2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible confirmed

Volkswagen will reveal the 2013 VW Beetle Convertible at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

The new VW Beetle is only just starting to make an appearance on UK roads but already it’s about to be overshadowed by its flasher sibling – the 2013 VW Beetle Convertible.

Launching at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, the new Beetle Convertible will be loosely based on the VW E-Bugster Cabriolet Concept we saw at the Beijing Show in the Spring.

The ‘loosely’ bit relates to anything that looks remotely interesting – like the squat stance, rakish windscreen and butch wheel arches – and also, as far as we can tell, without the electric motors that drove it.

Instead, we’re likely to get a more prosaic and less appealing version that looks exactly what it is – a Beetle with the roof chopped off – and the same engines as the tin-top Beetle gets – a 1.2, 1.4 and 2.0 litre TSI petrols and a 1.6 litre TDI Bluemotion diesel (although the diesel and 200PS Beetles aren’t actually available yet).

What is mooted for the new Beetle Convertible is a choice of ‘Retro’ trim options with buyers able to opt for ’60s, ’70s or ’80s trim with both interior and exterior decked out in period-specific bug goodness.

A launch at Los Angeles in November probably means the 2013 VW Beetle Convertible arriving in the UK and Europe in time for next Spring. We’ll no doubt get prices for the soft-top Bug nearer the time.