Launching Beetle mania in summer

By ALASTAIR SLOANE

Don't be surprised if a soft-top Beetle appears on Auckland streets next February, when numbers swell for the America's Cup defence.

Volkswagen importers European Motor Distributors are understood to be looking at flying in a left-hand-drive Beetle Cabrio (pictured) to promote the launch here in June of the right-hand-drive model.

EMD did the same with the new Beetle in 1999, showing off a leftie around the country some months before the right-hooker turned up.

VW general manager Dean Sheed said he was looking at many promotional avenues for the soft-top but hadn't decided on doing something to coincide with the razzmatazz of the Cup defence.

"We have sold more than 1300 new Beetles and are looking at the Cabrio to spearhead another Beetle campaign next year," he said.

"Many companies are talking to us already about using the Cabrio as a promotional vehicle."

Production of the Cabrio for the American market will begin at VW's Puebla, Mexico, plant in January. Right-hand-drive assembly kicks off in May.

Sales of the car here - where it will be priced in the high 40ks - are expected to mirror the 65 female/35 male split overseas.

VW is planning to produce 50,000 convertibles a year - 30,000 for North America and 20,000 for the rest of the world.