2013 VW Beetle Convertible arrives

The new 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Convertible has been revealed ahead of a launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November.

The new Beetle Convertible is due to bow in at the LA Auto Show in November  but VW obviously decided it was pragmatic to get an early reveal out of the way before the new Bug soft top trickled on to the Interwebs of its own accord.

What we get is what we expected (although we did hold out a little hope the new Beetle Cabriolet would look more like the E-Bugster Cabriolet Concept); a convertible version of the 2012 Beetle with a pram style soft top that sits on the boot. But at least it sits a bit flatter than in the last Beetle Convertible.

The soft top is an electric one, whichever model you choose, and can be raised or lowered in just 10 seconds at speeds up to 30mph and has an automatic roll-over system that pops up a pair of roll-over bars behind the back seats if the worst happens.

Engine options are pretty much what the new Beetle gets, with a 103bhp 1.2 litre TSI, a 158bhp 1.4 litre TSI and a 197bhp 2.0 litre TSI as petrol options and a 1.3bhp 1.6 litre TD and a 2.0 litre TDI with 138bhp the diesel engine choices. There’s a BlueMotion version of the 1.6 TDI on offer too and a BlueMotion version of the 1.2 litre petrol to come.

The 2013 VW Beetle Convertible will get its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show next month and arrive in the UK in time for summer 2013. VW hasn’t given us a price for the new Beetle Convertible, but you won ‘t be far out if you expect it to be at least £2500 more than the normal Beetle.

2013 VW Beetle Convertible Photos >>

By Cars UK