Jump to content
News
Reviews
Discussons
Activity
Create New...
Close
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    By William Maley •

    Thing Could Make A Return to Volkswagen

      Iconic Volkswagen models could be returning as EVs

    Do you remember the Volkswagen Kübelwagen? You might know it better as the Thing sold in 1970s. Volkswagen could be bringing it back as an electric vehicle.

    Speaking with Car and Driver, Volkswagen brand boss Herbert Diess said the upcoming MEB (Modular Electrification Toolkit) architecture might be the perfect platform to bring back some of the company's iconic vehicles like the Thing.

    “MEB is flexible—rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, all-wheel drive—and we have so many emotional concepts. I don’t know if you remember the Kübelwagen. This Thing is a nice car. Then there are all the buggies, the kit cars. We have the bus. We have the various derivatives of the bus. We have so many exciting concepts in our history that we don’t have to do a Beetle,” said Diess.

    This possible idea isn't that all surprising as Volkswagen as the I.D. Buzz was inspired by the Microbus.

    Speaking of the Beetle, Car and Driver asked if there will be a replacement for this model. As we have reported previously, the Beetle could be canned due to poor sales.

    “No decision yet. The next decision on the electric cars will be, ‘What kind of emotional concepts do we need?’ [A decision] might happen next year. This Beetle won’t go electric; the next one might, if there is a next one. We have a good chance on the electric side to do derivatives and emotional derivatives. It’s probably more efficient to do so than in [internal combustion] cars,” said Diess.

    “We could [build an electric Beetle], because it is rear-wheel drive, no grille. If we wanted to do a Beetle electrically, it would be much better than the current car. Much closer to the history of the Beetle. [But] I think the Microbus is a much better emotional concept for the brand than the Beetle. If you go to California, everybody would say it’s the bus.”

    Source: Car and Driver

    Go to articles

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    G. David Felt
    3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

    Ugh, so NOT cool.  Ruining legends.  Sullying pleasant memories.  And going down the tubes.

    As I posted earlier today, Toshiba has brought fast filling to the EV's and that is a game changer.

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    G. David Felt
    3 hours ago, ocnblu said:

    So you have to move it to the VW section so someone will read it?  K...   :smilewide:

    Naw, plenty of smart people have read it, but horse with blinders has to be led to the water. Did not want you to throw a shoe, so brought the drinking trough closer to you. :P 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Frisky Dingo

    I will say that is one of the very cool things about the flexibility of a platform like this- it opens up so many more options for 'drivetrain' layouts. A neo-Thing would be very cool, indeed. Though, I'm not sure what role such a vehicle would have in the real world. If it's nothing other than nostalgia and retro, I find it odd that they would make such a vehicle, but then be so unsure about the future of the Beetle.

     

    VW should just keep making the Beetle until it can be moved to an EV platform. VW sells every Beetle it makes, and we sell at ours at MSRP almost always. They really have nothing to lose by making it for another 2-3 years before transitioning to MEB.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    G. David Felt
    8 minutes ago, Frisky Dingo said:

    I will say that is one of the very cool things about the flexibility of a platform like this- it opens up so many more options for 'drivetrain' layouts. A neo-Thing would be very cool, indeed. Though, I'm not sure what role such a vehicle would have in the real world. If it's nothing other than nostalgia and retro, I find it odd that they would make such a vehicle, but then be so unsure about the future of the Beetle.

     

    VW should just keep making the Beetle until it can be moved to an EV platform. VW sells every Beetle it makes, and we sell at ours at MSRP almost always. They really have nothing to lose by making it for another 2-3 years before transitioning to MEB.

    Must be a regional thing as they cannot give away the bugs here in Washington. They are stacked up much like Fiat's. Just sitting around as a paperweight.

    • Disagree 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    oldshurst442

    Once upon a time ago, in my teens when I was learning a lot about WW2, I liked the Kübelwagen (I refuse to call it "The Thing"). It was a very good WW2 general purpose, light military vehicle that served its country well. It was just as good as our Jeep despite not having 4 wheel drive.

