MINI vs new VW Beetle

AutoExpress puts the new VW bug up against the small car class leading MINI.


So the Bug is biting back. Our first drive on Page 38 revealed the new Volkswagen Beetle is a big step forward. But is it good enough to dethrone the MINI?

To see if the latest VW can tempt buyers away from the BMW-built baby, we brought a 2.0-litre Sport version together with a Cooper S.

The outgoing Beetle, launched in 1998, never quite lived up to expectations. Lacklustre dynamics and limited appeal left it feeling chronically outdated when the new MINI arrived in 2001. But now, Golf MkVI underpinnings mean it can finally compete with the involving driving experience of the baby Brit.

Ultimately, the Cooper S is more agile, thanks to its shorter wheelbase, yet the VW now feels as if it is a genuine relative of the Golf GTI. Its longer wheelbase contributes to greater refinement at high speed, too.

Read the full story - http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carrevi...e_vs_mini.html

Thanks for the article...but I don't think I would be cross shopping with a Beetle anytime in my life