess. Treat it with a bit more discretion, however, and you'll actually be surprised at how much of a willing dance partner it is.
I'm looking at the price now. Nearly R420K Seems like a lot to pay for what's basically a slinkier, albeit less practical Golf?
Sure. For roughly R45,000 less you can pick up the enormously capable Golf Comfortline TSI. Or for just R10,000 less you could garage yourself a Mini Cooper S that packs both more power and torque. So why would you want a Beetle R-Line then? Well quite simply for the fact that it's leftfield cool.
It's not the obvious Volkswagen choice and nor is it - as is the case with the Mini - the kind of car you will spot on every other street corner. And I like that. So if you're looking for a boutique hatchback with niche appeal then it's definitely worth the premium.
FAST FACTS
Price: R419,500
Litres/100km: 9.9
0-100km/h: 9.1
Max speed: 201km/h
No. of cylinders: 4
Power: 110kW
Engine capacity: 1,390