    I became an adult and started idolizing the Nazi war machine. No! NOT the Nazis! But their military engineering, their weapons, their airplanes, tanks, trucks, guns, etc.

    The Nazis had awesome technology. We are lucky to have won!

    But...in the last decade...that idolization that I had for Nazi weapons has slowly diminished and now...I am even embarrassed and mad as hell that I once idolized the weapons that terrorized a big part of the planet. 

    I could admit that Nazi war technology was superior. But I CANNOT say anymore that I like it!

    I would NEVER buy any Kübelwagen. Even if it would be a modern EV made by Volkswagen in 2022 or whenever  80 years AFTER WW2 ended!

    Why?

    My dad fought AGAINST what the Kübelwagen stands for in 1944 and in 1945!

    My mom was a little girl in a Greek village when my grandma had to feed Nazi soldiers by force in my grandfather's house riding in these Kübelwagens.

    In 1979, I came across my first German landmine....it was an empty shell. My grandma was feeding her chickens with it (water) as it was turned upside down and used as a dish.

    PHOQUE Volkswagen for that!

    I WONT forget! I will NEVER forget!

    I might buy a VW Golf GTI type R one day. I dont hold VW responsible for what the Nazis did...but a Kübelwagen is where I draw that line!

    Sorry for that rant. I did not know how to react to this news...but I let my feelings guide me as I was typing this...and my true emotions came out!

    And now...I feel a lot better!

     

     

     

    Edited by oldshurst442
    • Thanks 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    balthazar

    • I always liked the Kabinenroller. ;)

    • The VW Thing will always rank in my top 5 of the most offensive motor vehicles ever manufactured.

    • I see no degree of shame in recognizing factually accurate historical events. "Idolization' doesn't have to be a part of that.

    • Agree 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    G. David Felt
    1 hour ago, ocnblu said:

    Why do internet bozos keep saying it looks like a VW... when it clearly reflects on the 1970's Civic CVCC?  Too odd.

    Meh, probably cause those of us in the 70's was all about American Iron still even with the oil embargo and the japanese did not register, such craptastic auto's they were building then along side craptastic detroit and craptastic german. :P 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    oldshurst442
    25 minutes ago, balthazar said:

    • I see no degree of shame in recognizing factually accurate historical events. "Idolization' doesn't have to be a part of that.

    You are right.

    Im just confused emotionally with that part of history.

    Ever since I lost my dad a decade ago to cancer, I equate my memories of him as a WW2 vet. (Yes he meant more to me than just him being a WW2 vet, especially when he met my mom in the 1960s got married to her in 1968 and had me in 1973...WW2 was long since past by then...duh!)

    The reason for that though is that Remembrance Day (Veteran's Day equivalent) in Canada (and all of the British Commonwealth) is on November 11. 
    The "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of 1918, WW1 ended...

    OK...I went to several ceremonies with him...so...

     My dad died on the 8th of November...and while he was in Palliative care at the hospital, we knew that his days were limited at that point,  I was going to go to the ceremony alone that year to pray for him and all the soldiers that died during all of Canada's wars.  Well, he did not make it...and I had a funeral for him instead so my memory of him remains as a soldier. 

    Every year I watch Saving Private Ryan and The Great Escape and I cry.

    For him and for the thousands of lives lost. And every year that goes by...I hate Nazi Germany a tad more.

    And although I can respect their weapons...I just feel shame for liking them in the first place. I dont know how that became to be. All I know is that my feelings are really strong against them. I know it does not have to be that way...the feelings are just too strong for me to not be this way. Maybe Ill mellow out again.

     

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    balthazar

    Had your father been killed in WWII, I could see logic to the shame as you described. Not to say your feelings are illogical, but then that's not a cornerstone of feelings anyway.

