MTV global extravaganza gives Beetle wings

The new Beetle is longer, wider and lower than older models. Photo / Supplied

Volkswagen will use next week's Shanghai motor show to launch its international Beetle-mania campaign, part of an extravaganza that includes concerts in New York and Berlin being beamed around the world on MTV.

It will unveil its new-generation Beetle in China on April 18, ending a multimillion-dollar teaser campaign for the car that began in the United States with VW giving away 275 cars to members of the audience on the Oprah Winfrey Show, and spending millions of dollars on a television commercial during January's Superbowl.

The Black Eyed Peas will headline at the MTV World Stage concert in New York's Terminal 5, and DJs will spin the music in Berlin at a World Stage party.

The use of MTV in the global launch reflects VW's target market for the new Beetle and its importance to VW's future in the US.

VW's global marketing director Luca de Meo said the events would combine two global icons, the Beetle and MTV.

"In the context of this marketing alliance, we are taking the new Volkswagen directly to our customers and fans of the Volkswagen brand - and we are doing it globally," he said.

"We are certain that the car's one-of-a-kind styling combined with the latest technology will be very well received by customers."

VW says the New York MTV concert will be the most widely distributed World Stage event to date.

It said highlights of the New York and Berlin events will be available on www.worldstage.mtv.com.

The Superbowl commercial for the Beetle was seen by a television audience of around 100 million. A prime time slot during the American football final telecast can cost US$3 million ($3.86 million) for 30 seconds.

The ad showed a silhouette of the new car - an image that has been used in promotional logos for the MTV World Stage events.

The new Beetle is longer, wider and lower than the current model, which was based on the hatchback Golf when it first appeared in 1998. The new model will also share its underpinnings with the current Golf VI.

The bigger dimensions mean more interior room, especially in the rear.

The Beetle pictured here is a pre-production model spied testing in the US.

VW will launch the car with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, although the oil-burner is unlikely to be offered in New Zealand.

A petrol-electric hybrid is apparently in the pipeline, along with a go-faster GTi model.

It will go into production at VW's factory in Mexico later this year and is expected to land here next year.