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Will VW Build It?

What a concept: VW slaps a throwback canvas roof onto a New Beetle and calls it Ragster

By Tom Janiszewski

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit has become somewhat of a birthplace for the New Beetle. It was there, in 1994, that the Concept 1 made its appearance before an unsuspecting crowd of media professionals and the world. Four long years later, the production New Beetle made its world debut in Detroit, ushering in a sales renaissance for Volkswagen in America. So it was appropriate that the 2005 Detroit show would be the venue for VW’s unveiling of its latest New Beetle-based concept: Ragster.

After the silky white car cover was removed from the car at VW’s press conference, members of the media moved past several all-new Jettas to have a look at the sleek, metallic white Ragster.

Its standout roofline, unlike any seen before on a New Beetle, grabbed attention immediately. The car is based on a production New Beetle Convertible. Designers removed about 3.5 inches from the top of the windshield, creating a roofline that starts low in front and gently rakes upward toward the rear of the car. Nearly 6 inches lower than that of a New Beetle, the roof section is made of brushed aluminum, which, VW states, serves as a frame for a massive power-activated canvas sunroof.

Much like the folding canvas sunroof on pre-1964 Beetles, this is the sunroof that should have been made available in the New Beetle in ’98. I was advised, however, that VW opted for the more modern glass tilt-and-slide roof over the canvas unit over concerns about fit and finish as well as any resulting poor marks in the J.D. Power quality survey.

Fit and finish of the Ragster’s sunroof is yet to be seen — it remained open throughout the media preview. The lack of secure latching for when the roof is closed suggested that the sunroof may not be fully operational.

It is through the sunroof that light comes in on the Ragster’s athletic interior. Most noticeable are the sporty racing-style seats finished in a quilted pattern: dark brown leather with white accents. The seats were comfortable and definitely added to the overall sporty character of the car. From the driver’s position, several unique touches are apparent. A beefy racing-style, three-spoke steering wheel, wrapped in the same brown leather as the seats, offers a firm grip. Controls for the sunroof and a stop-start switch for the engine are integrated into the wheel.

The dash console itself is straight out of a production car, although the designers added a few new touches. Most noticeable is the dash-mounted rear-view mirror. Chrome accent rings were added around the heating-cooling vents. The center console between the seats, color-keyed to the bodywork, is newly designed and is highlighted by the leather gearshift boot and color-coordinated shift knob.

Following the console to the back, one sees that gear stowage is the primary purpose for the rear of the interior. Press information on the car states that the designers envisioned the cargo area as a useful place to haul guitars and amplifiers or wet swim gear. The backs of the rear seats (which were always shown in the lowered position, suggesting that there were no rear seats at all) are finished in body-colored metallic white finish and provided a flat cargo area from just behind the front seats all the way to the rear of the car.

Access to the trunk is gained by opening the tailgate taken straight from the New Beetle sedan. Without a measuring tape on hand to gauge the size of the rear window, it looked as if no modifications were made to the gate’s dimensions. Press information suggests that should the car be produced, the rear window would be made removable.

Stepping out of the car, the Ragster’s door panels look familiar as they, like the doors themselves, are straight from the New Beetle Convertible with a brushed aluminum door release lever surround. Perched on the upper hinge of the doors are redesigned, color-keyed side mirrors. Squared off in shape, the slimmer mirrors still feature integrated side turn indicators.
From the car’s beltline down, the Ragster is an accurate sneak peek at New Beetle styling changes scheduled for the 2006 model year. All four fenders have a wide, flat face around the wheel arches with a crisp line marking where the wings curve around giving the car that unmistakable Beetle shape.

At the front, redesigned headlamps are a bit more oval that those currently in production. The bumper cover has a sharper line along its upper edge. A new three-part grille with a large center grille mimics the shape of the curved engine lid. Fog lights are repositioned farther outboard within the two side grilles. Amber front turn indicators and reflectors are wider and slimmer than the rounded ones currently seen on all production Beetles.

The changes all give the car a more masculine look (it’s been said VW is trying to capture more male New Beetle buyers), and the look works great with Ragster’s aggressive styling. It will be interesting to see how it translates to the taller production car.

No roadster is complete without large wheels and tires, and the designers didn’t disappoint! Red-striped 235/60R 19 tires are mounted to stunning 19-inch five-spoke aluminum rims. The wide openings in the rims reveal the heavy Brembo brakes fitted to the car.

Around back, the car also features bumper-fender treatments that will be seen on 2006 New Beetles. The rear bumper has a clean, sharp line forming its upper edge, which has been further cleaned up by moving the license plate housing lower somewhat like that on the production Turbo S models. Redesigned taillights are more oval and now incorporate the reverse lights. The fuel flap on the right rear fender (see detail at left) is much more rounded — a detail that seems more logical for the car than the square flap on the current production cars. A low rear valance faux grill finishes off the fascia, which is accented on the Ragster with chrome exhaust fittings — a current genuine VW accessory.
Under the hood, nothing new to report. One would hope that a 1.8T might be nestled under the lid, however the press materials on the car suggest that any current engine could find its way there should the car see a production run.

The overall package is an attractive variation on the New Beetle theme. Despite the fact that the New Beetle has been around for eight years, interest in the car continues — it was difficult to find time alone with the car for photographing!

Will VW build this car? Officials seem to be open to the idea. Because a fair amount of parts were pulled right from existing VW parts shelves, doing so would not be terribly difficult.

A VW spokesman said that the car’s designers know that the lowered windshield does not meet vehicle requirements, so some minor changes would have to be made there. Whether these changes would negatively affect the overall styling of the car is yet to be determined.

In the meantime, Ragster certainly is a fun look at what the New Beetle can be.