    I'm older than you but my father was born a few weeks after Pearl Harbor. His father was not in the War- he was 4-F for an unknown medical reason. But in doing my family's genealogy, there were dozens of servicemen in my tree. My wife's father was 1 of 5 brothers in WWII (all survived). I don't know that I could have made the same brave choice in youth they & your father did.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×

  • google-news-icon.png



  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • trinacriabob
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By trinacriabob · Posted

      And I've got a good list of what can be wrong with it, too.  Some is funny and some is sort of sad.
    • A Horse With No Name
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By A Horse With No Name · Posted

      Have traveled extensively by Amtrak. Sadly, I think it will be cut by the incoming administration. If I had your ability to move to Italy, I would leave before sunset.
    • trinacriabob
      Beautiful Cars Appreciation Thread

      By trinacriabob · Posted

      This cherry one is in "cherry" condition, it seems.  There are some 45 photos.  It's somewhere in Massachusetts.  What a boulevardier.  What a beauty. https://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/caprice/1995/vin/1G1BL52W1SR117012/?radius=6000 It seems like people are taking to these Caprice Classics posthumously, given the prices on cleaner ones with lower miles.   This is a base model, given the upholstery, and 200 hp indicates the 4.3 L V8, which is enough to pull this car around and, in 4th gear, return very good highway mileage.  
    • trinacriabob
      Random Thoughts Thread

      By trinacriabob · Posted

      Amtrak is an interesting beast. I have taken the Coast Starlight once, from Sacramento to Portland.  You sleep on it, in your seat, and the Siskiyou Pass is slow going and I believe you can see Shasta.  Even the cheap seats are extremely roomy. I have taken the Pacific Surfliner once, from L.A. Union Station to San Diego.  It's funny that several subway lines meet at L.A. Union and, even during rush hour, it doesn't feel crowded ... because it's L.A. and not NYC. I have taken the Cascades once from Portland to Seattle.  The price was right, the route is clean and green, and the train cars are not as tall and only 1 level. I have taken the train from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa. I don't remember the route's name. It is said to often run late.  It did.  Lauderdale is next to Metrorail.  A real helpful Cuban guy checked you in and a sassy Black guy was the conductor.  The people were the trippiest of any train ride I've been on.  A little edgier and it could have had some Jerry Springer value. When we were kids, my parents would take us cross-country on the Amtrak Santa Fe to Chicago, followed by another train to New York.  The only part I remembered was the eerieness of the Petrified Forest under thunderstorm skies and all the small bodies of water in Missouri.  I was told that there would be water moccasins in there.  We'd allow for 3 to 4 days in the New York area with relatives as a buffer before sailing from the city to Italy.  It was done in reverse if coming the other way.  My parents were a little weird this way. (The apple didn't fall far from the tree.) Two segments on TWA or Pan Am 747s would have shaved a lot of time off this trip! The U.S. is way behind in good train service.  California High Speed Rail is way behind schedule.  They are still working on the Merced-Fresno-Bakersfield segment. The Republicans hate the plan.  It's always better to build these projects sooner than later.  If anything, this project could further growth in California's interior since its coveted coastal metro areas are not feasible options for most people anymore.  Having people trampling along the route and in those inland areas makes for a "multiplier effect." Don't get me started on topics like this.
    • G. David Felt
      Hyundai News:2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is Available at Dealers with an Amazing Assortment of Features.

