Tuesday, January 28, 2025

CNBC asks 'Why Did Volkswagen Kill The Beetle?' A driving update

My wife and I traded in Snow Bear yesterday, so it's time for a farewell post for her like the one I wrote for her predecessor, Dez. Since we got another Volkswagen, my wife's fourth and her third Tiguan, I'm opening with CNBC asking Why Did Volkswagen Kill The Beetle?

Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest automakers. It houses brands such as Audi, Porsche, and Bentley. But perhaps its best-known vehicle is the Volkswagen Beetle. Over its entire lifespan, Volkswagen sold over 22.5 million of all three versions of the Beetle. But in July of 2019, production one of the most iconic and important cars of all time came to an end.
That was a cool history of an iconic car, the New Beetle version of which my middle sister drove and my ex-girlfriend's daughter tried to convince me to buy. I didn't because I lived in the country and required a higher ground clearance just to get into my own driveway. My son got farther with his suggestion I buy an Aztek. I didn't, but my wife's vehicles have been sporty SUVs, so we went along with the trend anyway.

Speaking of the trend, watch MotorWeek from PBS preview 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan | MotorWeek First Look.

Ahead of the 2024 Los Angeles Auto Show, Volkswagen has unveiled the 2025 Tiguan. This utility is their best-selling model in the U.S., and it has been redesigned in a bid to retain that status and better compete in such a hot segment. Jessica Ray has the details.
I had no idea the Tiguan was so popular, but then again, the new car, which my wife hasn't named yet, is our third, so I shouldn't be surprised.

Follow over the jump for the numbers.

Snow Bear had 13,649 miles on her when we traded her in on Monday, January 27, 2025, a number so low for a seven-year-old car that no entry existed for her in Kelley Blue Book. The dealership couldn't believe it. My readers can, as I've documented her odometer readings from the start. Anyway, it's been 164 days since I estimated she passed 13,000 miles on Friday, August 16, 2024, resulting in an averages of 3.96 miles per day, 120.70 miles per standard month, and 1,444.42 miles per standard year. That's less than the averages of 4.74 miles per day, 144.55 miles per standard month, and 1,729.86 miles per standard year, and 1,734.60 miles per leap year my wife and I drove her between Thursday, January 18, 2024 and Friday, August 16, 2024. For a year over year comparison, it's slightly more than the 3.82 miles per day, 116.41 miles per standard month, and 1,393.13 miles per standard year my wife drove her between May 1, 2023 and January 18, 2024. That tracks, as I had been driving her more for errands on cold weekend days, but less for work; the weather hasn't been that snowy and my wife needs a car during the week.

Speaking of work, it's time for me to get ready. So long, Snow Bear and may you be as good a car for your next owner as you were for us.

Stay tuned for Lunar New Year.

No comments:

Post a Comment