      By G. David Felt · Posted

      Hyundai says the WAIT is over for the 2025 IONIQ 5 family of SUVs available now at your local dealership. The question to ask is are the available choices including financial able to drive customers into the dealership? To start with, let's look at what Hyundai is offering from a financial standpoint since the biggest complaint is always the price of an EV. Hyundai Financial is offering two ways to help get you into a new IONIQ 5, Financing as low as 0.99% interest, APR for up to 60 months for qualified buyers or leasing as low as $199 per month for 24 months. $3,999.00 due at lease signing, for qualified lesses, excludes registration, tax, title, and license, 10,000 miles per year including the $7,500 EV lease bonus. All this with a starting price of $42,500, EPA estimated range up to 318 miles, power up to 320 hp / 239 kW and Ultra-Fast Charging from 10-80% in 20 minutes. Let's start with the Ultra-Fast charging of 10% to 80% in 20 minutes. The press release photos show a Tesla supercharger, and yet the Hyundai is an 800V/350kW DC Ultra-Fast charging EV that will come with an adapter so that these NACS ported EVs can charge at the CCS charging stations where one can get this 20 min fast charge. Tesla Superchargers have 350kW charging coming but currently only in a few locations, so most of the time you will be using if you charge at a Tesla Supercharging station, a 400V charger, so expect 30 minutes to charge to 80% at 250kW or if you charge at home from 10% to 100% on a 240V level 2 charger in about 7hrs. This is where Hyundai is pushing to give you the right tools as with the 2025 IONIQ 5, Hyundai is also currently including a Complimentary ChargePoint Home Flex Level 2 EV charger or you can take a $400 charging credit good at any ChargePoint station that includes EVgo, Shell Recharge or ChargePoint station. The ChargePoint network is 87,000 chargers across the U.S. Hyundai has made it very clear that the ChargePoint charger is free, but installation is not included. The good point is Hyundai has already connected to have available electricians who can do the installation and they walk you through the process via the Hyundai Home Marketplace app. If the buyer / lease chooses to go with the $400 charging credit with ChargePoint, they have two years to use the credit before it expires. Hyundai offers the IONIQ 5 in multiple trims in what they consider a trifecta family.  IONIQ 5 Family core with Key specifications: SE Standard Range Starting MSRP $42,500 RWD: 245-miles all-electric range 125kW (168 hp) SE Starting MSRP $46,550 RWD: 318-mile all-electric range RWD: 168kW (225 hp) AWD: 290-mile all-electric range AWD 74kW + 165kW (320 hp)  SEL Starting MSRP $49,500 RWD: 318-mile all-electric range RWD: 168kW (225 hp) AWD: 290-mile all-electric range AWD 74kW + 165kW (320 hp)  HDA 2: Highway Driving Assist 2 Wireless device charging Limited Starting MSRP $54,200 RWD: 318-mile all-electric range RWD: 168kW (225 hp) AWD: 290-mile all-electric range AWD 74kW + 165kW (320 hp)  Vision roof Premium Head-up display (HUD) V2L Hyundai IONIQ 5 Standard Gallery IONIQ 5 XRT The dark side per Hyundai's own website of off-road rally racing inspiration. XRT  MSRP to be announced early 2025 18-inch XRT wheels with all-terrain tires 23mm or 1-inch lifted and tuned suspension XRT Front and rear bumpers Blacked-out styling accents Exclusive interior details and badging Hyundai IONIQ 5 XRT Gallery IONIQ 5 N edition The Bolder world performance car of the year for 2024 N edition Starting MSRP $66,100 0-60 mph in 3.25 seconds with N Grin Boost 162 mph top speed. 478kW (641 hp / 568 lb-ft of torque) Lowered 5.6-inch ground clearance with tuned suspension 221 mile range / 84kW battery pack Performance interior and badging Performance features: N Battery Preconditioning N race mode N Pedal mode or special tuned one pedal drive mode N Brake regeneration N Drift Optimizer mode N Torque Distribution N launch Control Mode N Grin Boost mode N e-shift  N Track SOC N Active Sound + Hyundai IONIQ 5 N Gallery The family of Hyundai IONIQ 5 comes with a three year or 36,000-mile warranty and a 10-year/100,000-mile Hybrid/electric battery warranty and 24/7 roadside assistance. With the growing EV charging infrastructure and the addition of the Tesla Supercharging stations network, getting around even on road trips across North America has become so much easier than one would have thought. One can check out more about the Hyundai IONIQ 5 family of autos here: 2025 IONIQ 5 | Electric SUV, Overview | Hyundai USA So this then brings us back to the original question posed, So will the choices and financial incentives drive customers into the dealerships and have them taking home a new EV? Sound off on what you think. View full article

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

I've whitelisted
Continue without support

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search